New Purdue athletic director Tommy McClelland says he immediately knew his odd jab at Indiana during his introductory press conference Thursday didn't hit its mark.
"I'm having a great day yesterday, giving our vision and sharing what we're going to do here at Purdue - how we're going to set the standard and raise the bar for what's possible," McClelland said Friday on "The Pat McAfee Show."
"And I made an offhand, unscripted comment about an in-state rival that didn't land well. I knew it the second it left my mouth."
McClelland directed a message to future recruits and current students during his presser on Thursday, saying: "We are here to win championships. If you don't want to win championships, go to Indiana."
The bizarre comment quickly went viral, given that Indiana is the reigning national champion after beating Miami earlier this year to claim its first title.
McClelland, who joined Purdue from Rice, said he's looking forward to moving past this moment and focusing on the future.
"I play golf, I'm sure you play golf," McClelland told McAfee. "Every now and then, you line it up on the first tee, and you're really excited about that round, and I put it right into the water."
He added: "I gotta put it back, tee it right back up. I got 18 more holes to play."
