New Purdue AD says that 'if you don't want to win championships, go to Indiana'

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New Purdue athletic director Tommy McClelland made a, uh, very curious attempt to jab Indiana in his introductory news conference on Thursday.

McClelland, who was hired after holding the same position at Rice, was speaking in his prepared remarks about how Purdue will develop its students in his athletic department. However, he made himself seem entirely unaware that Indiana won the College Football Playoff in January.

"So what should you expect from our athletic department? Three promises. No. 1, our student athletes will come first in every decision, every time," McClelland said. "Each of them will have the opportunity to receive a world-class experience and education and compete for championships.

"We will develop championships in the fullest sense. Young men and women who compete in their sport, in the classroom and in life. And who will leave Purdue, prepared to lead and serve and change the world. Every recruit, every current student athlete will hear this message repeatedly. We are here to win championships. If you don't want to win championships, go to Indiana. Purdue may not be the place for you."

Yes, there are more sports than football. But going after your rival's championship credentials when you're inheriting one of the worst power conference football programs in the country and your rival is fresh off a national title and back-to-back playoff appearances is incredibly ill-timed.

Purdue has won three football games over the past two seasons and is 0-18 in Big Ten play. Its last conference win came over Indiana in November of 2023. Since then, the Hoosiers hired Curt Cignetti to replace Tom Allen and have gone 17-1 in Big Ten play and have beaten Purdue by a combined score of 122-3.

If and when Indiana beats Purdue at the end of the 2026 season, don't be surprised if Cignetti references McClelland's comments.

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