It’s impossible not to draw comparisons between the 1997 and 2017 seasons. If you’ve been a Purdue Football fan for any amount of time, like I have, you’ll remember that 1997 season as one of the most magical and enjoyable seasons of Purdue football. It may not compare to the Rose Bowl season, obviously, but short of that it’s probably been the most memorable season of Purdue football in my lifetime.
Both years, 1997 and 2017, saw new coaches come in and make an immediate impact. Joe Tiller of course came in after Purdue went 3-8 in 1996 and Jim Colletto was fired after his sixth and final season (he wound up at Notre Dame in 1997).