The Depressing Timeline of Purdue Quarterbacks Since 2009

Does anyone want to feel the irresistible urge to day drink? Well have I got the pictures just for you.

In honor of Purdue's coaching staff naming redshirt freshman David Blough the starter for this weekend's game against Bowling Green, I decided to take a half hour and chart every Purdue football quarterback that attempted at least 5 passes in every game since 2009. Why? Because my life leaves me largely unfulfilled, and deep deep down I am a highly disturbed individual.

Moment of silence for the Cradle of Quarterbacks.

As a prelude, let us remember a happier time, from 2005 to 2008, when we had one quarterback start (basically) every game. Aah, the Curtis Painter era, how I never thought I would miss thee. This is also your yearly reminder that CurtisPainter12.com still exists.

I've never missed Joey Elliott more than I do right now. Shoutout to Caleb Terbush, who I thought would be a change-of-pace novelty that would either transfer out or change positions. I've been wrong before.

We all thought the Robert Marve era would buy Purdue fans two years of quarterback stability, behind an incredibly talented prospect who was looking for a fresh start. I know I was pumped for the Marve-lous era, and the elder statesmen at BS agreed. Aaaand then he tore his ACL, and Rob Henry got his shot. Henry promptly lost his starting job to Sean Robinson, who I forgot was a thing and would later end up as Purdue's starting middle linebacker. I forgot how awful of a sports year 2010 was for Purdue, and for knees in general.

Rob Henry was penned as Purdue's starting quarterback for 2011...until he tore his ACL one week before the season started. Marve still wasn't ready to come back from his ACL tear, so...aah, the return of Caleb Terbush. He would basically alternate with Marve for the entire year, with Terbush stealing Danny Hope's heart but Marve winning over literally everyone else.

THE ERA OF THE CHIMERA QUARTERBACK. Marve was granted a 6th year of eligibility, because he has the worst luck of all time, and Coach Hope didn't want to give one guy the majority of the reps under center, so Purdue clearly went the rational route and decided to go with all three. Marve was incredible to start the season but...yup, he would suffer a third torn ACL in the second half of that Notre Dame game, right as he was about to lead a 4th quarter comeback. That didn't stop him from being an incredible and perfect angel, though, as Marve chose to continue playing with a torn ACL. News would break before/during/after the Iowa game that Danny Hope's job was not safe, which might have led the coaching staff to abandon the chimeric approach and stick with the dude that was clearly better than the rest. I'll never forget how amazing Marve was at Purdue, and how hard he worked despite catching literally every unlucky break in the books.

Also, maybe shoutout to Caleb Terbush? He was never my favorite (ok, he was my clear least-favorite), but he played his ass off and worked to get himself playing time for 3 out of his 4 years at Purdue. Not bad for a 2-star afterthought.

The first year of Darrell Hazell would start with an open quarterback competition between the senior captain Rob Henry and freshmen Danny Etling and Austin Appleby. Henry got the start, with Appleby actually listed as the primary backup. That would change in the Northern Illinois game, as Hazell went to Etling when the Boilers were down 17 (good times, I know). Etling had a strong game and took the starting spot for the rest of the year, with Henry handling it like a champ and lining up at basically every other position on the field. Purdue would proceed to lose everything.

Hazell's second summer on the job also featured a fairly open quarterback competition, with Etling being named the starter two weeks before the Western Michigan season opener. He would proceed to double Purdue's win total, but that wasn't enough as he was benched after opening the Big Ten season with an 11/26, 61 yard, 0 TD, 1 INT performance versus Iowa. Appleby was named the starter for the Illinois game, which Purdue won on the backs of Appleby (15/20, 202 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 76 rushing yards and 2 TDs) and Akeem Hunt (177 yards, 1 TD).

Face it, you forgot Austin's incredible performance against Illinois, didn't you? What could have been the start of something beautiful turned out to be the peak of Appleby's career (to this point). Purdue would proceed to lose everything.

Sigh. You might say "not a panic move", but I'll say "you best not question your decision in three weeks, because benching Blough could kill his confidence forever".

See you this weekend.