First-year coach Darrell Hazell taking first steps at rebuilding Purdue

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The work is just beginning for first-year Purdue football coach Darrell Hazell. But the first building block is in place.

The first step was getting the players to buy into Hazell's system and to see his vision. That hasn't been a problem.

Quarterback Rob Henry said at Purdue's media day Sunday that players have already bought in. If anyone can do it, it's Hazell. He's been through the rebuilding process before at Kent State and turned things around in under two years.

But now, with the Boilermakers, Hazell has a quarterback to choose, a defense to fix, amongst other things before the regular season starts at Cincinnati on Aug. 31 and before the Boilermakers can make it to the top of the Big Ten like Hazell wants.