Purdue Football: The Mark Hagen Hire - It is Working

Coach Mark Hagen was hired early in the off-season.

The moment the Assistant Coach was let go from Texas, former Purdue defensive players were active on Twitter to get the coach back to West Lafayette.

Coach Hagen, once coached under Joe Tiller, but has made stops all over and everywhere he has went he has left his foot print.

Early on in stint number 2 at Purdue, I think it is safe to say that he has been the best hire of the off-season.

Not only is he a great defensive line coach and will get our guys ready for Saturdays and get them to the NFL (he has done this everywhere he has been), he is making a huge impact with recruiting.

The last defensive staff barely recruited Joe Strickland, when Coach Hagen was hired, he changed that right away. Joe became priority #1 for the new defensive staff and with his ties to Purdue and familiarity with Coach Hagen, the 4 star defensive end committed.

It was not done just with Coach Mark Hagen though, Coach Hagen tabbed George Karlaftis to be Joe’s recruiting visit host - George stressed the ability of the staff to prep him for the NFL and talked about how great Coach Hagen has been since he arrived.

There is no need to list everyone that Coach Hagen has helped get to the NFL, but I think we all know that he will maximize George’s potential to be an early selection in the NFL draft and will do the same with the time he will get with Joe Strickland, which will be three years instead one one, like he will only get with George.

Sometimes, things are just meant to happen, Texas firing their staff and leading Coach Hagen back to West Lafayette was meant to happen. Now, he is maximizing his 2nd stint at Purdue already.