1981 Purdue Boilermakers football team explained

Year:	1981
Team:	Purdue Boilermakers
Sport:	football
Conference:	Big Ten Conference
Short Conf:	Big Ten
Record:	5–6
Conf Record:	3–6
Head Coach:	Jim Young
Hc Year:	5th
Off Coach:	Doug Redmann
Oc Year:	2nd
Def Coach:	Leon Burtnett
Dc Year:	5th
Mvp:	Steve Bryant
Captain:	Steve Bryant, Ray Gunner, Bobby Williams

The 1981 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University during the 1981 Big Ten Conference football season. Led by Jim Young in his fifth and final season as head coach, the Boilermakers compiled an overall record of 5–6 with a mark of 3–6 in conference play, tying for eighth place in the Big Ten. Purdue played home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Several Purdue players ranked among the Big Ten leaders, including the following:

• Wide receiver Steve Bryant led the Big Ten with 60 receptions and 11 receiving touchdowns and ranked second with 971 receiving yards and fifth with 66 points scored.
• Quarterback Scott Campbell ranked second in the conference with 185 pass completions, a 57.6% pass completion percentage, 2,686 passing yards, a 138.3 passing efficiency rating, and 2,809 total yards.^[1]
• Running back Jimmy Smith ranked fourth in the conference with 152 rushing attempts and ninth with 540 rushing yards.^[1]

Schedule

^[2]

Game summaries

Notre Dame

^[3]

Ohio State

Indiana

Statistics

• Jeff Feulner 18 rushes, 108 yards

Notes and References

1. Web site: 1981 Big Ten Conference Year Summary. Sports Reference LLC. SR/College Football. November 19, 2016.
2. News: 1981 Purdue Boilermakers Schedule and Results. Sports Reference LLC. SR/College Football. November 3, 2024.
3. Palm Beach Post. 1981 Sept 27.