Purdue will be hoping experience is the key for its new starting quarterback. Austin Appleby was named the starting quarterback for the Boilermakers by head coach Darrell Hazell. Appleby started seven games for Purdue last season, and he took the lumps that came with them. Purdue was 1-6 in games started by Appleby, but there was plenty of blame to go around with Purdue’s struggles last season. Appleby beat out redshirt freshman David Blough for the job.
Appleby was Purdue’s leading passer last fall after replacing Danny Etling. Appleby passed for 1,449 yards and 10 touchdowns but was intercepted 11 times and completed just 52.9 percent of his pass attempts in 10 games. He was more reliable inside the red zone, completing 16 of 26 pass attempts and tossing five touchdowns with zero interceptions. If nothing else, that should give Hazell something to build on with his new starting QB. Protecting the football has been a key in camp for Purdue.
“He did a good job, in my opinion, of taking care of the ball throughout fall camp,” Hazell said after announcing his decision. “That’s what we asked him to do. He made enough of those makeable plays that we asked him to do. That’s why we’re going with Austin.”
Purdue will open the season on the road against defending Conference USA champion Marshall.