Notre Dame player's father a coach for Purdue

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- They say blood is thicker than water, but on game day, it's a little different for one family. The Notre Dame - Purdue game has the Carlisle family divided. Duane Carlisle is the Director of Sports Performance at Purdue and his son Amir is a Junior playing for Notre Dame.

"I never would have dreamed that I would be in this situation this weekend, him being on the playing field me on the sideline," said Duane Carlisle/Purdue Director of Sports Performance.

Duane Carlisle spends his days on Purdue's turf and in the Boilermaker weight room helping develop all 500 student athletes, including the football team.

But before that one of his first jobs as coach started nearly 21 years ago.

"My earliest memory actually is when I was three years old my dad used to have me doing different agility drills in front of people it goes way back to when I was barely walking," said Amir Carlisle, running back for Notre Dame.

"Amir looked at it as why did dad have me doing this but I had a master plan to help develop those motor skills and hopefully have benefited in his athletic career," said Duane.

That plan-seems to be paying off.

Amir Carlisle started his college career at the University of Southern California.

His freshman season he recorded 19 rushes for 118 yards.

Growing-up in California you'd assume that season would have been a dream come true for the young athlete.

But a new job offer for dad changed all of that.

In 2011 Duane took his current job at Purdue forcing the family to move to the Hoosier state.

"It's an empty feeling coming out of a stadium everybody else's family is there and yours isn't. He wanted to have that experience," said Duane.

So sophomore year, Amir traded in the cardinal and gold for a chance to run out of the Notre Dame tunnel.

"The opportunity presented itself for me to transfer here it just made it a decision that was very easy actually," said Amir.

Amir didn't see playing time last season due to injury, but now the healthy number 3 is making strides in blue and gold.

He's rushed for over a hundred yards and counting this season.

Amir says a lot of what he's learned on the field comes from dad.

"Just really perfecting your craft and taking pride in what you do each and every day you step into the building and step onto the field," said Amir.

For Duane his son has done some teaching of his own.

"To see him do the things he's doing and facing adversity that to me is a dad is the most gratifying thing I've learned from him," said Duane.

Gold is the Carlisle family's safe color as both teams share it.

But bragging rights are still on the line between father and son.

Amir has two younger brothers. Unfortunately Duane says one of them loves basketball. The other is all about baseball.