Purdue's Hazell: 'We're at a great place right now'

Darrell Hazell's three-year tenure with Purdue has been nothing short of a disaster, with the program posting only six wins total, the worst stretch since 1942.

Despite those immense struggles, the 52-year-old coach is keeping a positive outlook on the situation with the Boilermakers.

"It's been three-and-a-half years in the making, for us to get to this point and we're at a great place right now," Hazell said at Monday's Big Ten media session. "Our morale is off the chart right now, we're ready to go. That will stimulate the morale of the rest of the Boilermaker nation."

Hazell's record with the program is 6-30, including an atrocious 2-22 record in Big Ten conference play. His predecessor Danny Hope won six games in his final season with the school, before being fired for lack of production. While most would label his three years as a down period, Hazell bristled at that notion and offered his own take on the situation.

"I don't look at it as a three-year funk, I look at it as a growing process," the former Kent State coach said. "A lot of times on the outside you can't see the things that are happening throughout the program. That's the vision I see."

While Purdue does have a strong football history, the last 30 years have not been pretty for the Boilermaker faithful. Joe Tiller's 12-year run from 1997-2009 saw the club win seven-plus games nine different times. The other 18 seasons in that 30-year span have seen just one seven-win campaign.

Expectations aren't high for Purdue, but if the Boilermakers turn out another two-win season, it's likely Hazell won't be given the chance to gush about the program at next year's Media Days.