"Our focus for the bowl has changed because of the coaching situation"

As assistant coaches, and even as players, preparing for a bowl game without the head coach that helped lead you there has got to be an odd feeling (even thought that's the nature of our profession). Add on top of that the national speculation of who your next coach is going to be and you've got an even more unique environment.

Yesterday, before the rumors of Darrell Hazell coaching the Boilermakers really picked up steam, Purdue held their first bowl practice of the season.

One of the perks of getting the extra practices during bowl season is getting your younger guys those important extra reps to prepare for next season. However, interim head coach Patrick Higgins admitted yesterday that while the younger guys will still get their fair share of work in, their focus as a staff is elsewhere.

“It changes because of the coaching situation. If we’re going to be brutally honest, the main focus, from the coaches on this staff, is to put our best foot forward for the bowl season." Higgins explained.

“To be greedy, it doesn’t help the staff to try and promote themselves to get more work. They’ll get some work, yes. Will they get the work they would normally get? No.”

Higgins and Purdue will take on Oklahoma State in the Heart of Dallas game on January 1 at noon ET.