Michael NiziolekThe Herald-Times
BLOOMINGTON —Purdue football coach Ryan Walters told reporters at Big Ten media days that the school’s entire athletic department is going into the 2024 season with a “chip on our shoulder” after being picked to finish last in the conference.
The Boilermakers ranked No. 18 in the USA TODAY Sports Network preseason media poll and the cleveland.com poll this week.
While that was the primary source of Purdue’s frustration, it wasn’t the only one. Walters grouped the comments Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti made back in December when he was introduced to fans at Assembly Hall as an additional source of motivation.
“We have a bunch of guys with a chip on their shoulder for a lot of reasons,” Walters said.
The shot Cignetti took at his rivals went viral.
"I don't plan on taking a back seat to anybody," Cignetti said at the time. "Purdue sucks, but so does Michigan and Ohio State! Go IU!"
Cignetti has made light of the comment in recent months joking he got a little too amped up amid all the excitement from the sold-out crowd. Walters' lone response was a social media post featuring a series of emojis including ones for “memo” and “receipts.”
IU football: Three questions for Curt Cignetti at the Big Ten media days
“People liked my tweet I put out right after that.” Walters said. “I think they appreciate that.”
Purdue struggled in Walters’ first season at the helm with a 4-8 record, but it did close out the season with a third-straight win over Indiana.
'It would be something you can hang your hat on forever'
Purdue's Gus Hartwig along with the other two remaining members of the team’s 2020 signing class, linebacker Kydran Jenkins and safety Antonio Stevens, have the chance to close out their collegiate careers with a 4-0 record against Indiana.
Jenkins burst into a wide smile when asked about the win streak at Big Ten media days.
“It would suck to lose this year,” Jenkins said.
The 6-1, 260-pounder has been an impactful presence in the game with six quarterback pressures (two sacks) and 10 tackles against the Hoosiers. He’s started at linebacker in the rivalry game each of the past two seasons.
While Hartwig sat out the 2022 game with an injury, he started at center against IU in 2021 and 2023. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s only allowed one quarterback pressure on 75 pass blocking snaps in those two starts.
"I think for me personally, that is huge,” Hartwig said, of the win streak. “From a pride perspective, if you can go five years playing them four times and not having lost, it would be something you can hang your hat on forever."
It would be the longest winning streak in the series since Purdue won five in a row from 2002-06 and match the total for IU’s longest win streak ever in the series. Former Indiana coach Tom Allen went 1-5 in the series with his lone victory coming in 2019.
Purdue leads the overall series with a 77-42-6 record.
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Indiana football vs. Purdue: Old Oaken Bucket 101
Hartwig was called on to share his experiences in the game last fall during a team-wide meeting.
Walters called everyone together at various times last year to learn about Purdue’s various traditions including the Old Oaken Bucket game. The first-year head coach was in the same boat as many of the new faces on the team as a California native who played at Colorado and spent much of his coaching career outside the Big Ten.
He will bring back those classes this fall with the team welcoming 37 new faces including 18 transfers.
“How do you make that game important to them?” Walters said. “We went all the way back to teaching everybody the fight song and making them take ownership over knowing every word and putting their own twist on the ending to the fight song. We have taught them what the demographics of West Lafayette are and what kind of working class is in the stadium at the game just so you have more of a familiarity and ownership of your role on the team.”
The rivalry dates back to 1891 and the Old Oaken Bucket trophy was first introduced in 1925 during IU’s first season at the original Memorial Stadium. The name comes from a Samuel Woodworth poem.
Every year an “I” or a “P” is added to the chain of the bucket to recognize the winner of the game.
Hartwig said it was a valuable experience for both newcomers and veterans.
"I think last year he did a really good job,” Hartwig said. “I think he'll go down a similar path — to show what's at stake, the bragging rights, the rivalry and the history of the game. What the Old Oaken Bucket was, how they found it, kind of educating everybody and asking guys in the state who played in the game, how does this game affect the year? How does it affect people around the state?"
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
