INDIANAPOLIS - Joe Holland, a running back at Indianapolis Chatard High School, made an oral commitment Friday to play football at Purdue.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound senior rushed for more than 2,200 yards and 30 touchdowns for the Trojans' Class 3A runner-up team last season, when he was an honorable-mention All-State selection by The Associated Press, and has 754 yards and 13 TDs through the first six games this year.

"I thought it was time to sit down and lay out my options,'' he said of making a choice of college. "When we did that, it became clear to us that Purdue had everything I was looking for.''

Holland told The Indianapolis Star that he picked Purdue over Northwestern and that he probably will play free safety for the Boilermakers.

"They were the first to offer me,'' Holland said. "They haven't stopped from day one. They were always there for me.''

The NCAA signing period for next season begins in February.