Kenny Thompson

With 2023 just days away, it’s time to reflect on a memorable year in sports. I have restricted my top 10 sports stories of 2022 to those opined upon in my weekly columns. Let the countdown begin. 1. Purdue football wins first Big Ten West Division championship – Yes, a prediction that actually came through.…

Purdue football is undergoing a youth movement with its coaching staff that Boilermaker fans haven’t witnessed in 45 years. If those fans are lucky, the results will be similar. Jim Young was early in his eventual College Football Hall of Fame coaching career when he left Arizona to return to the Big Ten Conference at…

This football coaching search was an opportunity for Purdue to be bold and reach for the stars like their Big Ten peers Nebraska and Wisconsin did a few weeks ago. The hire of Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters was disappointing upon first reaction, mostly because of the raised expectations for replacing Jeff Brohm that came…

Time will tell if the grass is greener (or in Kentucky’s case, bluegrass) on the other side of the Ohio River for Jeff Brohm. Brohm’s 36-34 record that Purdue fans celebrated after the 9-39 Darrell Hazell era will get him fired at Louisville, his alma mater. And that’s the risk Brohm is taking with his…

History says Purdue will not come close to upsetting No. 2 Michigan on Saturday night at the Big Ten Championship Game. Since the Big Ten went to the East-West divisional format in 2014, the East winners are 8-0 with an average margin of victory of 35-15. As noted Saturday night by Gerry DiNardo on the…

Purdue guard Braden Smith earned the first of what could be several Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors Monday for his role in the 75-70 victory against Marquette in the Gavitt Games. The Westfield graduate and reigning Indiana Mr. Basketball scored a co-team-high 20 points to go with three assists and two rebounds. Smith…

It’s not the path optimistic Purdue football fans, and this columnist, predicted when forecasting a Big Ten West Division championship this season. Saturday’s 31-24 victory at Illinois not only secured The Cannon trophy for another season in West Lafayette, it helped create a four-way tie for first place with two weeks to go. With Iowa…

Purdue football lost its second legend in 2022 when Hall of Fame defensive tackle Dave Butz died Nov. 4 at the age of 72. Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson passed away on Aug. 24 at the age of 87. Butz is the third former Boilermaker great to die in 2022. Basketball All-American…

On Tuesday night, barring the unexpected, Westfield’s Braden Smith – and maybe Fletcher Loyer – will join a rare Purdue basketball fraternity. Since freshman eligibility became a permanent rule in 1973, Smith would become the 21st true freshman to start his first game as a Boilermaker. All but five of these freshmen have played with…

Over the next two weeks, 316 schools will begin pursuit of state football championships in Indiana’s six high school classes. In The Times coverage area, Noblesville, No. 9 Westfield, No. 7 Carmel, No. 11 Fishers and top-ranked Hamilton Southeastern get a week off before opening Class 6A sectional play on Oct. 28. Noblesville (3-6) will…