The Purdue Boilermakers are reportedly hiring Western Michigan’s P.J. Fleck as head coach for next season.
Rivalry Week isn’t just impacting some teams’ reputations. It’s also replacing some coaches and we saw that already with LSU and Texas and it looks like Purdue will be next.
The Western Michigan Broncos have been one of the biggest surprises of the year and finished the regular season undefeated and will play for the MAC Championship next week and a New Year’s Six bowl berth. However, head coach P.J. Fleck may be coaching his last game for the team that evening, according to Bob Kravitz who reports Fleck will soon be the new head coach at Purdue.
According to FootballScoop.com, Fleck will not speak to other programs until the MAC Championship Game has been played.
Western Michigan is fresh off of a 55-35 win against MAC rival, Toledo, who capped off their own season at 9-3. But in terms of next year, the Broncos will be undergoing some major changes if Fleck leaves for a bigger job. In addition to the potential loss of Fleck, they will also be without QB Zach Terrell and WR Corey Davis.
As for the Purdue Boilermakers, this season hasn’t been filled with sunshine and roses. The Big Ten West member has already recycled through two coaches: Darrell Hazell and interim coach Gerad Parker.
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Although it’s a rumor at this point, the potential addition of Fleck would be a home run of a hire for the Boilermakers who are in dire need of a culture change and the energetic and engaging Fleck is perfectly suited to do just that.
Fleck won one game in his first season at Western Michigan but is already one win away from an undefeated regular season, MAC Championship and a Cotton Bowl berth.