UPDATE (Saturday 5:46 pm): Hope blames Michigan coach for lineman's suspension
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 11/06/2009
sponsored by
ANN ARBOR, MICH. - Danny Hope brought an unwelcome guest to greet the Michigan coach following the Boilers' Saturday win.
Hope brought Purdue lineman Zach Reckman along to shake coach Rich Rodriguez's hand and meet the coach following the Boilers' first win at Michigan since 1966, a 38-36 thriller.
Reckman was suspended for the Boilers' game against Notre Dame after he gave what the Big Ten deemed to be an illegal late hit in the final play of Purdue's loss to Northern Illinois. Many Purdue fans assume Reckman was suspended because of comments Rodriguez made the week before, after one of his players was suspended for punching a Notre Dame player.
"Their coach brought their lineman over like I was the reason he was suspended for that one game," Rodriguez said. "He brought him over to say 'Thanks for this' or whatever. I don't know where that came from. I talked to him on the phone and told him that wasn't the reason. This was way back when. I didn't have anything to do with that.
"I just went over to shake his hand and tell him good luck in the next game. To come over and say something about that – whatever. They both came over and shook my hand and then introduced me to Reckman and he said 'Thanks coach, I really appreciate what you did.'"
Hope and the Boilers had already departed for the airport when word of Rodriguez's comments reached the media. He did release a statement through assistant athletic director Tom Schott, however.
"As far as I'm concerned, our conversation will remain between Coach Rodriquez and me. We'll leave it at that," Hope said.