HEAD COACH DANNY HOPE In additi on to its conference championship in 2007, Eastern Kentucky fi nished second in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The Colonels led the OVC in total off ense on three occasions and were tops in pass effi ciency defense, Danny Hope tackles for loss, sacks and turnover margin a year ago. Eastern Kentucky produced four All-Americans and 24 fi rst team all-conference performers under Hope. Head Coach Hope was an acti ve fi gure both on campus and in the Richmond, Ky., area. He and his team were involved in many community service initi ati ves, including an annual blood drive. Other projects included the Free Others of Deprivati on food, toy and clothing drive; Special Motor Fitness Clinic Danny Hope is the epitome of the Boilermaker spirit. He is hardworking, for children with special needs; and the EKU Student Organizati on Breast results-oriented, enthusiasti c and passionate. Cancer Awareness Aucti on. Hope became the 34th head football coach in Purdue University history Hope served as spokesman for the 2009 Purdue Cancer Center Challenge, Jan. 1, 2009. He spent the 2008 season as associate head coach, working a 5K run/walk that began and ended at Ross-Ade Stadium. He asked with the off ensive line and managing recruiti ng. He was named to the Boilermaker fans to “Take the Challenge, Get Up, Get Fit and Give Back” positi on Jan. 11, 2008, with a succession plan in place for him to become by raising funds for cancer research at Purdue. head coach upon the reti rement of Joe Tiller at the end of the year. Hope is under contract through the 2013 season. In his previous sti nt with the Boilermakers, Hope coached the off ensive line. Seven of his players went on to the Nati onal Football League: An assistant under Tiller at Purdue from 1997 to 2001, Hope returned Ian Allen, Kelly Butler, Mark Fischer, Brandon Gorin, Matt Light, Gene to the Boilermakers from Eastern Kentucky University, where he served Mruczkowski and Chukky Okobi. The Boilermakers played in the Alamo as head coach from 2003 to 2007. His fi ve-year record was 35-22 (.614 Bowl in 1997 and 1998, the 2000 Outback Bowl, 2001 Rose Bowl and winning percentage), including 32-8 (.800 winning percentage) in Ohio 2001 Sun Bowl while averaging nearly eight wins per season. Valley Conference games. In 2000, Light became the Boilermakers’ fi rst All-America off ensive During the 2007 season, Eastern Kentucky fi nished 9-3 and won the OVC lineman since tackle Karl Singer in 1965 and fi rst All-Big Ten off ensive championship with an 8-0 mark. The Colonels advanced to the NCAA lineman since tackle Steve McKenzie and guard Dale Schwann in 1979. Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) playoff s and were ranked 13th in the fi nal poll. The nine wins were the most by an Upon leaving Purdue, Hope served as assistant head coach at Louisville Eastern Kentucky team since 1995 and the conference championship was in 2002. the fi rst since 1997. Hope was named OVC Coach of the Year, FCS Region 3 Coach of the Year and was a fi nalist for both American Football Coaches Hope initi ally worked with Tiller at Wyoming during the 1996 season. Associati on and Eddie Robinson Nati onal Coach of the Year honors. Hope’s other experience includes sti nts as an assistant at Louisville (1987- 94) and Oklahoma (1995). Among the players he coached at Louisville was Roman Oben, an off ensive tackle with the San Diego Chargers. Hope began his coaching career as an assistant at Manatee High School in Bradenton, Fla., from 1981 to 1984. Manatee won the Florida Class 4A state championship in 1983. Hope was a graduate assistant at Louisville in 1985 and 1986. Regarded as a ti reless recruiter with a keen eye for talent, Hope was named one of the nati on’s best in 1993 and 2000 by Tom Lemming, editor of Prep Football Report. Hope has extensive contacts in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and Florida – specifi cally the Gulf Coast, Miami and Orlando – as well as in Chicagoland. He also has recruited in the states of Indiana, Kentucky and Mississippi. Hope started as an off ensive guard at Eastern Kentucky from 1977 to Danny Hope, seen here at his fi rst nati onal signing day press 1980 for the legendary Roy Kidd, whom Hope succeeded as head coach. conference, took over as the 34th head coach in Purdue history on Hope was a member of the 1979 Division I-AA nati onal championship January 1, 2009. team and captain of the 1980 nati onal runner-up squad. He graduated in 1981 with a B.S. degree in psychology and a minor in health educati on. 26 HEAD COACH DANNY HOPE A nati ve of Gainesville, Fla., Hope (born Jan. 7, 1959) att ended Miami Killian Senior High School. He and his wife, Sally, have a son, Chaz, a Hoopla About Hope sophomore at Eastern Kentucky. “When I was there, he did a phenomenal job as off ensive line coach and made my job a lot easier. He did a great job as the head coach at Eastern Kentucky, and his track record speaks for itself. He understands the past, present and future of Purdue football. I think he’s absolutely the right guy for the job.” – Drew Brees, Purdue All-American quarterback (1997-2000), currently with the New Orleans Saints “I remember Coach Hope as being more than a football coach. He was a leader with integrity who demanded excellence from his players. He was always full of so much excitement and positi ve energy that it rubbed off on the enti re team.” – Chris Clopton, Purdue wide receiver-running back-defensive back (1997-2000), currently an assistant director of the John Purdue Club “He’s a real spirited coach and a great guy. I don’t remember a day he wasn’t intense in practi ce. I know he moti vated his players, and they loved playing for him.” – Rosevelt Colvin, Purdue defensive end (1995-98), currently with the New England Patriots The Hopes - Chaz, Sally and Danny. “Everybody loved playing for him. He has so much spirit, whether it’s coaching, recruiti ng or in the weight room, and he insti lls that enthusiasm in you as a player. He really stressed the importance of being mentally tough as well as physically tough. A couple of years ago, Matt Light and I worked his camp at Eastern Kentucky, and you could tell that his players there felt the same way about him that we did.” – Brandon Gorin, Purdue off ensive tackle (1997-2000), currently with the Denver Broncos Hope’s Coaching File “I would not be in the NFL today if it were not for Danny Hope. Not only did he help me from a technique standpoint, but he taught me what it takes from an intensity level. He is absolutely the right guy to Year(s) School Positi on build on the current foundati on of Purdue football.” 1981-84 Manatee High School (Bradenton, Fla.) ........Assistant Coach – Matt Light, Purdue off ensive tackle (1997-2000), currently with the 1985-86 Louisville ........................................Graduate Assistant Coach New England Patriots 1987-94 Louisville ........................................................Assistant Coach 1995 Oklahoma ......................................................Assistant Coach “When you look at the off ensive line the year we went to the Rose 1996 Wyoming .......................................................Assistant Coach Bowl, none of us were high school All-Americans or blue-chip recruits, and he’s the reason we had the success we did and we went on to play 1997-2001 Purdue ......................................................Assistant Coach in the Nati onal Football League. Now he will be able to do the same 2002 Louisville ........................................................Assistant Coach thing for the enti re program, not just the off ensive line. He will bring 2003-07 Eastern Kentucky .................................................Head Coach some swagger and atti tude. Personally, I looked to him as a father 2008 Purdue ............................................ Associate Head Coach fi gure as much as a coach. We have remained close, and I couldn’t be 2009- Purdue ............................................................Head Coach happier for him.” – Chukky Okobi, Purdue off ensive guard-center (1997-2000) Hope’s Head Coaching Record “He defi nitely brings an atti tude to coaching. He’s a high-energy guy and a great coach. I like him a lot.” Year School Overall Conf Final Rank – Kyle Orton, Purdue quarterback (2001-04), currently with the 2003 Eastern Kentucky 7-5 6-2 - Denver Broncos 2004 Eastern Kentucky 6-5 6-2 - 2005 Eastern Kentucky 7-4 7-1 - “Danny is the perfect choice to take over this program. He is 2006 Eastern Kentucky 6-5 5-3 - charismati c, hardworking and has a passion for the sport of college 2007 Eastern Kentucky 9-3 8-0* 13th football. He also has head-coaching experience; he understands the Totals Five Years 35-22 32-8 diff erence between making suggesti ons and making decisions.” – Joe Tiller, former Purdue head coach (1997-2008) * Ohio Valley Conference Champions (.614) (.800) 27 ASSISTANT COACHES Gary Nord Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Gary Nord is in his fi rst season as off ensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He was named to the positi on Dec. 1, 2008. Nord, who has more than 25 years of collegiate coaching experience, came to Purdue from Florida Atlanti c, where he coached the quarterbacks from 2004 to 2008 and served as off ensive coordinator from 2005 to 2008 under Howard Schnellenberger. In 2007, quarterback Rusty Smith set the Sun Belt Conference record with 3,688 passing yards and the Florida The Nords - Colleen, Kathy, Gary, Nicole and Nate.