Amid Purdue coaching tumult, assistant Mark Hagen insists on staying to finish job

Amid the tumult that Purdue football swims in, there’s a rock. His name: Mark Hagen.

The Boilermaker assistant is a throwback who embraces ideals that often seem folly to others. One Hagen mantra: Finish what you start.

It meant a lot to Hagen to remain with his team through the Jan. 2 Citrus Bowl vs. LSU, even though a new position at Louisville beckons and demands his time.

“I know for me, personally, it was very, very important to finish the season,” said Hagen. “And when (Purdue AD) Mike Bobinski gave me that opportunity to stay, that was something that was very, very important to me, to ride the season out with our guys and to finish the year.

“I believe in that. I’m old school that way. You finish what you start. And so I’m excited from that standpoint that we can finish down in Orlando against a great LSU program and excited about that.”

While Hagen remains tethered to Purdue, some of its top players have opted to … opt out: QB Aidan O’Connell and TE Payne Durham announced last week they were finished with college football and off to prepare for the NFL. Interim head coach Brian Brohm confirmed WR Charlie Jones also was finished. There will be no Citrus Bowl for them. And CB Cory Trice will join them, squelching his eligibility by signing with an agent. He said his “good-bye” last week on social media.

“There’s a lot going on, certainly,” said Hagen. “We’re just focused on the guys that are with us right now. Some guys had to make some tough decisions and they did what they felt like was best for them. So, yeah, we’re who we are.”

The availability of S/LB Jalen Graham also is murky.

“Not totally sure what the status is of Jalen Graham is right now,” said Hagen on Friday. “But, we played without him early part of the season (Graham missed four games with injury).”

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None of the Purdue players who have bailed project as first-, second- or third-round picks. Perhaps Jones will be the first Boilermaker selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. Scouts must be intrigued because Jones is the lone Purdue player who was invited to the prestigious Senior Bowl.

“We gotta have some young people step up in certain spots,” said Hagen. “It’s just the day and age we’re in with college football. … used to just be the first-rounders without doubt (who opted out of bowls). Now, you are getting more and more guys.

“You deal with it. The guys that we have are the ones that we’re focused on right now. The ones that have made a decision not to be here, we appreciate everything that they’ve done for Purdue football, Purdue University. We’re going to go down to Orlando, and roll with the guys we have.”

Several younger and/or inexperienced players will have to step up when Purdue kicks off vs. LSU.

“With Cory Trice not playing, a guy like (CB) Brandon Callaway is gonna have to step up and provide minutes,” said Hagen.

“(DB) Bryce Hampton is going to play more than he’s played, but he’s played this year and played some good snaps for us. (S) Antonio Stevens is another guy who’s gonna have to step up. But he’s been out there. He’s been out there and gotten his feet wet. And there are others, but those are the three that really jump out to me right now.”

Purdue will march on as a double-digit underdog vs. LSU, the SEC West champs. Bottom line: The Boilermakers have nothing to lose during a trying time spurred by a coaching change that saw Jeff Brohm leave for Louisville soon after the Big Ten title game and Purdue subsequently hire Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters as head coach last week.

“With Coach Walters here, it’s an opportunity for them to put their best foot forward and go out and perform on the big stage for their new head coach,” said Hagen. “And then it’s just a chance to lock arms with your brothers and go out one last time.

“This is the last chance that this team will ever be together. And, again, we’re a little bit shorthanded, but we’re not focused on that. We’re giving our current team, our current roster, the best that we got right now, and we’re just doing the very, very best we can. So far, so good. We’ll keep rolling ahead.”