UPDATE (Saturday 5:37 pm): Bolden returns to self in victory over Michigan
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 11/06/2009
Andrew Gatza | Senior Photographer
Offensive guard Zach Reckman lifts running back Ralph Bolden in the air in celebration after Bolden ran for a touchdown Saturday against Michigan at the Big House. Bolden ran for 127 yards and scored three touchdowns.
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ANN ARBOR, MICH. - After a disappointing game in Madison, Purdue's star running back responded with a fantastic performance in Ann Arbor Saturday.
Sophomore Ralph Bolden accounted for 136 total yards and three touchdowns in Purdue's 38-36 victory over Michigan and, according to coach Danny Hope, looked like his old self.
"It's the first time in two or three weeks that he's looked exceptionally fast to me again," Hope said. "He is very fast but he got banged up some earlier this season. He was hobbled with an ankle (injury) that slowed him down some. He looked like he had his real speed back again today."
With healthy legs and a lack of cold weather, which the Georgia native admits is a mental issue for him, Bolden was able to constantly break the outside containment of the Wolverine defense. On the game's second play Bolden bounced run outside and shook a defender on his way to a 22 yard gain. Two plays later senior quarterback Joey Elliott faked a handoff to Bolden, then watched as the Wolverines failed to pick him up in coverage. Elliott found Bolden for a wide open 35 yard touchdown pass. As the game wore on yards were harder to come by, but according to Elliot, Bolden was able to pick up tough yards and keep the chains moving for the Boilermakers.
"He had fresh legs and was running really well, really hard," Elliott said. "He let the blocks develop and did a great job of just getting north to south when we needed to."
There were times when it seemed Bolden could simply create something out of nothing. The play immediately after Purdue recovered a fumble early in the third quarter, Bolden took a toss left and saw two wolverine defenders closing in on him as he approached the sideline. Instead of running out of bounds or being tackled, Bolden ducked under both defenders, then cut back towards the endzone, scoring a 19 yard touchdown and pulling Purdue within seven. Still, Bolden was quick to credit his blockers who created several huge holes for him to run through.
"All I had to do is run," Bolden said. "You look at some of those tosses there was just nobody there, except maybe the safety. So all I had to do was run, really."
When asked about his first time playing in Michigan's famed "Big House," Bolden's face lit up with excitement.
"It was great!" Bolden said. "It felt great playing in front of all those fans and I hope to come back here again."