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involved, Hope said. Though Nord was at Tuesday's practice, although on crutches It's been difficult for Nord not to be NEWS & NOTES Big Ten Defensive Player-of-the-Week Monday after racking up a career-high four tackles for loss, including his fifth sack of the season, at Iowa Saturday. Short, who finished the contest with Kawann Short had a good week. The defensive tackle was named the BIG WEEK FOR SHORT six tackles, was instrumental in limiting Iowa to 264 yards of total offense, includ- ing only 74 yards rushing. The weekly honor is the third of his career, including two defensive and one on special teams. Short also accepted an invitation Kawann Short was named the Big Ten Defensive Player-of- the-Week after his performance against the Hawks. to play in the Senior Bowl following the season. It's the seventh straight season a Boilermaker has been chosen to play in the All-Star game. The game, which is on Jan. 26 at Ladd- Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala., and prac- tices will be televised by NFL Network. Backups Brandon Taylor and E.J. Johnson missed the Iowa game and are doubtful for Illinois, as well. Taylor, a defensive tackle, has a high INJURY NEWS ankle sprain, which he suffered vs. Min- nesota. Johnson, a safety, has been out of the lineup a couple weeks with a lower- extremity injury. The news might be better for kick re- turner Raheem Mostert. During his week- ly press conference Tuesday, Coach Dan- ny Hope said there was a 50-50 chance that Mostert would be available for the game vs. the Fighting Illini. Mostert has missed four weeks after suffering a knee injury on a kick return against Wisconsin. "We haven't seen him do anything, " eyes, but neither is expected to keep players out this week. Tight end Gabe Tom Campbell and not involved in minute-by-minute coaching of the team, it's not the same as being an everyday coach. he's coached for 30-something years, Thursday was the first practice he'd missed "When you coach as long as he has, Holmes missed the second half Satur- day because of ribs injuries, but Hope called him probable for Illinois. Rob- ert Maci suffered a stinger and missed much of the second half, but he's ex- pected to play Saturday. coming with a torn ACL, Robert Marve says he's feeling physically fine. It likely helped that the Hawkeyes After his second straight start, both MARVE FEELING FINE knee feels normal and really I didn't take any hard hits the Iowa game; they kept me protected very well I thought. " R Purdue's season finale vs. Indi- ana has been set for noon ET and will be THIS AND THAT shown on the BTN. R Eric McDaniel, an offensive guard, Hope said. "But the time table is coming up where he could become available. Two suffered injuries vs. the Hawk- " has been playing snaps at defensive tack- le in practice, helping to add depth there due to injuries. McDaniel was a D-tackle early in his career before he moved to of- fense a couple years ago. — Gold and Black Staff sacked Marve only once, and otherwise touched him very little. "I woke up the next day fine, not swollen at all," he said Tuesday. "The ever, so that sets a guy back a bit," Hope " said. "When you're not there, it's tough to deal with. You feel guilty you're not able to be there and help pull the rope. "He really had some struggles with it. entered the bowl picture. The Big Ten has five bowl eligible BOWL CHANCES IMPROVE After its win at Iowa, Purdue has re- teams, with the potential for as many as three others to join the group. Remem- ber that Ohio State and Penn State, which both already have six victories, are ineli- gible for postseason play this season due to NCAA violations. Michigan State, which is 5-5, has the easiest path to eligibility, needing one win either vs. Northwestern or at Minnesota. Purdue, with games against Illinois and Indiana in the next two weeks, might have the next-easiest road, although it'd need two wins. Iowa, at 4-6, is also a possibility, but the Hawkeyes have games remaining at Michigan and vs. Nebraska and would need wins in both to get to .500. Indiana is 4-6, as well, but has road games at Penn State and Purdue in the last two weeks. Obviously, Purdue and Indiana will not both be bowl eligible. In the most likely scenario (if the favored teams win over the next two weeks), Michigan State would get win No. 6 in one of the last two weeks. And then, the Boilermakers would become the sev- enth — and last — Big Ten bowl eligible team with two victories. That would mean GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 23, EXPRESS 11 • 30