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PURDUE UNIVERSITY MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 18, 2008

Joe Tiller

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to week 12 of 2008 Purdue football. The Boilermakers will be hosting the Hoosiers this weekend for the Old Oaken Bucket at noon on ESPN 2. Let's go ahead and get started with the phone callers.

Q. Besides Tuesdays at noon, what's the part of game week that you're going to miss the most?
COACH TILLER: I wish you hadn't qualified that. You hit the nail right on the head. Tuesdays at noon.
Game week, I think if you count the games, obviously I'll miss the games the most. I just like to be around players. I look forward to practice every day. I like interacting with players. As the week progresses, I'm somewhat like a fan in that I'm anxious to see how they'll come back, get around them and see what their attitude is like, et cetera.
It's just really the interaction with the players that I'll miss the most.

Q. What part of the job can't you define to Danny Hope? What does he have to experience that no one can tell him what it's going to be like?
COACH TILLER: That would be Tuesdays at noon. I think that, you know, until you're in that chair making those decisions, you know, you don't really have an absolute appreciation. I think the fact that he's a head coach is extremely valuable to him.
Still, there are some situations I know that all of us deal with as coaches that are out of our control. I think those are the issues that you never know until you're there. You can't control some things, and that leads to frustration. You need to learn how to deal with frustration levels.

Q. What's the hardest decision you've had to make in 12 years?
COACH TILLER: Oh, I think I've had more than one, but I think any time that you're considering eliminating a player from your program, or if you're considering changing a coach, I think those are tough decisions. None of those are easy. It's not like this one is more difficult than that one.
Occasionally you have to eliminate a player for the program based on our standards and what we expect, et cetera. That's never easy. I think if it's easy you're probably in the wrong business. I think it's even more difficult to make a coaching change, because you're not just impacting the coach but you're impacting a family.
You know, I always anguish over those two.

Q. Is this a normal week, even though it is your last week? Are you trying to make it as normal as possible?
COACH TILLER: I'm trying to make it as normal as possible. Not everyone is cooperating, but -- and maybe that's good. You know, yesterday was significantly different with the luncheon, beginning with the luncheon then the TV show and finishing up with the radio show. It was unlike anything that we'd experienced before. So yesterday wasn't a normal day.
Today hopefully it'll be a little more normal, and tomorrow will be right on schedule.

Q. Can you share with us why some of the things yesterday were abnormal, if you will?
COACH TILLER: Well, I went into the luncheon yesterday, and I think the alumni association passed out these little pull-outs. I don't know what they're called. They said, Thanks Coach. Everybody in the luncheon had one. The guys in the back stood up, so everybody started -- it was like I walked into a room full of gold "Thank You, Coach" messages, notes, which was a surprise to me. I didn't have any idea that they had anything like that planned. It was much appreciated. I did ask the question, Are those left over from Coach Keady's retirement? (Laughter.)
But that kind of started the day. And then I went to the TV show and the last segment, you know, the cast there -- I shouldn't say the cast -- the crew that put the thing on had some surprises for me, including an oversized rainbow stuffed trout about four feet tall.
Anyway, we had some fun with that, wrapping that up. And then last night at the radio show, several coaches from within the department showed up and the neighbors showed up and long-time friends showed up and the captains showed up. Stuart Schweigert
called in.
It was kind of an opportunity to reflect back on our years here at Purdue. I thought I was walking into a normal radio show, and it turned out to be much different.

Q. So have you started to get a little bit emotional and sentimental like you said?
COACH TILLER: Well, I did when I was talking to Stu, because we have a lot of friends fortunately that we will leave behind at Purdue. But we'll come back and visit with all of them. I wouldn't be here on Tuesdays at noon, however, that one week I'll be here in town.
I might actually come in and sit in the crowd and ask questions. I'm not sure. I would ask them of the media, not of the coach. You know, I'm closest to the players, and I think any time that a former player, you have a chance to see them, it's always an emotional time for me.

Q. Have you been dreading this week, wished it wouldn't come for a long time?
COACH TILLER: Well, I was until our season has gone the way it has. You would have to be a masochist if you would want to continue this for another eight weeks or some such thing. You know, I feel bad about the season. It's the worst win-loss -- I can't say it's the worst season I've ever had because, you know, our team has been a real joy to be around the seniors have been great. The things. I cherish the most have been positive and good.
But certainly from a results point of view, our win-loss record is the worst season I've had since I've been in coaching. Might be the worst season even as an assistant. I'm trying to think if I've ever been around a team that's only won three or four games.
So from that point of view, you know, it's been a different experience for me. Maybe there's a message there. I made this comment at the luncheon yesterday. Maybe there's a message there. Maybe it took this kind of a year to absolutely convince me in my mind that I don't want to coach again. Because if we had have won eight or nine or ten games, something like that, I might be thinking, oh, I can keep doing this someplace else or whatever.
You have a year like this and it's like, Hey, I don't want to do this anymore. This hurts too much. From a dreading it point of view, I think based on -- I'm answering this with a long answer -- but based on the way our season's gone, I'm not dreading the end of this just because I'm disappointed.

Q. Since it is your last game, how important is Saturday, and what would it mean to you to win it?
COACH TILLER: Well, it would be certainly significant. I'd like to say that the last time I walked off that field we were victorious. I think that would just leave me with a better taste as I walk away from the program. To me, I hope the feeling is mutual amongst our players and seniors. But to me it's pretty significant.

Q. What are your plans after the IU game? I know you have the banquet Monday, but then what for Joe Tiller?
COACH TILLER: Well, I've got some work to do and tie up some lose ends. I've got some things I'm going to do for Purdue. Down the road her in the month of December I'm gonna be in Indianapolis, for instance, for the Indy Star High School awards thing, things like I did when I first came here but I haven't done recently because I've always delegated an assistant do it.
I told Danny I would do some of those things. I've got a couple of clinics to represent Purdue at, so it's not just going to suddenly stop for me. I've got some things that I need to look after.
Really it will probably be about the first part of March when I no longer will be representing Purdue and doing football items.
I'm going to go to -- Arnette, my wife is Wyoming. She's coming back for the game. She'll go back to Wyoming and I'll drive out there -- or fly out there rather -- the middle of December and drive her back. So she'll be here for Christmas. That'll take four days, two days out. I'll drive her back out there and then fly back here. I don't want her driving this time of year by herself.
So I've got one of those planned. That'll give me a chance to look at the house out there and see how it's progressed. Supposed to be done by the middle of December, which isn't that far from now, but it's been pushed back sometime in early January. I'll be anxious to get out there and see that.
Otherwise I'm going to be here. I told Danny if there's something I can do to help him, if he wants me to continue to look at players and evaluation or whatever, I'll be glad to do that. But like I said, I don't really feel like I'm going sever the umbilical cord, if you will, probably until about March. After March no one in this room will see me very much.

Q. I just wanted to take a second to say thanks for all you've done for me and our staff the last 12 years. A lot of fun to work with you and I wish you nothing but the best in retirement. Thanks a lot.
COACH TILLER: I appreciate it.

Q. (Question regarding the outgoing class.)
COACH TILLER: Yeah, it's a good group of guys. You know, I enjoy them. There's not a -- you know, we all have different talents and different abilities and different skills. They're not the same as everyone else. As a result, we're not really capable of contributing the same, if you will, to the cause.
When that occurs, oftentimes - some particularly an upperclassmen - they have a feeling like they've been left behind. As a result, they're not as active participants in the class or in the team and in the season itself.
But I think this senior class is pretty close to 100% that way, so I feel like I have to do the same thing. I owe them my best effort, too. It's a good group. I'm thankful that this last year, and particularly in light of the tough season that we've had to deal with, that we've gone down this road together with this senior class.

Q. You have quite a few nonscholarship guys, guys who came through as walk-ons in your senior class. Obviously they've been great contributors for you. Do you maybe appreciate those guys a little bit more?
COACH TILLER: Well, I do, because they paid a greater price in my opinion. I think any walk-on has paid a greater price than a scholarship, especially Torri Williams. But I think typically speaking, a walk-on, certainly they endure a period of time when they're not being rewarded financially and they're playing strictly because of a love of the game. Those are the guys you appreciate the most.

Q. (No microphone.)
COACH TILLER: Yeah, after everything he's been through, you know, had him on the TV show and had a lot of fun with him. But there aren't many players -- as a matter of fact, I've been trying to recollect who in my coaching career has been like that in terms of injury issues. I have had guys that have been like him off the field, but not many on the field.
I don't recall any player that I've ever dealt with that's had as much to overcome as he has from a physical point of view. So it'll be great to see him wrap up his career and get his degree in December. He's on track to graduate in December.

Q. Just a question about one more of your seniors. I guess when you look back and see one of the guys that really seemed to show up every single week, Anthony Heygood, talk about his year.
COACH TILLER: Yeah, Anthony has had a great year. Hopefully have another big game Saturday. He's a guy that wants to play at the next level, and I think of all of our seniors, I think he's done the most to elevate his stock in terms of the next level. There are NFL players, or teams rather, looking at him.
I've been telling the NFL teams that you really need to look at this guy, because I think everybody always says your future is ahead of you. Of course it is. Where would it be if it wasn't ahead of you. He's only been a linebacker for two years, and think his feature in the linebacking position is certainly brighter than - definitely a guy that's spent four or five years there. He's, I think, demonstrated this year how much improvement he's capable of making from one year to the next. He's capable of making that same -- taking that same jump in another year.
So the only thing that I wish is that we would have moved him to linebacker earlier.

Q. Just try to keep in mind there's a game this weekend, too, but is Curtis going to start his last game as of right now?
COACH TILLER: Yes. He'll start his last game unless he's in the infirmary on Saturday.

Q. After you get out of March, what do you see yourself doing six months or a year from now? Are you gonna be like a Wal-Mart greeter? I know you're going to be hunting and fishing, but...
COACH TILLER: I hadn't thought of that. Yeah, that's pretty good. I think I'll be a Wal-Mart greeter. No, I think it's really interesting and it's natural and I understand it. A lot of people asked me, and it started in August at the Big 10 luncheon in Chicago. What are you going to do after you retire?
I made up that fishing stuff. I have a confession to make: I've been fly fishing twice in my life. One of my goals is to learn how to become a very good fly fisherman, and you can only do that with practice and time. I've been invited -- and I'm glad I talked about it so much, because I've been invited on a half dozen fly fishing expeditions but different people want to take me fly fishing that are very good at it.
I don't want to go see the guru, Joe Humphrey, in state college Pennsylvania, without practicing. So my thoughts are, you know, we're going to move into this house, and you know how it is when you move into a house. Takes you six months to move in, look after things and do some landscaping. I like to be outdoors, et cetera.
But I'm going to try to hit the water and try to practice and take some of those people up on their offers. Also, Arnette, and I bought a motorhome three years ago, a used one I might add. And while I'm young and healthy enough to wrestle with it, et cetera, you know, there's a lot of these United States I'd like to see. I'd love to get in the motorhome and tailgate around college campuses all fall. I think that would be a blast.
So I don't know. We'll do some things. But as long as we're healthy and able to move, et cetera, we'll stay busy.

Q. Looking at Indiana, in a lot of ways their season mirrors yours as far as injuries, quarterback injuries and the offensive line. Talk about what you see from them.
COACH TILLER: Yeah, I'm a little surprised that their season has gone the way it has. Like you say, they've been dealing with the same thing we've been dealing with from an injury point of view. But, you know, I watch them on tape, you know, and I think that Kirlew is, I think he's as good a defensive end as there is in the league.
But, you know, I think they're defensive line is extremely talented. I think their linebackers are much improved. Their secondary, hard to get a real about read on the secondary because they put so many guys in and out with the injuries they've dealt with back there.
But the front seven is very impressive, and they have some talent in the secondary. I just don't know who's gonna play against us, quite frankly. Offensively, you know, it's just about begins and ends in the quarterback position. They've been in out of that position. They've dealt with the same thing we have.
I don't know if they've had as many injuries to their offensive line as we have. If they do, I really feel sorry for them. This is the most I have ever been around. I think that's where the real skill at football lies.
But offensively, they're still explosive. They got a guy that's a running back that can take it to the house against anybody. He did it against Penn State last week. Outstanding kick returners. So it's not like they're void of talent. There's talent there. But their season, like you say, has pretty much mirrored ours. Everything hasn't fallen in place for them. I hope they're one more week away from that.

Q. You mentioned the difficult part of cutting a player from a game or booting them from a program or a coach. But in your week-in and week-out routine as a head coach, not counting your dealings with the media, is there an - I don't want to say a worse part, but a part that becomes kind of a drag or something that's not really that much fun?
COACH TILLER: Not really. Each day is different as you progress through the week, and of course, we begin to back off on Thursday. But for me, on Thursday, I spend a lot of Thursday reading and looking through my files and going through notes, because Thursday night I talk to the team. I try to do that on Sunday and Thursday nights. Try to establish a theme Sunday night, and I try to back it up on Thursday night.
So there's enough happening for me during the course of the week, and each day is different than the previous day. I really don't find any part of it boring or tedious or something that I don't look forward to.
Now that I'm not recruiting -- and I say that because up until this fall, as you know, you work on football all day long, and then your football is done at 9:00 or 10:00 at night, and then you watch recruiting tapes. I enjoy the personnel part of it, but that makes for a very, very long day.
I must admit, although I like the personnel part of it, I haven't missed that this year. I'm getting to go home stead of staying there and watching recruiting tapes.

Q. I think it was Sunday you mentioned that you thought this would be a normal week, but maybe you will get emotional as you walk off the field for the last time. Do you think it'll be then, or do you think you'll catch yourself as you run onto the field for the last time? Or if you win the Bucket and you're singing the fight song with the band, do you think that'll be a time where you'll allow yourself to...
COACH TILLER: Probably all of the above really. I think that last night when Stuart called, Schweigert called the radio show, I struggled not to get a little emotional then, because a lot of good memories here. So next question. I don't want to get emotional now.

Q. Unfortunately it kind of has to do with the same thing, but it will be my last one.
COACH TILLER: No, probably, and not at all, if those are the three questions.

Q. Doesn't work. Has there been anything that has happened this season, whether it was your radio show or TV show, or I heard that you had kind of a preview show from band on their tribute to you. Anything that happened that maybe drove it home to you a little bit more?
COACH TILLER: Yeah, I don't think that's a good question, because I don't really think -- well, I haven't allowed myself to think about the end of 43 years of doing this until the band thing. Then I got a little choked up. They actually asked me to address the band, and I had a problem with my voice.
You know, what was that song they played, Happy Trails to You. I said to the band, Damn, it's about me. I hadn't thought about it until I heard that and watched them as they finished their show march off the field. That's really first time that it hit me that this is it.
So I haven't allowed myself to think too much about it. I'm not real good about containing my emotions.

Q. You played IU every year now obviously. Do you have a favorite memory from the series?
COACH TILLER: From this year?

Q. From the series against Indiana.
COACH TILLER: From the series. Every time we've won. I think that's the favorite memory of mine. You know, we've had some good games with them and had some close games. We've struggled, and we've lost a couple games to 'em. We've had competitive games for the most part. We've had couple -- quite frankly, to be honest, I would say we had some blow outs that really surprised me.
But I think that I have a lot of respect for IU and the IU football program, because I think they truly represent a rivalry game. You know, the proverbial, throw out the records. But I think for the most part, for the most part of the series that's been true, even when we've had -- I can't recall when it was, maybe our second year, third year. I thought we had a far superior team to them. We were on the ropes late in the game, and that demonstrates that it truly is rivalry game.

Q. I know you've had some tough losses while you've been here. Where does that IU game rank last year? The way it ended?
COACH TILLER: It wasn't that tough of a loss for me personally in the sense that we came from behind, you know, and we were in position to win the game. They clearly outplayed us in the first half. I learned something from that game. I learned from Dustin Keller what amped up means. I thought it was a speaker. So many amps come through a speaker when you're listening to music. I found out that wasn't what amped up meant.
Anyway, Dustin said -- I guess he made reference to them being more amped up than we are. So I ordered a lot of the sport drink Amped this week to make sure they're not more amped up than we are. We may have to bring portable johns out there or something for these guys, but by golly they're not going to be more amped up than we are.
Last year, you know, they so clearly outplayed us the first half that I was actually proud of our team the way that they came back. Actually, you know, in spite of being horribly outplayed the first half, they came back.

Q. You mentioned you had a rainbow trout. Have you gotten a lot of gifts? Do you think you're getting shafted on the gifts?
COACH TILLER: I'm getting a few gifts. I appreciate everyone's courtesy.

Q. Just talk about what Curtis did last week.
COACH TILLER: Well, I hope that he's -- Brian asked the question, and even if he hasn't improved a lick from last week to this week we'd start him. He might only play one series, but we'd start him just out of respect as a senior. But I hope that he improves this week so that we can even utilize him more.
Last week, you know, he came in, and I thought he performed in a two-minute game as well as he ever has. He really only made one mistake, and that was unfortunately an interception at the 5. He should have spiked the ball at Sheets' feet instead of trying to throw it in there amongst all those guys.
We had run that play twice earlier, and the thing divided and opened up. I think that's well-documented that we didn't have a goal line package available. We were down to one tight end and no leave backs. So we didn't have an option. We had to stay in that formation.
But outside of that one play, I thought he played as well as he's played, well, quite frankly, since the City Bowl last year. So it's hard for him to play much better than he did, I thought, Saturday. I thought he looked like the old Curtis Painter.

Q. (Question regarding Kory Sheets and Anthony Heygood.)
COACH TILLER: Sure. I think the difference in the two guys is that Anthony was off the radar screen and Kory was on it, but maybe pretty low. I think both those guys have moved up. Certainly Kory saved his best year for his last year. I'm glad it's turned out that way. I hope he has a big day Saturday.
You know what's really interesting to me, what's really interesting to me is that -- what was the one knock on Kory Sheets? Fumbling. This year he's had one fumble. To me, that speaks volumes, because fumbling, for the most part, is all about concentration.
He is so many more in tuned with the game today than he has been at any time he's been at Purdue. That he's demonstrated through his play. He's just much more focused on holding onto the ball, securing the ball.
All of those things were available to him before, but he chose not to place them on that high of a priority for him. So I think it speaks well for him. He understands the significance of what a weakness was for him, and he's turned it into a strength.

Q. Talk about Greg Orton, what he's done this year.
COACH TILLER: Yeah, Greg, I think, has had a good year. Probably not as good a year as he would have liked to have had, but he's had a good year. I'm not sure any -- the guy that's probably had the best year from last year to this year is Desmond. You know, when I think about Tardy, I think about the fact that he had shoulder surgery and he's one of the 15 guys that didn't take a snap in the spring. He's playing his best football right now.
Well, guess what? If he had an opportunity to do that and play this game a couple years ago, who knows what kind of receiver you'd be looking at today. But I bring that up because we expect a lot from Greg Orton, and he gives us a lot.
He had a great winter. I thought he had the best winter of any receiver we've ever, had and then he thought maybe he had a hernia. So he didn't practice all spring and we didn't make any progress there. He had to start over in the fall. I'm not saying that hurt him, because he's still our leading receiver. If he hadn't been hurt he probably would have had a lights out year. He's had a very good year.

Q. Curtis in 30 starts, said he's not sure how many he'll play.
COACH TILLER: Yeah.

Q. (No microphone.)
COACH TILLER: No.

Q. (No microphone.)
COACH TILLER: I think so. You know, in a way, it's a little bit -- I guess you couldn't say a little bit. I wish things had gone better for him the last two weeks. If they're going better for him they're going better for us.
But in a way, against two really good defenses, I think it really demonstrates, don't get the cart in front of the horse. For instance, the one touchdown that he scrambled on and scored Saturday, a wide receiver hadn't - is still trying to get to where he was going to lineup. Justin started the cadence already and he was on the center, and shouldn't do that. That's the third time he's done that since he's been a quarterback.
That, to me, is telling me that just the awareness of the position, he doesn't have the moxy, the awareness, that it takes to really about be an effective quarterback at this time. Doesn't mean he can't get to that level, because I think he can.
To answer your question, I think his future is as a quarterback. I think he'll be a very good quarterback. But I think what all of us have seen is he is a human being, and he has a long way to go.

Q. We were looking through the archive video last night and was reminded of a span of about one month in '96 when you were hired, Davies, Cam Cameron. Not that their programs have anything to do with here, but what would you attribute to your success?
COACH TILLER: Well, I think all three of us were honorary grand marshals of the 500 parade that year. I think they did us alphabetically, so coach Cameron and his wife rode around the track first, coach Davies and his wife second. Arnette and I road around the track third. When we got to the third turn there was a cloud burst. I remember rain came down, and I think we were baptized at that time. We saw the light.
You know what I'll never forget about that? This poor lady, we were in these classic Corvettes, I mean, from the '60s. The lady owned this Corvette was telling us about it. It was an absolutely gorgeous car. We go around there and it starts raining. When I say a cloud burst, it was like a bucket being dumped on you.
She's driving and she doesn't say, You guys all right? She just says, Oh, no. Oh, no, about 30 times before we get around the other side. When we get around the other side, we open the doors and water comes out because it's about that deep in her car. I'll never do this again, she said. I thought, I hope this doesn't indicate how we're going to get off as coaches, you know, how well we're going to do.
But I think the biggest difference in us and perhaps Coach Cameron and Davies, is we were able to come to Purdue with a staff intact. We didn't have to learn about each other's strength and weaknesses. We didn't have to learn about the philosophy and feel our way along. It's a trial and error situation when you move into a totally new environment. Some things we just steamrolled ahead without paying too much attention.
We got corrected on a few things, but we just hit the ground running. I thought that that probably was the single biggest difference. Cam had to construct a staff; Bob had to construct a staff. We didn't have to do that. We came with our staff.

Q. Along those same lines, can you remember what Saturdays were like in West Lafayette in 1997 or maybe 1996 and what they are now, and is it a sense of pride now for you to see what has happened or the last 12 years?
COACH TILLER: I think the best years I've spent in football are 97 and '98. My wife described it best when she said every Saturday a like Christmas. The recruiting landscape was much different than it is today. I said this before.
After the game, we would all get together as a staff and talk about the game. I might puff on a cigar. I'm not a cigar smoker, but I would do that occasionally based on who the win was against.
But we just enjoyed each other so much more than we do currently. That was a lot of fun. I mean, everything was innocent, I guess, pure, and people didn't expect us to walk on water or anything like that. It was just, Hey, it's nice we get another win. I think people were much more appreciative then. The expectation level certainly isn't what it is today. I was talking to Coach Ferentz before the game.
I said Kirk, you got a lot more gray hair today than you had 12 months ago. He said, you know, it's just the expectation level is killing me. I said, Hey, welcome to the club. It's killing all of us. In all our programs today, they want us to be 12-0. The problem with that is we have to play each other. The ties are out of game anymore.
So we're not all going to be 12-0. No one seems to be able to accept that, and no one wants to give the opponent any credit. It's always about what your guys -- I said, I know, it's so damn negative. It's always about what your guys do wrong.
They're human beings and they make mistakes. With all that emphasized and pointed out, it's never that some player made a great play for the other team or whatever. It takes the fun out of the game.
I'm not suggestion that you should coach for fun, because I did say to Kirk Ferentz, the difference between now and ten years ago is coaches are getting paid a lot more. Things are going to change. Maybe the plus side of that is you don't have to coach as long as you used to. 43 years ago, my first job as college coach, I made $5,500 a year, including work for the Peace Corps in the summer as part of my deal.
So that was a long time ago. Even back then, 5,500 Bucks I couldn't buy a new car. My first car was a car that came out of the carpool at the university, because that's all I could afford. Fortunately I can afford something more than that today. Not much more than that.
So, you know, coaches are paid different. Expectations are going to change. That's all natural. But I just notice I see it when I go out there. I see the stress on the competitor's face. Talk to guys that are not having much fun. But I'll tell you what, they'll all having fun when they show up for their paycheck.
Like Kirk said and I said, there will never be another Joe Paterno. The expectation level is too great. You just will never see that again, unless we go to club football.

Q. Your legacy here is as the school's all-time winningest coach. Arnette's left a legacy as well. Just how proud are you of Arnette?
COACH TILLER: Well, she's done a great job. She embraced Purdue from the moment we first arrived. She served as a volunteer. Actually, this senior class was the last class that she volunteered as a mentor, tutor, in the academic program. She made that comment to Ryan Baker on the plane coming back from Ohio. You guys are the last class that I've worked with academically. He said, Thanks, Mrs. T.
Anyway she was very involved. She treats these guys like they're her own sons. To this day, she came back a day early before we played Notre Dame, because for 12 straight years she's always baked chocolate chop cookies and peanut butter cookies and Cracker Jack cookies, she did it again this year.
But when Purdue didn't have a train whistle, it's now permanently attached to the goalpost. She asked for an invoice, or whatever you call it, a PO, and they said, No, we're not going to give you a PO. So she went and bought it herself. She's been fully immersed in Purdue football. That's just her style, and I'm proud of what she's been able to add. She's made it easier for me.

Q. What do you think Saturday is going to be like for her?
COACH TILLER: She'll be all teary eyed. She's emotional. She'll be a wreck. I think the finality of it will strike her, too. No, she talks about she can't wait to get to Wyoming, but she's not fooling me for a second. She's very, very attached to this sport. It'll be hard on her, but it'll be tears of joy.

Q. Will all three kids be there Saturday?
COACH TILLER: Yeah, all three will be there, so that'll be neat. We were trying to decide on senior day whether I'm going get introduced with the seniors or not. I said, you guys are identifying me as a senior for the wrong reason. I don't have my golden curly locks hair that I came here with, but I still do have my baby blue eyes.
But anyway, no, our kids will -- Renee is coming up from Louisville, and Julie and our son in law, Jason, are coming up as well. So we'll have the family together.
As a matter of fact, we'll have 41 family members at the house on Saturday. That'll be fun. They all want to be part of the end, which is great.

End of FastScripts

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