1984 Purdue Boilermakers football team

American college football season

1984 Purdue Boilermakers football
Peach Bowl, L 24–27 vs. Virginia
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record7–5 (6–3 Big Ten)
Head coach
  • Leon Burtnett (3rd season)
Offensive coordinatorJim Colletto (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorJoe Tiller (2nd season)
MVPJim Everett
CaptainBruce King, Brian Thornson
Home stadiumRoss–Ade Stadium
Seasons
← 1983
1985 →
1984 Big Ten Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 13 Ohio State $ 7 – 2 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
Illinois 6 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Purdue 6 – 3 – 0 7 – 5 – 0
No. 16 Iowa 5 – 3 – 1 8 – 4 – 1
Wisconsin 5 – 3 – 1 7 – 4 – 1
Michigan State 5 – 4 – 0 6 – 6 – 0
Michigan 5 – 4 – 0 6 – 6 – 0
Minnesota 3 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Northwestern 2 – 7 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
Indiana 0 – 9 – 0 0 – 11 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1984 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University during the 1984 Big Ten Conference football season. Led by third-year head coach Leon Burtnett, the Boilermakers compiled an overall record of 7–5 with a mark of 6–3 in conference play, tying for second place in the Big Ten. Purdue was invited to the Peach Bowl, where the Boilermakers lost to Virginia. The team played home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Boilermakers defeated Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Michigan in the same season for the first and only time in college football history.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 8vs. No. 8 Notre Dame*W 23–2160,672
September 15No. 5 Miami (FL)*L 17–2856,761
September 22Minnesota
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
W 34–1061,538
September 29at Michigan State
W 13–1064,819
October 6No. 2 Ohio State
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
W 28–2366,261
October 13IowadaggerNo. 14
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
L 3–4066,359
October 20at Illinois
L 20–3476,101
October 27at Northwestern
W 49–728,884
November 3Michigan
  • Ross–Ade Stadium
  • West Lafayette, IN
W 31–2960,159[1]
November 10at WisconsinL 13–3072,292
November 17Indiana
W 31–2469,236
December 31vs. Virginia*L 24–2745,983[2]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[3]

Personnel

1984 Purdue Boilermakers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
OL Paul Alekna
OL 77 John Morrell
OL Drew Banks
TE Jack Beery
OL Jerry Boat
WR Rick Brunner
RB Rodney Carter
QB Doug Downing
OL Mark Drenth
QB 11 Jim Everett Jr
RB Jeff Feulner
WR Steve Griffin
OL Doug Isbell
WR 84 Mark Jackson So
OL Dave Jaumotte
RB 37 Bruce King (C) Sr
RB Lorenzo McCline
RB James Medlock
WR Jeff Price
TE Brad Schumacher
TE Marty Scott
OL Rick Skibinski
OL Pat Snyder
RB Ray Wallace
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DB Don Anderson
DL Don Baldwin
DB 19 Cris Dishman Fr
DL Kevin Holley
DL Brad Hornor
LB Jason Houston (C)
DB Jeff Lee
DL 91 Melvin Menke (C) Sr
LB Bill Mulchrone
DB Tommy Lee Myers
LB 48 Fred Strickland So
LB 44 Kevin Sumlin So
DL Tony Visco
LB Merkle Williams
DB Kennedy Wilson
DB 13 Corey Cooper
DL 99 Kevin Holley
DL Derek Wimberly
DB 26 Rod Woodson So
DL Bob Ziltz
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K Mike Rendina
P Brian Thornson
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Game summaries

vs Notre Dame

#8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0–0) vs. Purdue Boilermakers (0–0)
Period 1 2 34Total
Purdue 3 10 3723
Notre Dame 14 0 0721

at Hoosier Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana

  • Date: September 8, 1984
  • Game weather: Indoors (dome)
  • Game attendance: 60,672
  • Recap/Box Score
Game information

First quarter

  • PUR – Mike Rendina 31-yard field goal, 13:16. Purdue 3–0. Drive: 3 plays, -1 yard, 1:38.
  • ND – Allen Pinkett 11-yard run (John Carney kick), 7:55. Notre Dame 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 5:21.
  • ND – Mark Brooks 3-yard run (John Carney kick), 1:39. Notre Dame 14–3. Drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 4:12.

Second quarter

  • PUR – Jeff Price 6-yard pass from Jim Everett, 10:11. Notre Dame 14–10. Drive: 14 plays, 86 yards, 6:28.
  • PUR – Mike Rendina 18-yard field goal, 0:00. Notre Dame 14–13. Drive: 13 plays, 62 yards, 5:59.

Third quarter

  • PUR – Mike Rendina 20-yard field goal, 3:47. Purdue 16–14. Drive: 13 plays, 92 yards, 5:54.

Fourth quarter

  • PUR – Jeff Price 14-yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Rendina kick), 13:57. Purdue 23–14. Drive: 6 plays, 88 yards, 2:32.
  • ND – Allen Pinkett 6-yard run (John Carney kick), 4:21. Purdue 23–21. Drive: 11 plays, 66 yards, 4:16.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
  • PUR – Steve Griffin – 5 receptions, 79 yards
  • ND – Joe Howard – 3 receptions, 61 yards

[4]

External videos
video icon Television broadcast

Miami (FL)

Miami (FL) at Purdue
1 234Total
• No.5 Hurricanes 7 7140 28
Boilermakers 10 700 17
Scoring summary
1MIAHighsmith 47-yard run (Cox kick)MIA 7–0
1PURRendina 32-yard field goalMIA 7–3
1PURWallace 4-yard run (Rendina kick)PUR 10–3
2MIAOliver 2-yard run (Cox kick)Tie 10–10
2PURWallace 2-yard run (Rendina kick)PUR 13–10
3MIAKosar 1-yard run (Cox kick)MIA 17–13
3MIAHighsmith 6-yard run (Cox kick)MIA 24–13

Minnesota

  • Ray Wallace 32 rushes, 158 yards

Michigan State

Ohio State

#2 Ohio State Buckeyes at Purdue Boilermakers
Period 1 2 34Total
Ohio St 7 3 7623
Purdue 7 0 71428

at Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana

  • Date: October 6, 1984
  • Game time: 1:31 p.m.
  • Game weather: Mostly cloudy, 74 °F (23 °C)
  • Game attendance: 66,261
  • Box Score
Game information

First quarter

  • PUR – Steve Griffin 20-yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Rendina kick), 14:00. Purdue 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 70 yards, 1:00.
  • OSU – Keith Byars 20-yard run (Rich Spangler kick), 4:09. Tie 7–7. Drive: 2 plays, 29 yards, 0:50.

Second quarter

  • OSU – Rich Spangler 34-yard field goal, 0:02. Ohio St 10–7. Drive: 5 plays, 35 yards, 0:26.

Third quarter

  • OSU – Keith Byars 14-yard run (Rich Spangler kick), 13:43. Ohio St 17–7. Drive: 3 plays, 37 yards, 1:20.
  • PUR – Steve Griffin 65-yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Rendina kick), Ohio St 17–14. Drive: 6 plays, 88 yards, 2:54.

Fourth quarter

  • PUR – Bruce King 4-yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Rendina kick), 14:03. Purdue 21–17. Drive: 8 plays, 79 yards, 3:43.
  • PUR – Rod Woodson 55-yard interception return (Mike Rendina kick), 10:03. Purdue 28–17.
  • OSU – Cris Carter 5-yard pass from Mike Tomczak (run failed), 2:35. Purdue 28–23. Drive: 5 plays, 49 yards, 0:52.
Top passers
Top rushers
  • OSU – Keith Byars – 30 rushes, 191 yards, 2 TD
  • PUR – Ray Wallace – 20 rushes, 89 yards
Top receivers
  • OSU – Keith Byars – 9 receptions, 102 yards
  • PUR – Steve Griffin – 6 receptions, 131 yards, 2 TD

Iowa

Iowa at Purdue
1 234Total
• Hawkeyes 6 13210 40
No. 14 Boilermakers 3 000 3
  • Date: October 13
  • Location: Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana
  • Game attendance: 66,359
  • Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C), Cloudy with scattered showers, Wind SSW 12 mph (19 km/h)
  • Referee: Jim Kemerling
Scoring summary
Q13:52IOWASmith 51-yard pass from Long (kick failed)IOWA 6–0
Q10:48PURRendina 32-yard field goalIOWA 6–3
Q29:00IOWANichol 22-yard field goalIOWA 9–3
Q23:03IOWAHelverson 56-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 16–3
Q20:03IOWANichol 38-yard field goalIOWA 19–3
Q37:49IOWASmith 31-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 26–3
Q34:20IOWASmith 38-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 33–3
Q33:31IOWAHarmon 3-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 40–3

Iowa won in West Lafayette for the first time since 1956, snapping a 12-game losing skid at Ross–Ade Stadium.[5]

Illinois

Northwestern

Michigan

1 234Total
Michigan 0 0722 29
• Purdue 7 1707 31
  • Source: [1]
Scoring summary
1PURBeery 2-yard pass from Everett (Rendina kick)PUR 7-0
2PURPrice 6-yard pass from Everett (Rendina kick)PUR 14-0
2PURRendina 22-yard field goalPUR 17-0
2PURMedlock 1-yard run (Rendina kick)PUR 24-0
3MICHJokisch 15-yard pass from Zurbrugg (Bergeron kick)PUR 24-7
4PURCarter 16-yard run (Rendina kick)PUR 31-7
4MICHMarkray 13-yard pass from Zurbrugg (Bergeron kick)PUR 31-14
4MICHBean 15-yard pass from Zurbrugg (Zurbrugg to Bean pass)PUR 31-22
4MICHNelson 6-yard pass from Zurbrugg (Bergeron kick)PUR 31-29

PUR: Steve Griffin 6 Rec, 112 yards

Wisconsin

Indiana

1 234Total
Indiana 14 037 24
• Purdue 7 7107 31
Scoring summary
Q1INDAllen 25-yard pass from Bradley (Rogers kick)IND 7–0
Q1INDLilja 3-yard pass from Bradley (Rogers kick)IND 14–0
Q1PURCarter 1-yard run (Rendina kick)IND 14–7
Q2PURWallace 4-yard run (Rendina kick)Tie 14–14
Q3PURRendina 25-yard field goalPUR 17–14
Q3INDRogers 26-yard field goalTie 17–17
Q3PUREverett 1-yard run (Rendina kick)PUR 24–17
Q4PURGriffin 27-yard pass from Everett (Rendina kick)PUR 31–17
Q4INDJones 37-yard pass from Bradley (Rogers kick)PUR 31–24
  • A grass fire was reported in the end-zone during the game as a result of a warming barrel tipping over.[6]
  • Rodney Carter 23 rushes, 148 yards
  • Steve Griffin 6 receptions, 103 yards
  • Jason Houston 16 solo tackles

Vs. Virginia (Peach Bowl)

References

  1. ^ Tommy George (November 4, 1984). "Purdue passes U-M, 31-29". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1H – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Virginia rallies to beat Purdue". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. January 1, 1985. Retrieved January 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "2022 Purdue Football Record Book" (PDF). Purdue University Athletics. p. 91. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  4. ^ Gainesville Sun. 1984-Sep-09. Retrieved 2022-Nov-19.
  5. ^ "Iowa, Long destroy Purdue jinx". Chicago Tribune. October 14, 1984. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  6. ^ Gainesville Sun. November 18, 1984
  • v
  • t
  • e
Purdue Boilermakers football
Venues
Bowls & rivalries
Culture & lore
People
Seasons