Ad Disclosure
Purdue making change at quarterback
Published:
Purdue coach Darrell Hazell is making a change.
After three games, David Blough will replace Austin Appleby as the team’s starting quarterback, Hazell announced at his press conference on Tuesday.
The redshirt freshman will get the start after Appleby’s 9-for-28 showing in a 51-24 loss to Virginia Tech on Saturday.
We decided on Blough because we preach taking care of the football and we haven't done a good job of that. -Hazell
— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) September 22, 2015
The Boilermakers are ranked last in the Big Ten with nine turnovers.
It marked the third straight season in which Purdue has made an in-season quarterback switch. Appleby threw for five touchdowns and six interceptions in his three games under center this season.
Blough replaced Appleby in the fourth quarter on Saturday and threw for 11 yards on 3-of-7 passing.
The three-star recruit lost the fall competition for the job, but will make his first career start on Saturday when Bowling Green comes to West Lafayette. For the 1-2 Boilermakers, a loss would make a six-win season an awfully tough mark to reach.
But Hazell denied that it was a move made out of desperation.
This is not a panic move, this is a move based on taking care of the ball, which we haven't done. -Hazell on naming Blough starter
— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) September 22, 2015
Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Tradition. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.