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Bolden Looking Ready FOOTBALL: NEWS AND NOTES PRESENTS BY GOLD AND BLACK STAFF After weeks of waiting, Ralph Bolden thinks he's ready to go. "I've been pretty eager to get on the field," said Bolden, who's soon. On Tuesday, Coach Danny Hope said he was close to put- ting in Bolden vs. Michigan, but chose not to insert the fifth-year senior. Bolden might get in vs. Wisconsin, however. "Odds are we'll probably find out this weekend," Hope said. "We He might get his wish very " recovering from an ACL injury. "I've been ready, can't wait to get on. Practice is pretty overrated; I don't like just doing that. fered in the regu- lar season-finale last year at Indi- ana. Before then, he had rushed for 674 yards with six touchdowns. But the torn ever, is likely to be capped. The Boilermakers are settled with their running back corps Bolden's playing time, how- Akeem Shavers and Akeem Hunt and to a lesser extent wide re- ceiver Raheem Mostert. Perhaps, however, Purdue's inability to es- tablish a running game the last two weeks, when it's averaged less than three yards per carry, of has opened the door. "I've been telling them I'm ready to go," Bolden said. "So they've been trying to figure out how to get me in and get me some plays. "I want to help any way pos- sible. As long as we're winning, I don't care what's going on." weren't exactly sure last week- end; we knew that he was close, or maybe ready. But we (knew we) would feel a little bit better after seeing him get a few more reps in practice and I thought he got some of that done last week. Bolden, a former All-Big Ten running back, is returning from an ACL injury, his third, suf- ACL — he first injured the right knee as a high school senior, then again in the spring of 2010, forcing him to miss the fol- lowing season — has kept him out the first five games of 2012. Bolden has " practiced since the start of train- ing camp, but only recently has start- ed to take on line- backers in pass protection during practice. Because he's not being tack- led, that's his only form of con- Running back Ralph Bolden could return this Saturday vs. Wisconsin after missing the first five games recovering from his ACL injury. Tom Campbell tact, and he's holding up fine. "We feel a lot more comfortable " Hope said. about playing Ralph this weekend and I think Ralph is a lot more com- fortable, as well, Robert Marve—Tampa, Fla. Law and Society Robert is one of 20 football players to earn academic All-Big Ten honors in the Spring 2011 semester. In all, 59 Boilermaker fall athletes earned this honor. GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • volume 23, express 6 • 30 LINK TO PURDUE'S 2012 SEASON STATS