Boilermakers make quick decision to fire Hope

INDIANAPOLIS — Danny Hope is out as Purdue's football coach.

One day after the Boilermakers retained the Old Oaken Bucket with a 56-35 victory over Indiana and became bowl eligible for the second straight season, athletic director Morgan Burke announced that Hope had been fired. The school has called a 6:30 p.m. news conference to make the official announcement.

After replacing the winningest coach in school history, Hope went 22-27 in four seasons with teams that were ravaged by injuries.

But last season's strong finish ended a three-year bowl drought and after winning the Little Caesars Bowl, fans expected more.

Hope and his players promised to deliver and a promising 3-1 start had the Boilermakers in position for big things.

Instead, Purdue lost its next five games before winning its last three. That wasn't good enough.