Darrell Hazell announces David Blough as Purdue's new starting QB

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Purdue is changing starting quarterbacks. Again.

For the third straight season under head coach Darrell Hazell, the Boilermakers are making a midseason change at the game's most important position, with Hazell announcing Tuesday that redshirt freshman David Blough will start this weekend against Bowling Green in place of junior Austin Appleby.

"We are going to make a quarterback change," Hazell said during his Tuesday press conference. "That's going to happen this week. I know that the guys will be ready to adjust to that."

It's the third time in Hazell's brief tenure that the Boilers have switched quarterbacks midstream. Danny Etling replaced Rob henry after just a few games in 2013. Last season, Appleby replaced Etling in the middle of the year. Now Appleby is out, replaced by Blough.

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Obviously it isn't a shocking move. After he threw more interceptions than touchdowns last season, Appleby started this season with six interceptions and only five touchdowns in three games.

"Austin's created energy and leadership for us," Hazell said. "The one thing that we've always stressed, and will continue to stress, is the importance of taking care of the football. We need to do that better at that position."

Appleby beat out Blough for the starting quarterback job heading into the season. But after all the turnovers, Hazell and Purdue have switched gears to see if Blough can hang onto the ball a little better.

Blough saw his first collegiate action in Purdue's second game of the season, a win over Indiana State, throwing one pass, an incompletion. In last week's loss to Virginia Tech, Blough completed three passes for 11 yards.

"Obviously he's the guy that we've always said he can create, keep the play extended, keeps his eyes down the field, can make the throws that we need him to make," Hazell said.

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