1996 Purdue Boilermakers football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record3–8 (2–6 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorTim Salem (2nd season)
Offensive schemePro set
Co-defensive coordinatorBob Morris (2nd season)
Co-defensive coordinatorTy Smith (1st season)
Base defense4–3
MVPBrian Alford
CaptainJon Krick, Emmett Zitelli
Home stadiumRoss–Ade Stadium
Seasons
← 1995
1997 →
1996 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 Ohio State +   7 – 1     11 – 1  
No. 15 Northwestern +   7 – 1     9 – 3  
No. 7 Penn State   6 – 2     11 – 2  
No. 18 Iowa   6 – 2     9 – 3  
No. 20 Michigan   5 – 3     8 – 4  
Michigan State   5 – 3     6 – 6  
Wisconsin   3 – 5     8 – 5  
Purdue   2 – 6     3 – 8  
Minnesota   1 – 7     4 – 7  
Indiana   1 – 7     3 – 8  
Illinois   1 – 7     2 – 9  
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1996 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by Jim Colletto in his sixth and final season as head coach, the Boilermakers compiled an overall record of 3–8 with a mark of 2–6 in conference play, placing eighth in the Big Ten. Purdue played home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Purdue started the season 0–3, averaging under seven points per game. Over the final eight games the Boilermakers went 3–5, failing to qualify for a bowl game for the 12 straight season. The Boilermakers also failed to win a road game.

Brian Alford received numerous postseason accolades, including First Team All-Big Ten honors by both the coaches and the media, and broke the Purdue record for most receiving touchdowns in a single season. Senior captain Emmett Zitelli was selected to the Second Team All-Big team by both the coaches and the media. After the season, none of the Boilermakers were selected in the 1997 NFL Draft, Zitelli signed as an undrafted free agent.

Preseason

In 1995 the Purdue Boilermakers had the second best season in the Colletto era. The team finished with a 4–6–1 regular season record, failing to qualify for a postseason bowl game for the 11th straight year. The Boilermakers struggled to win games, facing what was rated as the third most difficult schedule in the nation in 1995.[1] However, Purdue did finish first in the Big Ten in rushing offense.[2]

Going into 1996, there was doubt that Purdue could successfully replace all-time leading rusher Mike Alstott and have a winning season.[3] Entering the season, Colletto thought that each of his quarterbacks would be a contributor on offense, electing Rick Trefzger as the team's starting quarterback, and moving former tailback, Edwin Watson to fullback to replace Alstott.[4]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
August 3112:30 pmat Michigan State
ESPNL 14–5272,511
September 142:30 pmat No. 9 Notre Dame*
NBCL 0–3559,075
September 217:00 pmWest Virginia*
L 6–2039,445[5]
September 2812:00 pmNC State*
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
ESPN PlusW 42–2139,739[6]
October 52:00 pmMinnesota
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
W 30–2745,805
October 1212:30 pmat No. 10 Penn State
ESPNL 14–3196,653
October 193:30 pmNo. 2 Ohio Statedagger
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
ABCL 14–4258,323
November 212:30 pmat Wisconsin
ESPNL 25–3378,330
November 912:30 pmNo. 9 Michigan
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
ESPN2W 9–339,328
November 1612:00 pmat No. 13 Northwestern
L 24–2741,178
November 231:00 pmIndiana
L 16–3349,197
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[7]

Roster

1996 Purdue Boilermakers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 1 Donald Winston Fr
QB 3 John Reeves  So
WR 5 Willie Tillman Jr
WR 6 Isaac Jones Jr
QB 12 Billy Dicken  Jr
QB 13 Rick Trefzger Sr
FB 16 Eric Haddad Jr
WR 20 Chris Daniels  Fr
WR 24 Kirk Olivadotti Sr
RB 25 Curtis Taylor Jr
FB 36 Edwin Watson Jr
FB 37 Dartanian Sanders Sr
RB 43 Kendall Matthews Sr
FB 45 Cullen Bryant Jr. Fr
OT 52 Nick Sweeney So
OT 54 Mark Fischer Sr
G 56 Chukky Okobi Fr
C 63 Jim Niedrach So
G 72 Emmett Zitelli Sr
OT 73 David Cohen So
G 74 Wayne Finchum So
G 76 Dan Maly Sr
C 78 Brian Nicley Sr
OT 79 Chad Manning Sr
WR 80 Brian Alford  Jr
TE 81 Brandon Jewell Sr
TE 90 Pete VanderWeele Jr
TE 91 Matt Light Fr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
FS 2 Derrick Brown Jr
CB 4 Derrick Winston Sr
SS 7 Adrian Beasley So
DB 10 Lee Brush Jr
FS 11 Michael Hawthorne So
CB 14 Jamel Coleman Jr
LB 19 Joe Hagins Sr
DB 22 Lamar Conard Fr
SS 23 Willie Burroughs Jr
CB 27 Willie Washington Fr
LB 28 Mike Rose Fr
DB 29 Reggie Johnson
LB 32 Noble Jones So
LB 34 Chike Okeafor Jr
CB 38 Bryce Gillins Fr
LB 29 Nick Zitelli
DB 46 Glenn Davis
LB 48 Chris Koeppen Sr
DE 49 Chukie Nwokorie So
LB 51 Troy Bacon
DT 53 Jon Krick Sr
LB 57 Ray Lee So
DE 58 Craig Williams Sr
DE 59 Rosevelt Colvin So
DT 71 Anthony Gutwein Jr
DE 82 David Nugent Fr
LB 86 Scott Dobbins
DT 97 Greg Smith Sr
DT 98 Leo Perez Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
PK 17 Chris Arnce Jr
P 26 Danny Rogers Fr
P 29 Brandon Kaser So
PK 96 Shane Ryan Fr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Tim Salem (offensive coordinator)
  • Bob Morris (co-defensive coordinator, defensive backs)
  • Ty Smith (co-defensive coordinator, linebackers)
  • Chester Caddas (defensive line)
  • Randy Fichtner (wide receivers, recruiting coordinator)
  • Tom Freeman (offensive line)
  • Leroy Keyes (running backs)
  • Karl Morgan (defensive line)
  • Kurt Van Valkenburgh (defensive backs)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Depth chart

Game summaries

NC State

Minnesota

Michigan

See also: 1996 Michigan Wolverines football team
#9 Michigan at Purdue
1 234Total
Michigan 0 030 3
• Purdue 0 306 9
  • Date: November 9
  • Location: Ross–Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, Indiana
  • Game attendance: 40,624
Scoring summary
27:22PurdueShane Ryan 28 yard field goalPurdue 3-0
310:07MichiganRemy Hamilton 21 yard field goalTie 3-3
47:20PurdueBrian Alford 5 yard pass from Rick Trefzger (kick failed)Purdue 9-3

Purdue's first win versus Michigan since 1984

Statistics

Passing

Player Comp Att Yards TD INT
Rick Trefzger 96 170 1,158 8 8
John Reeves 51 102 772 6 5
Billy Dicken 40 81 518 1 4

Rushing

Player Att Yards TD
Edwin Watson 194 768 6
Kendall Matthews 123 471 3
John Reeves 52 157
Rick Trefzger 43 56 1
Donald Winston 2 49
Lee Johnson 12 43
Eric Haddad 6 24
Chris Koeppen 1 24
Brian Alford 3 22
Dartanian Sanders 5 18
Billy Dicken 20 -40

Receiving

Player Rec Yards TD
Brian Alford 63 1,057 12
Willie Tillman 40 557 2
Edwin Watson 25 220
Isaac Jones 14 241 1
Kirk Olivadotti 16 171
Brandon Jewell 11 92
Kendall Matthews 9 29
Chris Daniels 1 22
Eric Haddad 2 19
Lee Johnson 2 16
Matt Light 1 16
Reggie Johnson 1 7
Donald Winston 1 5
Dartanian Sanders 1 -4

[10]

References

  1. ^ "1995 Purdue Boilermakers Stats". www.sports-reference.com. USA TODAY Sports Digital Properties. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  2. ^ "Tim Salem Bio". www.fightingillini.com. University of Illinois-Champaign. Archived from the original on October 13, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  3. ^ Andrew Bagnato (November 5, 1996). "Purdue's Colletto 2nd Coach To Exit Big Ten Within Week". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  4. ^ Geoff Mosher (August 29, 1996). "Boiling point". ww.collegian.psu.edu. The Daily Collegian. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  5. ^ "Purdue's offense feels mountain of W. Va. pressure". The Indianapolis Star. September 22, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Reeves, Watson key easy Purdue victory". The South Bend Tribune. September 29, 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "2022 Purdue Football Record Book" (PDF). Purdue University Athletics. p. 93. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  8. ^ "Purdue's Final Two-Deep for 1996". www.purduesports.com. Purdue University. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  9. ^ "Purdue's Final Two-Deep for 1996". www.purduesports.com. Purdue University. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  10. ^ "1996 Purdue football final statistics". Archived from the original on January 5, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
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