Purdue introduced Tommy McClelland as the university’s new athletic director on Thursday, but his first appearance quickly drew unwanted attention after he took a controversial shot at Indiana. The awkward remark sparked backlash online, and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith also took a jab at him over the comment.
Stephen A. Smith Rips Purdue AD Tommy McClelland for Unnecessary Indiana Dig
McClelland confidently said in his introductory press conference that every recruit and student-athlete would hear the same message over and over: “We are here to win championships.” While having a championship mentality is certainly not a problem, McClelland made a questionable choice when he took a shot at Curt Cignetti’s Indiana.
“If you don’t want to win championships, go to Indiana,” McClelland said.
McClelland’s comment came at a time when Indiana had emerged as one of college football’s biggest turnaround stories. The Hoosiers also dominated Purdue 56-3 last season, a stark contrast to what had happened before Cignetti became Indiana’s head coach in 2024.
As Cignetti has completely transformed Indiana, McClelland’s unnecessary jab seemed even more difficult for Smith to accept.
“That’d be one of the most embarrassing moments ever for an athletic director,” Smith said on ESPN’s “First Take.”
“It was disgraceful. I want to remind everybody that Purdue was 2-10 last year. I want to remind everybody that they were 1-11 the year before that. And you said, ‘You know what, we’re here, we’re trying to win championships. If you don’t like it, if you go to Indiana.'”
“They’re the reigning defending national champions,” Smith added. “A legitimate argument could be made, he didn’t know. He might be that ignorant. I mean, he might be that ignorant. He might be that ignorant. Think about that… Did you just say you’re about championships? Did you just say if you’re not, go to Indiana? Are you aware that they’re the reigning defending national champion? Who, by the way, were undefeated.”
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Heading into last season, Indiana had endured more losses than any program in college football history, while its roster carried a record-low 8% blue-chip recruiting ratio. The Hoosiers also had not recorded a nine-win season since 1967, but Cignetti engineered a massive turnaround, leading Indiana to 16 wins and a national championship.
Indiana’s win total last season was also greater than the program’s combined wins from 2020 through 2023, making the Hoosiers’ transformation one of the most phenomenal Cinderella stories in American sports. The program also enters 2026 with a 71.1% chance of reaching the College Football Playoff, according to the PFN CFB Playoff Meter.
Indiana’s stunning rise has offered hope to struggling programs across the country, and McClelland could have acknowledged that transformation, but he chose a contrasting approach that did not sit well with Smith.
McClelland later addressed the comments during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” attempting to clarify his intent. He acknowledged that he realized the mistake immediately after saying it and explained that his goal was to establish the standard he wants at Purdue as the Boilermakers pursue championships while also sending a message to the program’s fan base.
