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INDIANAPOLIS — The only frustration of Gary Danielson’s Purdue football experience came on the field.
One of 12 members of the Cradle of Quarterbacks, Danielson fed the Otis Armstrong-led rushing attack. When given the chance to use his arm, in 1971, he averaged 9.5 yards per attempt and completed 61.7% of his passes — then a record for Big Ten games.
He wonders aloud if, in the present, he would have transferred — the route taken by 14 of the Big Ten’s 18 projected starting quarterbacks. Later, though, he has a firm answer for whether he wishes he’d had the option of immediate eligibility elsewhere.
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“I don’t, to tell you the truth,” Danielson said at Big Ten media days at Lucas Oil Stadium. “I enjoyed every part of my career there. The frustrating part was on the field. But I loved going there. I chose Purdue for a lot of other reasons besides just football. I felt comfortable with the school and everything at that time, and I’ve got great friends still.
“I played with great players: Otis Armstrong, Darrell Stingley. Dave Butz, Greg Bingham. Played against them in the NFL. So it would have been tempting when you’re 18 or 19. In retrospect, what I was as an NFL player was kind of formed with that disappointment in college.”
Danielson went on to a 15-year pro career, including 13 in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns. Now a veteran TV analyst, he will be on the broadcast team for CBS’ coverage when Notre Dame visits Ross-Ade Stadium on Sept. 14.
IndyStar sat down with Danielson to talk about this year’s Boilermakers team and Big Ten’s West Coast additions.
Q: What are your thoughts on Purdue going into the season?
A: I…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/purdue-qb-great-gary-danielson-082037468.html
Author : IndyStar | The Indianapolis Star
Publish date : 2024-07-29 08:20:37
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