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Better job: Indiana or Purdue?

A pair of Big Ten coaches from schools in the state of Indiana have been dismissed over the past few months. First, the Purdue job opened midseason when the Boilermakers fired Darrell Hazell. Then, Indiana surprisingly - and very temporarily - opened on Thursday after coach Kevin Wilson was fired for reported off-field issues.

The Hoosiers wasted little time in finding a new permanent head coach, however, elevating defensive coordinator Tom Allen to the position. Indiana announced Allen's hiring in a late-afternoon press conference.

So while the Indiana job has been filled, here is a look at each program, its advantages and disadvantages, and a verdict on which is the more attractive job.

MORE: How Wilson changed recruiting culture at Indiana | Latest coaching search update at Purdue

INDIANA

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What happened: Wilson was surprisingly fired Thursday amid reports of off-field issues that could have revolved around player treatment concerns. Wilson was 26-47 overall, 12-37 in the Big Ten and this season was his first non-losing season dating back to when he took over in 2011. The Hoosiers are 6-6. Indiana defensive coordinator Tom Allen was tabbed as Wilson's replacement on Thursday.

Recruiting: Indiana is ranked No. 11 in the Big 10 team recruiting rankings with no four-star commits but 10 three-star pledges. During the season, the Hoosiers landed commitments from three-star DT Juan Harris and three-star TE Kurt Rafdal.

Advantages: The Hoosiers were finally starting to look competitive on the field and they had strung together some impressive wins and near-misses in recent years that could have caught the attention of recruits.

Indiana beat Michigan State this season, and even in a down year for the Spartans it’s still an impressive win. Plus, the Hoosiers played Nebraska close, played Penn State and Michigan tough and defeated Purdue.

Last season, Indiana battled with Ohio State, Iowa and Michigan (in a two-overtime loss) and also beat the Boilermakers. The Hoosiers looked much more competitive and not an easy out in the Big Ten.

Another advantage for the Hoosiers is that while they weren’t crushing it in recruiting, they had started to land some talented players who could contribute immediately.

Indiana could sell NFL Draft picks like Jason Spriggs and now Dan Feeney, and the Hoosiers finished seventh in the Big 10 a couple of times the last recruiting cycles. Things were starting to look up in Wilson’s rebuilding efforts.

Disadvantages: There is absolutely no winning tradition in Bloomington, so a 6-6 season was seen as tremendous progress for a program that hasn’t had a coach with a winning record since Bo McMillin from 1934-47. That’s astounding.

The last time Indiana had a winning record was 2007. 1993 was the last year the Hoosiers won eight games. Trying to sell recruits on any kind of winning tradition or being a part of a winning program was impossible, plus, like Purdue, the in-state recruiting landscape is minuscule compared to Big 10 opponents.

Another disadvantage to this job is that Indiana is not only a basketball school but it also plays in the Big Ten East, a division that is getting light years better with Ohio State and Michigan at the top, Penn State making a run this season and Michigan State always a major player. Where exactly does Indiana fit in that murderer’s row? And will the program be able to continue to build on the positive momentum generated under Wilson with the hiring of Allen?

PURDUE

What happened: Darrell Hazell was fired midway through his fourth season with an overall record of 9-33, 3-24 in the Big Ten. Hazell was ousted after a 3-3 start, and the Boilermakers lost six straight to finish the season.

Recruiting: Purdue is No. 13 in the Big Ten team recruiting rankings and No. 66 overall with no four-star commits but 10 three-star pledges. Three-star WR Tyler Hamilton and three-star OL Mark Stickford committed to Purdue during the season.

Advantages: Nicknamed the Cradle of Quarterbacks, Purdue has a longstanding and impressive tradition of top quarterbacks, but it’s been some time since high-level names have come through West Lafayette.

Still, with history that ranges from Drew Brees, Curtis Painter, Kyle Orton all the way back to Bob Griese, Len Dawson and others, it’s a positive starting point that could be sold to recruits. Although this part hasn’t helped Purdue, transfers Danny Etling (LSU) and Austin Appleby (Florida) have played in the SEC this year, and that extension back to the Boilermakers cannot be a bad thing.

The other advantage to focus on for the Purdue faithful is that the Big Ten West is wide open. Iowa won it last year; Wisconsin is going to the conference championship this weekend. The Big Ten East is an absolutely devastatingly tough haul, especially for lower-tier teams, but the West is more wide open and has more of an opportunity to move up quickly.

Disadvantages: One of the main concerns that need to be address with Purdue is that there is a sense its success is a thing of the past. The Boilermakers haven’t played in a bowl game in a few seasons and haven’t finished in the AP Top 25 poll since 2003.

Purdue has not won a conference title since 2000 and unless something drastically changes within the program, the Boilermakers are not close to competing for one soon, either.

The other disadvantage, similar to Indiana, is that Purdue’s recruiting territory is minimal at best so it needs to recruit regionally, if not nationally, for competitive players in the Big Ten. That will continue to be a challenge as Notre Dame can take any kid it wants plus other power conferences besides just other Big 10 schools can come into the state and steal top players.

THE VERDICT: INDIANA

Both Indiana and Purdue have significant challenged to become competitive once again in the Big Ten.

But the Hoosiers have shown significant progress – especially in the last few seasons under Wilson – and that could help Allen as he assumes head coaching duties. Purdue wins the history battle against the Hoosiers, but prospects care about recent success most.

And that’s why Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell thinks Indiana is the better opening at this point.

“Indiana is the better job because of the recent success,” Farrell said. “All these kids remember is what happened in the last couple years.

Indiana has gone to a bowl the last two years, they’ve won 10 conference games versus Purdue winning three and current recruits are going to remember that they almost beat Ohio State, that they hung in there with Penn State, that they beat Michigan State, almost beat Michigan. It’s all about what you’ve done lately.”

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