1956 Purdue Boilermakers football team

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1956 Purdue Boilermakers football team

The Purdue Boilermakers represented Purdue University in the 1956 Big Ten football season. In Jack Mollenkopf’s first year as head coach, the team went 3–4–2 overall and 1–4–2 in the Big Ten, tying for seventh place. They scored 139 points and allowed 122, playing their home games at Ross–Ade Stadium.

Key players included quarterback Len Dawson, fullback Mel Dillard, and end Lamar Lundy. Captains were Bob Clasey, Len Dawson, and Lamar Lundy.

Season highlights:
- Opened with a 16–7 win over Missouri in Mollenkopf’s first game; Tom Fletcher ran for 154 yards.
- Lost to Minnesota 21–14; Dillard had a strong rushing game.
- Beat Notre Dame 28–14; Dillard rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
- Tied Wisconsin 6–6.
- Lost to Iowa 21–20; Dawson threw two touchdowns and Dillard scored another.
- Tied Illinois 7–7.
- Lost to Michigan State 12–9; Dillard scored Purdue’s touchdown and a safety was recorded.
- Lost to Northwestern 14–0; Northwestern recovered several Purdue fumbles.
- Beat Indiana 39–20 in the Old Oaken Bucket; Dawson threw two TD passes to Lundy, and Dillard rushed for 130 yards and three touchdowns.

honors and season stats:
- Mel Dillard was named first-team All-Big Ten by both the AP and UP.
- Purdue players led the Big Ten in rushing yards, total offense, and passing yards. Dillard led the conference with 873 rushing yards and 902 yards of total offense; Dawson led with 856 passing yards; Lundy had 248 receiving yards (fifth in the conference).
- Several Purdue players were among the first 100 picks in the 1957 NFL Draft.