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Hey, remember those Choose Your Own Adventure books from back in the day? They were a lot of fun. Sure, you never read any of the story, and just skipped ahead to the choices and turned to a page. Of course we all kept a hand or a bookmark on the page with the choices so we could choose again. More often than not, you would have to choose again because your first decision resulted in falling down a well or getting eaten by wolves or something.
Rather than having to think of something else to write about Purdue football in May, I have decided to make a CYOA.
We'll start after the jump. I hope you are satisfied with your choices, but if you aren't it's your fault because you chose your own path.
Note: I apologize for the formatting, especially if you are checking this out on the mobile site or the app. You can either click on the links to make your choices or just read it. Either way, try not to read too far ahead. There are only six outcomes, so hopefully the format isn't so annoying that you stop reading.
You want to play football in college. You have worked hard in practice on your offensive skills and you can choose which position you want to play in college. Which position do you want to play?
You chose quarterback. Which school would you like to attend?
You chose Miami (Florida). You show potential during your freshman year, and you also make a lot of mistakes. You don't get along with the coach, and you are benched at the end of the season. You decide to transfer to Purdue.
During your transfer year, you tear your ACL.
After recovering from your ACL tear during your transfer year, you tear your ACL in the third game of the next season.
The season after that you aren't quite healthy and the coach institutes a two-QB system. You are the second QB and you don't get a lot of playing time. You petition the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility and it is granted.
You are now in a three-man race for the QB job. Good luck with that.
You chose Purdue. During your freshman year, you project as the third-string QB. The back-up becomes academically ineligible, so you become the back-up. You play some during the first two games and showcase your running ability. In the third game the starting QB tears his ACL, so you are now the starter. You play pretty well against Northwestern and Minnesota, with the zone read being your bread-and-butter play. Against Ohio State your throwing hand gets mangled and you can't throw the ball correctly for the rest of the season. During the off-season you get healthy and make progress on your throwing game. You are named a team captain and the starting job is yours to lose.
Two weeks before the season starts, you tear your ACL.
You chose running back. Which school would you like to attend?
You chose to play running back at Iowa. May God have mercy on your soul.
You chose to play running back at Purdue. You have a decent freshman year, followed by a breakout sophomore season, where you rush for 935 yards and 9 touchdowns. You are ready to build upon that season and start challenging some Purdue career rushing records.
During spring practice, you tear your ACL.
You rehab and get back out on the field the following season. During the final regular season game, you tear your ACL again. The following spring you run afoul of the law at a local drinking establishment and get arrested.
You chose receiver. Which school would you like to attend?
You chose to play receiver at Texas Tech. You get a concussion and are unfairly trapped in an 1.5' x 1.5' electrical closet by your evil coach during practice. After a miraculous escape using the video camera on your cell phone for light, you tell your dad. Your dad hires a PR firm to tell the truth about what happened to you. The PR firm fights the good fight and the television company your dad works for helps spread the truth as to the life-threatening conditions you were held captive in. Texas Tech fires the evil coach and everyone in the world loves you and your dad for having the courage to speak the truth.
You chose to play receiver at Purdue. After having a spectacular junior season with 91 catches and 1100 yards receiving, you are ready for another great season in college to position yourself for the NFL draft.
In the second game of the season, you tear your ACL and MCL.
You put in a request for a sixth season due to the injury in November. In February, when pre-draft camps start, the NCAA still has not made a ruling in your case. One week before the NFL Draft, the NCAA rules that you will not be granted a sixth season of eligibility. You are not selected in the draft.
This week...
MONDAY | Cocktail Party Preview
TUESDAY | The Smartest Guys in The Room
WEDNESDAY | Boilermaker Potluck
THURSDAY | Choose Your Own Adventure: Purdue Edition
FRIDAY | Keeping the Enemy Close