Eugene Parker and the 1977-1978 Boilers

[Born Boiler]

With three four-year starters and two future 10-year NBA players, including the top pick in the draft, Purdue entered the 1977-1978 season with huge expectations. Hot on the heels of a 19-9 campaign and an impressive NCAA Tournament appearance against fourth-ranked North Carolina, the veteran Boilermakers were ranked 12th nationally to start the season and aspired for much more. However, starting with a shocking 91-63 blowout loss at Indiana State, led by a fellow named Larry Bird, Purdue and its fans wound up enduring a roller-coaster season that ended with a 16-11 overall record, including 11-7 in the Big Ten.

Whenever at home, though, those same Boilermakers met all expectations. Aside from squandering an overtime loss to Miami of Ohio, the lone “cupcake” on the schedule, Purdue was perfect at home, going 9-0 against Big Ten foes. And while many fans would revel in the following year’s two-point win over No. 1 Michigan State, the ’77-78 Boilers showed top form in burning down the house and giving then-freshman Magic Johnson and his 10th-ranked Spartans a 99-80 spanking at Mackey, leading by as many as 27 points.

Versatile forward Walter Jordan was a first-team All-Big Ten pick for the second straight year, getting drafted and playing a year in the NBA, while guard Jerry Sichting and center Joe Barry Carroll soon would follow with long careers. But guard Eugene Parker went a different route after being drafted by the NBA, one that spoke volumes -- he opted for Athletes in Action to advance his faith. Then it was on to Valparaiso for a law degree and the beginning of a career caring for athletes that would make him one of the most respected sports agents ever.

Although his work and associations with numerous football superstars like Purdue’s own Rod Woodson have drawn most of the acclaim in his passing, old Boilermaker fans will never forget the silky smooth, high-lofting lefty from Fort Wayne who started 100 straight games, shot .488 for his career and remains among the top eight in assists and the top 22 scorers in Purdue basketball history. He was a pure pleasure to watch.

And that “disappointing” team yielded some of the best alumni Purdue could ever hope to have.

 1977-78 Coach: Fred Schaus 16-11 Overall, 11-7 Big Ten*
N26 12 / -- Xavier W 90-82
N28 12 / -- at Indiana State L 63-91
D3 11 / -- Alabama W 82-65
D8 -- / -- at Arizona State W 76-75
D10 -- / -- at Arizona W 80-78
D13 17 / 10 at Louisville L 66-68
D21 -- / -- Miami, Ohio L 80-84 •
D29 -- / -- vs. Pittsburgh W 91-80
D30 -- / -- at San Diego State L 84-91
J5 * -- / -- Illinois W 95-85
J7 * -- / -- Northwestern W 87-62
J12 * -- / -- at Wisconsin W 79-70
J14 * -- / -- at Iowa L 60-66
J19 * -- / 10 at Michigan State L 51-60
J21 * -- / -- Indiana W 77-67
J28 * -- / -- Minnesota W 72-64
J30 * -- / -- at Michigan W 80-65
F2 * -- / -- Ohio State W 71-69
F4 * -- / -- Michigan W 75-66
F9 * -- / -- at Indiana L 64-65
F11 * -- / -- at Ohio State L 77-91
F16 * -- / 10 Michigan State W 99-80
F18 * -- / -- at Minnesota L 72-79
F23 * -- / -- Iowa W 82-69
F25 * -- / -- Wisconsin W 87-78
M2 * -- / -- at Northwestern L 71-80
M4 * -- / -- at Illinois L 66-67

 Eugene Parker | Guard | 6-1 | 175 | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3P 3PA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO Ast TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
1975 28 18 752 26.9 108 241 .448 0 0 .000 30 47 .638 69 2.5 47 0 100 0 0 0 246 8.8
1976 27 27 876 32.4 182 358 .508 0 0 .000 57 70 .814 82 3.0 50 1 104 0 0 0 421 15.6
1977 28 28 935 33.4 168 339 .496 0 0 .000 56 74 .757 61 2.2 57 0 108 0 1 19 392 14.0
1978 27 27 977 36.2 161 330 .488 0 0 .000 49 62 .790 94 3.5 53 1 112 0 1 22 371 13.7
TOTAL 110 100 3540 32.2 619 1268 .488 0 0 .000 192 253 .759 306 2.8 207 2 424 0 2 41 1430 13.0

 Walter Jordan | Forward | 6-8 | 200 | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3P 3PA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO Ast TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
1975 28 21 773 27.6 171 330 .518 0 0 .000 52 75 .693 205 7.3 70 0 44 0 0 0 394 14.1
1976 27 27 879 32.6 189 389 .486 0 0 .000 79 115 .687 248 9.2 74 1 65 0 0 0 457 16.9
1977 27 27 952 35.3 205 425 .482 0 0 .000 92 129 .713 199 7.4 68 0 62 0 3 26 502 18.6
1978 27 27 997 36.9 181 414 .437 0 0 .000 98 137 .715 230 8.5 68 0 66 0 6 24 460 17.0
TOTAL 109 102 3601 33.0 746 1558 .479 0 0 .000 321 456 .704 882 8.1 280 1 237 0 9 50 1813 16.6

 Wayne Walls | Forward | 6-6 | 190 | Jeffersonville, Ind.
Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3P 3PA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO Ast TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
1975 28 21 613 21.9 121 247 .490 0 0 .000 26 40 .650 142 5.1 97 8 31 0 0 0 268 9.6
1976 27 26 711 26.3 120 289 .415 0 0 .000 50 76 .658 183 6.8 96 7 37 0 0 0 290 10.7
1977 28 28 699 25.0 97 236 .411 0 0 .000 43 61 .705 172 6.1 92 5 30 0 14 22 237 8.5
1978 27 27 702 26.0 94 217 .433 0 0 .000 47 69 .681 156 5.8 89 7 38 0 6 21 235 8.7
TOTAL 110 102 2725 24.8 432 989 .437 0 0 .000 166 246 .675 653 5.9 374 27 136 0 20 43 1030 9.4

 Jerry Sichting | Guard | 6-1 | 165 | Martinsville, Ind.
Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3P 3PA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO Ast TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
1976 27 0 436 16.1 67 123 .545 0 0 .000 31 38 .816 42 1.6 35 0 61 0 0 0 165 6.1
1977 28 0 536 19.1 71 131 .542 0 0 .000 61 69 .884 36 1.3 36 0 60 0 0 16 203 7.3
1978 27 27 975 36.1 120 233 .515 0 0 .000 78 90 .867 67 2.5 68 2 142 0 0 32 318 11.8
1979 35 35 1202 34.3 186 367 .507 0 0 .000 103 118 .873 97 2.8 79 2 123 0 2 56 475 13.6
TOTAL 117 62 3149 26.9 444 854 .520 0 0 .000 273 315 .867 242 2.1 218 4 386 0 2 104 1161 9.9

 Joe Barry Carroll | Center | 7-1 | 245 | Denver, Colo.
Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3P 3PA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO Ast TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
1977 28 0 573 20.5 93 187 .497 0 0 .000 34 54 .630 206 7.4 76 3 11 0 82 17 220 7.9
1978 27 27 855 31.7 163 312 .522 0 0 .000 95 143 .664 288 10.7 92 4 14 0 105 14 421 15.6
1979 35 35 1235 35.3 318 545 .583 0 0 .000 162 253 .640 352 10.1 100 2 29 0 70 30 798 22.8
1980 33 33 1168 35.4 301 558 .539 0 0 .000 134 203 .660 302 9.2 92 2 33 0 92 25 736 22.3
TOTAL 123 95 3831 31.1 875 1602 .546 0 0 .000 425 653 .651 1148 9.3 360 11 87 0 349 86 2175 17.7

Walter Jordan, Cleveland (80-81)
30 - 29 75 .387 0 0 - 10 17 .588 42 11 35 11 17 5 68 1.4 0.4 2.3
Jerry Sichting, Indiana (80-85); Boston (85-87); Portland (88-89); Charlotte (89); Milwaukee (90)
598 195 1789 3531 .507 48 177 .271 515 601 .857 817 1962 940 439 657 19 4141 1.4 3.3 6.9
Joe Barry Carroll, Golden State (80-87); Houston (88); New Jersey (88-89); Denver (90); Phoenix (90-91)
705 533 5021 10583 .474 0 13 .000 2413 3232 .747 5404 1264 2212 687 1964 1122 12455 7.7 1.8 17.7

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

Thanks for the stroll down memory lane back to the days of "Seatbelt" Schaus despite the very sad circumstances.

 

[77 grad]

Remember them maybe too vividly. Talent? Yes, we had talent ...

RIP, Eugene.

 

[BoilerBulldog]

So proud to call myself a fellow CLHS grad. He was such an atypical sports agent. I've seen multiple tributes on Twitter talking about how he was a genuine and compassionate human being first and a negotiator second. I think that's a valid way to live a life well. Godspeed Eugene.

 

[boiler62]

RIP Eugene, gone too soon!

 

[*4purdue*]

With three four-year starters and two future 10-year NBA players, including the top pick in the draft, Purdue entered the 1977-1978 season with huge expectations. Hot on the heels of a 19-9 campaign and an impressive NCAA Tournament appearance against fourth-ranked North Carolina, the veteran Boilermakers were ranked 12th nationally to start the season and aspired for much more. However, starting with a shocking 91-63 blowout loss at Indiana State, led by a fellow named Larry Bird, Purdue and its fans wound up enduring a roller-coaster season that ended with a 16-11 overall record, including 11-7 in the Big Ten.

Whenever at home, though, those same Boilermakers met all expectations. Aside from squandering an overtime loss to Miami of Ohio, the lone “cupcake” on the schedule, Purdue was perfect at home, going 9-0 against Big Ten foes. And while many fans would revel in the following year’s two-point win over No. 1 Michigan State, the ’77-78 Boilers showed top form in burning down the house and giving then-freshman Magic Johnson and his 10th-ranked Spartans a 99-80 spanking at Mackey, leading by as many as 27 points.

Versatile forward Walter Jordan was a first-team All-Big Ten pick for the second straight year, getting drafted and playing a year in the NBA, while guard Jerry Sichting and center Joe Barry Carroll soon would follow with long careers. But guard Eugene Parker went a different route after being drafted by the NBA, one that spoke volumes -- he opted for Athletes in Action to advance his faith. Then it was on to Valparaiso for a law degree and the beginning of a career caring for athletes that would make him one of the most respected sports agents ever.

Although his work and associations with numerous football superstars like Purdue’s own Rod Woodson have drawn most of the acclaim in his passing, old Boilermaker fans will never forget the silky smooth, high-lofting lefty from Fort Wayne who started 100 straight games, shot .488 for his career and remains among the top eight in assists and the top 22 scorers in Purdue basketball history. He was a pure pleasure to watch.

And that “disappointing” team yielded some of the best alumni Purdue could ever hope to have.

 1977-78 Coach: Fred Schaus 16-11 Overall, 11-7 Big Ten*
N26 12 / -- Xavier W 90-82
N28 12 / -- at Indiana State L 63-91
D3 11 / -- Alabama W 82-65
D8 -- / -- at Arizona State W 76-75
D10 -- / -- at Arizona W 80-78
D13 17 / 10 at Louisville L 66-68
D21 -- / -- Miami, Ohio L 80-84 •
D29 -- / -- vs. Pittsburgh W 91-80
D30 -- / -- at San Diego State L 84-91
J5 * -- / -- Illinois W 95-85
J7 * -- / -- Northwestern W 87-62
J12 * -- / -- at Wisconsin W 79-70
J14 * -- / -- at Iowa L 60-66
J19 * -- / 10 at Michigan State L 51-60
J21 * -- / -- Indiana W 77-67
J28 * -- / -- Minnesota W 72-64
J30 * -- / -- at Michigan W 80-65
F2 * -- / -- Ohio State W 71-69
F4 * -- / -- Michigan W 75-66
F9 * -- / -- at Indiana L 64-65
F11 * -- / -- at Ohio State L 77-91
F16 * -- / 10 Michigan State W 99-80
F18 * -- / -- at Minnesota L 72-79
F23 * -- / -- Iowa W 82-69
F25 * -- / -- Wisconsin W 87-78
M2 * -- / -- at Northwestern L 71-80
M4 * -- / -- at Illinois L 66-67

 Eugene Parker | Guard | 6-1 | 175 | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3P 3PA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO Ast TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
1975 28 18 752 26.9 108 241 .448 0 0 .000 30 47 .638 69 2.5 47 0 100 0 0 0 246 8.8
1976 27 27 876 32.4 182 358 .508 0 0 .000 57 70 .814 82 3.0 50 1 104 0 0 0 421 15.6
1977 28 28 935 33.4 168 339 .496 0 0 .000 56 74 .757 61 2.2 57 0 108 0 1 19 392 14.0
1978 27 27 977 36.2 161 330 .488 0 0 .000 49 62 .790 94 3.5 53 1 112 0 1 22 371 13.7
TOTAL 110 100 3540 32.2 619 1268 .488 0 0 .000 192 253 .759 306 2.8 207 2 424 0 2 41 1430 13.0

 Walter Jordan | Forward | 6-8 | 200 | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3P 3PA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO Ast TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
1975 28 21 773 27.6 171 330 .518 0 0 .000 52 75 .693 205 7.3 70 0 44 0 0 0 394 14.1
1976 27 27 879 32.6 189 389 .486 0 0 .000 79 115 .687 248 9.2 74 1 65 0 0 0 457 16.9
1977 27 27 952 35.3 205 425 .482 0 0 .000 92 129 .713 199 7.4 68 0 62 0 3 26 502 18.6
1978 27 27 997 36.9 181 414 .437 0 0 .000 98 137 .715 230 8.5 68 0 66 0 6 24 460 17.0
TOTAL 109 102 3601 33.0 746 1558 .479 0 0 .000 321 456 .704 882 8.1 280 1 237 0 9 50 1813 16.6

 Wayne Walls | Forward | 6-6 | 190 | Jeffersonville, Ind.
Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3P 3PA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO Ast TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
1975 28 21 613 21.9 121 247 .490 0 0 .000 26 40 .650 142 5.1 97 8 31 0 0 0 268 9.6
1976 27 26 711 26.3 120 289 .415 0 0 .000 50 76 .658 183 6.8 96 7 37 0 0 0 290 10.7
1977 28 28 699 25.0 97 236 .411 0 0 .000 43 61 .705 172 6.1 92 5 30 0 14 22 237 8.5
1978 27 27 702 26.0 94 217 .433 0 0 .000 47 69 .681 156 5.8 89 7 38 0 6 21 235 8.7
TOTAL 110 102 2725 24.8 432 989 .437 0 0 .000 166 246 .675 653 5.9 374 27 136 0 20 43 1030 9.4

 Jerry Sichting | Guard | 6-1 | 165 | Martinsville, Ind.
Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3P 3PA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO Ast TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
1976 27 0 436 16.1 67 123 .545 0 0 .000 31 38 .816 42 1.6 35 0 61 0 0 0 165 6.1
1977 28 0 536 19.1 71 131 .542 0 0 .000 61 69 .884 36 1.3 36 0 60 0 0 16 203 7.3
1978 27 27 975 36.1 120 233 .515 0 0 .000 78 90 .867 67 2.5 68 2 142 0 0 32 318 11.8
1979 35 35 1202 34.3 186 367 .507 0 0 .000 103 118 .873 97 2.8 79 2 123 0 2 56 475 13.6
TOTAL 117 62 3149 26.9 444 854 .520 0 0 .000 273 315 .867 242 2.1 218 4 386 0 2 104 1161 9.9

 Joe Barry Carroll | Center | 7-1 | 245 | Denver, Colo.
Year GP GS Min Avg FG FGA Pct 3P 3PA Pct FT FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO Ast TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
1977 28 0 573 20.5 93 187 .497 0 0 .000 34 54 .630 206 7.4 76 3 11 0 82 17 220 7.9
1978 27 27 855 31.7 163 312 .522 0 0 .000 95 143 .664 288 10.7 92 4 14 0 105 14 421 15.6
1979 35 35 1235 35.3 318 545 .583 0 0 .000 162 253 .640 352 10.1 100 2 29 0 70 30 798 22.8
1980 33 33 1168 35.4 301 558 .539 0 0 .000 134 203 .660 302 9.2 92 2 33 0 92 25 736 22.3
TOTAL 123 95 3831 31.1 875 1602 .546 0 0 .000 425 653 .651 1148 9.3 360 11 87 0 349 86 2175 17.7

Walter Jordan, Cleveland (80-81)
30 - 29 75 .387 0 0 - 10 17 .588 42 11 35 11 17 5 68 1.4 0.4 2.3
Jerry Sichting, Indiana (80-85); Boston (85-87); Portland (88-89); Charlotte (89); Milwaukee (90)
598 195 1789 3531 .507 48 177 .271 515 601 .857 817 1962 940 439 657 19 4141 1.4 3.3 6.9
Joe Barry Carroll, Golden State (80-87); Houston (88); New Jersey (88-89); Denver (90); Phoenix (90-91)
705 533 5021 10583 .474 0 13 .000 2413 3232 .747 5404 1264 2212 687 1964 1122 12455 7.7 1.8 17.7

Excellent post... Schaus was fired from Purdue after that "disappointing" season and replaced by Lee Rose, who promptly took Purdue to the NIT championship game and followed it up with a Final Four. A great coaching change at the time. I can still remember the "Oust Schaus" campaign. Amazing what a coaching change can do.

 

[77 grad]

We had quite a run of guards in that era. Parker, Bruce Parkinson, Jerry Sichting and ... oh yeah, Kyle Macy, the 1975 Mr. Basketball who transferred to Kentucky, some suspected, because he wasn't going to see as much playing time for Purdue as he would for Ky.

Imagine that scenario in 2016.

 

[LSLBoiler]

Here is the first of two 10-11:00 minute chunks of the '78 Purdue-IU game in Mackey. The second one will automatically load and play after this one. Classic...

 

[Born Boiler]

Thanks for sharing the classic video.

It hints at reasons that team struggled at times -- the defense wasn't exactly awe-inspiring, and the bench wasn't much help.

Jud Heathcote's match-up concepts hadn't exactly taken hold elsewhere yet -- playing a zone that guards the man instead of the space.

And Parker, Jordan, Sichting and Carroll each averaged more than 34 minutes per game for the year. Shooting legs are only human.

 

[boiler62]

Excellent post... Schaus was fired from Purdue after that "disappointing" season and replaced by Lee Rose, who promptly took Purdue to the NIT championship game and followed it up with a Final Four. A great coaching change at the time. I can still remember the "Oust Schaus" campaign. Amazing what a coaching change can do.

I don't think that Fred was fired. Knight realized that Fred was a great recruiter and did every thing he could to cause Purdue fans to put pressure on Fred to be fired but Fred moved into administration of his own accord! Rose did take Purdue to the final four in 1980 but with a team that Fred built ! It was Lee Rose that was forced out in 82 I think!

 

[*4purdue*]

I don't think that Fred was fired. Knight realized that Fred was a great recruiter and did every thing he could to cause Purdue fans to put pressure on Fred to be fired but Fred moved into administration of his own accord! Rose did take Purdue to the final four in 1980 but with a team that Fred built ! It was Lee Rose that was forced out in 82 I think!

Rose left after the '80 final four to take another job. South Carolina I think. You may be right about Schaus, but there was definitely some behind closed doors effort to get him out, whether it was on his own or not. I assume you mean King and not Knight.

 

[LSLBoiler]

Lee Rose left for the job at South Florida.

 

[boiler62]

Rose left after the '80 final four to take another job. South Carolina I think. You may be right about Schaus, but there was definitely some behind closed doors effort to get him out, whether it was on his own or not. I assume you mean King and not Knight.

No I was referring to Bob Knight, George King was the AD at that time and hand picked Fred to replace him as coach. Fred had full support from George King. Knight recognized that Fred was a very good recruiter and didn't want to compete against him so he did all he could to put pressure on Schaus! He even went so far as making a statement that with all the talent that Purdue had they should win the Big Ten every year. Fred brought in Eugene Parker, JBC, Jerry Sicting, Kyle Macy, the Walkers, Wayne Walls and Walter Jordan. And he just missed on Teddy Grubbs, Terry Mills and a kid that went to Az by the name of Elliott.

 

[*4purdue*]

No I was referring to Bob Knight, George King was the AD at that time and hand picked Fred to replace him as coach. Fred had full support from George King. Knight recognized that Fred was a very good recruiter and didn't want to compete against him so he did all he could to put pressure on Schaus! He even went so far as making a statement that with all the talent that Purdue had they should win the Big Ten every year. Fred brought in Eugene Parker, JBC, Jerry Sicting, Kyle Macy, the Walkers, Wayne Walls and Walter Jordan. And he just missed on Teddy Grubbs, Terry Mills and a kid that went to Az by the name of Elliott.

I think Mills & Elliott were way after Schaus.

 

[echs86]

None of those last three were anywhere near the time Fred Schaus was at Purdue. Also, I don't think Knight
was worried about Schaus recruiting. Knight had his own recruits and pipeline that was getting him significant talent.

 

[boiler62]

None of those last three were anywhere near the time Fred Schaus was at Purdue. Also, I don't think Knight
was worried about Schaus recruiting. Knight had his own recruits and pipeline that was getting him significant talent.

I was in error and used the wrong name when I wrote Terry Mills it should have been Terry Cummings and both Grubbs and Cummings were on the 79-80 DePaul roster! And the Elliott I mentioned was Bob Elliott and he was on the Az roster from 73-77. Fred was the coach at Purdue from 72-78! I do agree that Knight had more talent than Fred.

 

[Eban]

Essay from a Marion radio personality:

"They had come to see Eugene E. Parker, a Concordia High School grad, class of ’74, a Fort Wayne man who had considerable success himself as an athlete, including four years as a starter for Purdue University basketball and a berth in the Indiana basketball Hall of Fame."

With audio: http://www.wbat.com/ed-breen-moment/