32
miss" with their offensive game plans.
"Now, we're going to face a lot of teams where
they're just going to try and run it right down your
throat. They're going to try and beat you up in oneon-one battles, O-linemen and D-linemen.
"You have to be ready to be a lot more physical in
the Big Ten."
It extends beyond the line of scrimmage, too.
"The Big Ten is known for its running (attacks)
so the D-backs are going to be more physical," Abbrederis said. "Basically every position is going to
be physical. It's all the way around."
Wisconsin's Gary Andersen and Purdue's Darrell
Hazell will share a common bond Saturday in that
they will be on the sidelines for their first Big Ten
game as head coaches.
"I think there's a real bond," Andersen said, "when
you walk into the (Big Ten) coaches meeting for the
first time and everybody is asking everybody else
about their kids and how was this and that …
"And we're kind of sitting in the corner saying,
'What's up, man?' I think you naturally have that
bond (as first-timers) and it's a good thing."
Hazell does have Big Ten coaching experience as
an Ohio State assistant for seven years under Jim
Tressel. He coached the wide receivers and also
held the title of assistant head coach.
"He's a good guy; he seems to be very family oriented," Andersen said of Hazell, who took the Purdue job after running his own program at Kent State
for a couple of seasons.
"I respect what he did where he was … so we've
had a little bit of a relationship and talked as we've
gone through it (transition). He seems like a quality
guy, down to earth, kind of my kind of guy."
Andersen has appealed to his own players the
same way ― as kind of their kind of guy. That's why
Borland doesn't have any reservations about this
coaching staff's readiness for the Big Ten.
"The Big Ten isn't all that different from other conferences in that regard," he said. "We have coaches
who know how to win," he said, "regardless of what
conference they've been affiliated with."
Andersen has inherited players who know the
same thing about winning. Specifically, they know
how to win Big Ten championships and that's what
they're chasing for a fourth-consecutive season.
There's always room for more trophies.
//
VARSITY September 19, 2013
"THE BIG TEN ISN'T ALL THAT DIFFERENT
FROM OTHER CONFERENCES IN THAT
REGARD," BORLAND SAID. "WE HAVE
COACHES WHO KNOW HOW TO WIN,
REGARDLESS OF WHAT CONFERENCE
THEY'VE BEEN AFFILIATED WITH."
