Most of the Big Ten either has reported to camp, or is reporting today. For some, like Joe Holland, it is bittersweet. These guys love playing football, but for Holland, it is his final season in West Lafayette. At the end of camp he will be carreid by underclassmen tot he Boilermaker Special for a ride around campus with his fellow seniors.
Joe Holland - Sr.
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN (Bishop Chatard HS)
Linebacker
6'1", 225 pounds
2011 Projection: Starter at Linebacker
I got to meet Holland for the first time at Big Ten Media Days and he couldn't have been a nicer guy. I look at him as kind of an elder statesman on the defense. It is possible that he has the most experience of any player on the roster with 36 career games, 35 of them as a starter. He was originally recruited as a safety, but moved to weakside linebacker where he has amassed 230 tackles, four sacks, and and interception. His versatility is evident in that he can get into the backfield as well as defend the pass. Very quietly, he has been a steady producer.
I wouldn't expect anything less from a Chatard kid. Chatard is a football power in Indiana with a record 10 state championships. Holland was a member of two of those teams. He was a freshman on their 2003 champion and a senior running back who ran for 2,028 yards and 35 touchdowns. He added a touchdown receiving and on a kickoff return while playing defense. The year before he ran for 2,257 yards and 32 touchdowns as a junior and 961 yards and 11 scores as a sophomore. During his four years at Chatard they were 51-8, won two state titles, and never failed to reach at least the semi-state round.
In 2009 the Big Ten Conference selected him as a Face of the Big Ten. He has made academics a priority since he set foot on campus. That's another reason I like him. He's a smart, experienced player that we will rely on this year.
Boilermakings Notes:
Bracket reveal: Puerto Rico Tip-Off - College Basketball Nation Blog - ESPN
So we open with Iona, whom they think will be a challenge. This is what we get for losing to CAA teams in the NCAA. And Alabama? Seriously? A team we handled with ease last year?
BT Powerhouse Slam Dunk Contest: Final Round - BT Powerhouse
BT Powerhouse Slam Dunk Contest Final Round: help us select the best dunk from the past season.
Construction under way on Northwest Complex | Journal and Courier | jconline.com
On the field, Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke sees Rob Klatte's women's soccer program as a Big Ten contender.