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1996 Purdue Boilermakers football team

American college football season

Field	Value
year	1996
team	Purdue Boilermakers
sport	football
conference	Big Ten Conference
short_conf	Big Ten
record	3–8
conf_record	2–6
head_coach	Jim Colletto
hc_year	6th
off_coach	Tim Salem
oc_year	2nd
off_scheme	Pro set
codef_coach1	Bob Morris
codc1_year	2nd
codef_coach2	Ty Smith
codc2_year	1st
def_scheme	[4–3](4-3-defense)
mvp	Brian Alford
captain	Jon Krick
captain2	Emmett Zitelli
stadium	Ross–Ade Stadium

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.

Schedule

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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. However, Purdue did finish first in the Big Ten in rushing offense.

Going into 1996, there was doubt that Purdue could successfully replace all-time leading rusher Mike Alstott and have a winning season. 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.

Game summaries

NC State

Edwin Watson 29 rushes, 227 yards

Minnesota

Kendall Matthews 30 rushes, 131 yards

Michigan

Purdue's first win versus Michigan since 1984

Personnel

Roster

Jim Colletto
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)

Depth chart

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

References

(September 22, 1996). "Purdue's offense feels mountain of W. Va. pressure". The Indianapolis Star.
(September 29, 1996). "Reeves, Watson key easy Purdue victory". The South Bend Tribune.
. ["2022 Purdue Football Record Book"](https://purduesports.com/documents/2022/8/23/2022_Purdue_Record_Book.pdf). *Purdue University Athletics*.
"1995 Purdue Boilermakers Stats". USA TODAY Sports Digital Properties..
"Tim Salem Bio". University of Illinois-Champaign.
Andrew Bagnato. (November 5, 1996). "Purdue's Colletto 2nd Coach To Exit Big Ten Within Week". Chicago Tribune.
Geoff Mosher. (August 29, 1996). "Boiling point". The Daily Collegian.
"Purdue's Final Two-Deep for 1996". Purdue University.
"Purdue's Final Two-Deep for 1996". Purdue University.
"1996 Purdue football final statistics".

Info: Wikipedia Source

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