Since it isn't located in a recruiting hotbed, Purdue often has to look far and wide for talent. Sometimes, even across the Atlantic Ocean.
In an unusual twist, two key offensive contributors for this year's Boilermakers hail from Europe. Starting left tackle David Hedelin is from Stockholm, Sweden, while emerging wide receiver Anthony Mahoungou grew up in the suburbs of Paris.
"I'm going to have to start taking foreign-language classes to communicate with our guys," Purdue head coach Darrell Hazell joked this week.
Hazell didn't dine on croissants near the Eiffel Tower or rub elbows with ABBA on recruiting trips to find those guys, since both came to West Lafayette by way of junior college.