As you've likely heard, assistant coach Mike Jackson has been suspended indefinitely following his 'drinking related traffic violation' on Feb.3rd.
Rightfully so, Matt Painter is waiting for the legal process to run its course before he passes judgment and gives a more definitive punishment.
I'm not going to pass judgment on the severity of the offense, but it will be interesting to see how Painter handles this situation. Does he enforce the "2-strike rule" like he has with his players? Does he hold someone in such a position of influence to a higher standard thus harsher punishment? Or does he handle the situation behind closed doors and suspend him for x amount of games.
This good news is the preliminary reports all confirm he was not driving to or from the airport last week. (Sorry, I couldn't resist throwing that in.)
This is new territory for Coach Painter and it will be interesting to see how he handles the not-so-glamorous responsibilities of a manager.
This is a tough break for Purdue; especially on the recruiting front. Jackson has been very busy laying inroads to some big-time recruits in Michigan and any sizable suspension will certainly hurt Purdue's momentum. Additionally, Purdue is in the ring fighting for some elite talent and will need all hands on deck to be most effective.
The spring AAU season is a valuable time for recruiting and if his suspension covers this period it would really tie one of Purdue's arms behind its back.
Stay tuned...