WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdues Darrell Hazell doesnt look or sound like a man on the hot seat.Walk into his office and youre greeted by a 52-year-old coach eager for a fresh start Saturday against Eastern Kentucky. His desk is tidy and behind it, on a shelf, is an Indiana license plate with a succinct message for anyone who stops by: Beat IU.The truth is, the Boilermakers havent beaten many teams over the past three seasons -- including the Hoosiers -- and Hazell thinks things are about to change.Its not even close, Hazell told The Associated Press when asked if this was the best team hes had at Purdue. The best in a lot of different ways, too, not only talent but how they approach the game and theyre so serious about being good. Because theyre serious about it, they do the extra things that you want them to do. They study more film, they ask more questions. They coach each other.Hazell believes the new culture will lead to more wins. But around campus and around town, others are clamoring for a change.Since taking the job after the 2012 season, Hazell has gone 6-30 and has the worst winning percentage (.167) of any Purdue football coach who lasted more than one season. Half of his wins came against Championship Subdivision schools -- twice over Indiana State and once over Southern Illinois. Hazell is 0-3 against the Hoosiers and on the verge of matching the schools longest losing skid in the series.Purdues attendance numbers have tumbled. Among Big Ten schools, only Northwestern averaged smaller home crowds than the 37,508 who showed up on average at Ross-Ade Stadium last season. The Boilermakers filled a league-low 65.5 percent of stadium capacity in 2015.Take those numbers and add a new athletic director to the mix, and its easy to see why Hazell will be in trouble if he cant turn things around.While Purdues players take Hazells side, they also understand what rumors and speculation can do to a locker room.A lot of times it can tear a team apart or bring it together, former Purdue receiver Danny Anthrop said Monday, before he was cut the Indianapolis Colts. Its a tough situation when you havent had the type of success you wanted to have.Hazell insists nobody inside the program is paying attention to the chit-chat outside because theyre too busy searching for solutions.During the offseason, Hazell changed both coordinators, simplified the playbook for the offense and defense and revamped his staff.Hes already announced David Blough will remain the starting quarterback. If Blough becomes the first opening-day starter of Hazells tenure to keep his job for the entire season, the Boilermakers may finally have some stability at the most important position.What would really change attitudes in West Lafayette, though, are some early wins. After Saturdays home game, the Boilermakers host Cincinnati and Nevada before opening conference play at Maryland on Oct. 1.Hazell knows a fast start could lead to even bigger things down the road, and players have embraced the challenge.Were starving, starving for some wins, defensive tackle Jake Replogle said. Were ready to go.So is Hazell. He has a veteran quarterback, more options on offense, a defense playing fast and more depth than hes had in those first three seasons at Purdue.Its enough to make the usually low-key Hazell exude confidence.I like our chances, he said. People will read that and say `This guy must be crazy, this guys a nut based on what has happened over the last three years. But heres what people dont understand is in sports no two years are the same.If Hazell is right, the doubters will quickly vanish.If not, it could be another turbulent offseason in West Lafayette, even if Hazell isnt willing to acknowledge that.My focus is solely on getting our program better to win, Hazell said. Thats all I can think about, so all the naysayers, whatever they are out there, the talkers, the talking heads that are making these conversations, one, I dont hear it most of the time. But if I do hear it, I dont pay any attention to it. Theres nothing arrogant about that, its just that I dont have time to focus on those things. Wholesale Wild Jerseys . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Cheap Wild Jerseys China . The No. 1-ranked Nadal tweaked his back warming up for the Australian Open final, which he lost almost four weeks ago in a major upset against Stanislas Wawrinka. His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months. http://www.cheapwildjerseys.com/ . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Wild Jerseys Authentic .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena. Cheap Adidas Wild Jerseys . Louis Cardinals. Victorino is batting sixth and playing right field after missing two games because of back tightness. OXFORD, Miss. -- Giddy Potts scored 20 points and hit four 3-pointers to lead Middle Tennessee to a 77-62 victory over Mississippi on Wednesday night.?Middle Tennessee (7-1) hit 9 of 16 3-pointers as a team and shot 48 percent (29 of 60) from the floor in a game they dominated from the opening tip.The problem is that we have guys who, for whatever reason, freeze up out there, Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy said. Its my job to have an answer for that, and I dont.?Ole Miss (5-2) struggled out of the gate, starting 0-for-7 from the field and turning the ball over 14 times in the first half. Middle Tennessee built a 16-1 lead early and eventually led 48-19 at the break.Ive been in coaching a while, and thats about the best half you could have from the standpoint of hitting shots and making plays, Middle Tennessee head coach Kermit Davis said.?Ole Miss opened the second half on a 10-2 run and chipped away at the MT lead for most of the half, but never led. The Rebels managed only two second-half turnovers and finished 19-of-27 from the free throw line, but in the end could not overcome their deep first-half hole.Weve flirted with a loss like this a couple times already this season, Kennedy said. Its like I told our team: if you get pulled over and the cop doesnt give you a ticket, you get a mile down the road and you speed back up -- you dont learn your lesson. Well, we got our ticket tonight. And were going to be paying for this one for a while.Middle Tennessee made shots when it needed them and finished an efficient 10-of-12 from the free throw line, including several during a late Rebel push.dddddddddddd.I wouldnt say it was anything we did second half, Davis said. They just started making plays and gaining momentum. I think they kind of maybe ran out of gas there at the end.Potts was 7 of 9 from the field and 4 of 6 from beyond the arc for the Blue Raiders. Reggie Upshaw added 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting and 10 rebounds and JaCorey Williams chipped in 10.?Deandre Burnett led the Rebels with 15 points., while Cullen Neal added 13 points and Breein Tyree 11.?TURNOVER TROUBLESMiddle Tennessee scored 15 points off turnovers, capitalizing on Rebel mistakes.Our points-off-turnovers have been really good the last few games, Davis said. Our 1-3-1 is very active, very long. And we need that to be effective for us.? BIG PICTUREMiddle Tennessee adds a quality road win to its non-conference resume. The Blue Raiders were an NCAA Tournament team last year, upsetting Michigan State in the first round.This was a quality RPI game that no one was really talking about, Davis said. It could be a great win in that sense for us. Andys team definitely has a chance to be an NCAA tournament team.? UP NEXTOle Miss will try to rebound with a home game versus Memphis on Saturday.Middle Tennessee travels to South Alabama on Saturday. ' ' '