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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 11 • 19 season, during the Boilermakers' only conference win. He also had a sack vs. Southern Illinois. "As far as performance, I have no regrets," said Russell, who has played through ankle and hip inju- ries this season, as he has at times throughout his career. "I played my hardest. When I was healthy, I played at an extremely high level and when I was nicked up, I still tried to do everything I could for the team." Perhaps the expectation level for Russell has always been too high, especially considering he was a lightly recruited player out of Car- rollton, Texas. Then, Purdue was his only BCS-level offer, and he took it. But after Russell's performance in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl at the end of his redshirt freshman sea- son in 2011, when he picked up a goal-line fumble, expectations from coaches, media and even himself went up. But those bigger days didn't come with regularity. "I'm familiar with the 'Den of the Defensive Ends,' " sophomore end Evan Panfil said, referring to the greats who have played the posi- tion at Purdue, "and people have associated him with that. But he does go out there and play his own game. He plays within the defense and tries to go 110 (percent). He's not worried about the expectations, he's worried about doing what he can to help this defense and he's not a selfish player whatsoever." Russell, who has seven career sacks, has taken on important roles in other areas this season, too. He was voted a captain before the sea- son, then had the role, at least from a playing standpoint, all to himself after fellow defensive captain Sean Robinson was injured mid-year. "It's definitely been a challenge, from being a player worried about what you're doing for the team to hoping everyone is performing at a certain level and that you're set- ting a standard and meeting that standard," he said. "Those are big changes, eye-openers. But it's been great and a learning experience, not just for me as a leader but for some of the younger guys, seeing how to lead or learning from things that I haven't done well in that position. Having people look up to me and respond to me the way that they have has been a real confidence- booster. "And as we go on, better lead - ers than me will step up and I hope each year it will get better and this program will be back to national prominence." CHARLES TORWUDZO Charles Torwudzo's football ca- reer didn't go as he planned. In his five seasons with the Boilermakers, he never was a major contributor on the field. He's played in only 15 games entering Saturday, and the receiver-turned-tight end has caught only two passes. And those were in 2012. But Torwudzo hasn't let that disappointment affect his presence in the locker room, the practice field, during games and off the field. This season, he's been the one leading the pregame huddle, the man in charge of firing up his team- mates before games. "It's a senior thing — it's kind of been passed down," Torwudzo said. "I've just kind of been almost like the Ray Lewis. I don't want to say the heartbeat, but I definitely want to make sure my guys live and con- tribute any way I can." He's not lying. In the weeks leading into the Nebraska and Wisconsin games, Torwudzo wasn't practicing with Purdue's scout team offense. He was on defense. "It's kind of like an all-purpose tool, whatever it takes to give the defense or the offense a good look," he said. "I like to consider myself an athlete. Obviously I came here as a wide receiver and moved to tight end, played a little defensive end (for Nebraska) and outside line - backer Wisconsin week. "Literally, any- thing they need me to do, I'm more than willing and happy to do it." But Torwudzo thinks his mark on Purdue athletics will be more for what he's helped do away from the field. He's one of the found- ing members of "Boiler-Maker-Wish," a program that helps fills Purdue-sports- specific wishes of children K-12 with moderate to severe physical dis- abilities or life-threatening diseases. Former swimmer Carly Mercer recruited Torwudzo to the cause, along with former athletes Julia Co- modeca, Courtney Moses and Lind- sey Rains, in April 2013. The program has organized and delivered a variety of wishes since, allowing kids to meet their favorite Purdue athletes and attend games and practices. It also helped raise money for Purdue's Dance Marathon recently by hosting an event at Chick-fil-A. "When I addressed the team this summer, I mentioned Kirk Cous- ins, the quarterback at Michigan State now with the Redskins. He was at (a) Big Ten conference and mentioned how student-athletes are very fortunate to have a pedes- tal," Torwudzo said. "Not a lot of guys realize how much we are looked up to. Granted, you sign autographs, but we have a lot of power, a lot of resources and being able to tap into those and utilize those to the full potential has been great with Boiler-Maker-Wish. "My impact on the field obvi- ously wasn't what I wanted it to be, but I think I've definitely left a legacy as far as Boiler-Maker-Wish is concerned, a legacy off the field, something that will carry on far past my time at Purdue." j Tom Campbell Charles Torwudzo hasn't bombarded Purdue's record books over the last five years. He's hardly played as a reserve receiver and then tight end. But Torwudzo still is confident he'll leave a mark on Purdue athletics.