Feature image from Michael Hickey

Aneesh

It was almost too perfect - Jeff Brohm, the exciting QB guru that was the consensus 2016 Boiled Sports Search Firm’s #1 choice, developed a walk-on into the latest addition into Purdue’s Cradle of Quarterbacks during Aiden O’Connell’s final year of eligibility, earned Purdue its first Big Ten West title, and led Purdue to its first back-to-back 8-win season in 25 years (which just so happened to be Joe Tiller’s first two years). 2023 would bring a new quarterback, the loss of defensive foundation Jalen Graham, OSU/UM on the schedule, the (supposed) final year of Big Ten divisions, and the clear beginning of a new chapter of Purdue football.

It would have been a natural chapter break in Purdue’s football story, regardless of the coaching carousel’s domino effect - which started by Wisconsin passing over its favorite son Jim Leonhard in favor of Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell, and resulting in a never-comfortable Scott Satterfield bolting Louisville.

It was just too perfect of a break-away point.

“Leave this place better than you found it” - a credo to remember that can help inspire all of our actions and choices. There isn’t a doubt in the world that Jeff Brohm is leaving Purdue a better place than he found it - previously rudderless, devoid of excitement or identity, with a two-decade track record of penny pinching under the tenure of Morgan Burke (and, if we’re being entirely honest with ourselves, the first three years of Mitch Daniels’ presidential tenure). Infrastructures build modern football programs - Mike Bobinski and Trustees Chairman Mike Berghoff were able to successfully convince Mitch that investment was worth it. And boy, was it ever.

2013 - 2016: 9 wins, 39 losses. 3 Big Ten wins. Average attendance was 68% of Ross-Ade. (Nobody comes in to Ross-Ade.)

2017 - 2022: 36 wins, 34 losses. 26 Big Ten wins. 1 Big Ten West title. Average attendance 93% of Ross-Ade (excluding 2020). (NOBODY COMES INTO ROSS-ADE!)

All that over a six season tenure, plus Rondale Moore, David Bell, and George Karlaftis as bonafide blue-chip college football superstars. AOC into the Cradle. 8 players in the NFL. 7 wins against ranked opponents (11 losses), including three memorable wins against Top 3 opponents. The Tyler Trent game. The Tennessee Music City shootout. An outright division title.

Jeff Brohm took Purdue from the worst four-year stretch in its 130-year football history and made it fun again. And, most importantly, he remade Purdue football into the perfect marquee fall event to gather with family and friends, spend a day (or, in our case, a full weekend) at your alma mater’s campus, and got a whole new generation of kids (future Purdue alums) giddy to wear Boilermaker black and gold.

Every on-paper logical argument points to Purdue as a better job and more stable job than Louisville. But anytime you read that this move “was about the money”, you should instantly be skeptical of its author. It was a decision entirely about his heart - when you’re at the head Louisville football’s royal family, there’s a pull that can’t be fought by logical arguments. (Remember - Brohm once turned down the opportunity to join Nick Saban’s staff, to stay at Louisville!)

No, this one was about his dad, his kids, his family, his heart - and it’s just really tough to argue against that.

What a fun chapter. Time to see what’s next.

Boilerdowd

Back in July, we all heard Brohm talk about the importance of home and how he could never rule out returning to Louisville...the wise ones among us thought aloud that when the timing was right, he would take the call from Mama. Well, on late Sunday or early Monday, the phone rang (metaphorically), with the departure of Satterfield, in the wake of Purdue's appearance in the B1G Championship. Brady is almost done with high school, his daughter is nearing HS and Dad is getting older. This is great timing in almost every way from the Brohm perspective. Home may be a place that has problems, which Louisville and its fanbase has plenty of, but it's the Brohm family's home.

I golfed with Oscar a few summers ago, and ate a meal with Greg during the PU Fall Cities fundraiser a few summers ago. I had a few take-aways: Oscar is a proud Dad that loves his boys...and that family is woven into the fabric of Louisville. I believe all of them kept houses down there, and the connections, especially while recruiting were apparent. From Moore, to Wright to even Trice, the Brohm name carries weight in the state of Kentucky and the city of Louisville.

I loved what Brohm did for Purdue, I disdained the fact that every two years (on average) we dealt with someone courting him, and Jeff not stopping the talk quickly. I believe Jeff really likes Purdue...I believe he'll always love Louisville. I can relate my feelings for God's Country to his to the college in the city down South.

I'm ready to move on, and probably won't start rooting for Louisville. Never liked them before, won't start now. This is akin to Freeman at UND or Fickell at Wisconsin, but more personal...it smarts quite a bit.

I'm aware that Purdue is a 51% winner as a program and that the program hasn't had two-straight winning coaches...AND, I really like Brohm and wanted him to retire from Purdue. This is why I didn't want Brohm to leave. He and Bobinski were a good team and he really had sprouted some roots in West Lafayette, but they weren't deep enough to stay in the soil when Louisville called the second time.

He handled this situation and the transition OK, but it wasn't a completely honest process (Purdue recruiting visits last night and statements to the press on Monday). That said, I'm not sure how you can keep it above board unless you handle it like Deion and simply name the jobs and tell the world you're listening...and open communication was never JB's bag. He was simply excellent at keeping things private and within the 'family' - it'll be even easier to do down in Kentucky since half of the town, save the AD, is in on the deal.

I wish he and his family well...and make no bones about it, they'll all be fine back home, regardless of how things go on the field. But wish Purdue and Bobinski even better fortune as the process to find Jeffrey's successor continues (I'm sure he is not surprised by today's development). I also hope Purdue has the opportunity to beat Louisville multiple times during Brohm's next gig and takes advantage of the chance.

Sic 'em, Mike B. & Mike B!!! I have great faith in the athletic department's leadership...looking forward to the next chapter already.

Hammer down!!!

Dave

I'm slightly disappointed as a Purdue fan, completely unsurprised as an analyst.

From a fan perspective, there was so much more that could potentially have happened here under Brohm, whether or not it was realistic to expect. From an analyst's perspective, the best time to leave is now - Purdue might never win another division title (among other things, the B16 might drop divisions altogether) and may not get this close to a conference title for a long time.

West Lafayette is still a stepping stone for good coaches rather than a place to retire, even for folks who don't have a dream job in mind. Louisville was always going to be an option and you can only turn down your dream so many times.

I'm glad Brohm accomplished what he did here, and I'm glad he stayed for this season. Bobinski did a solid job with that hire, but this one will be at least as important - the right guy might kick Purdue up a notch, the wrong one could mean another decade or two of losing seasons.

Michael

It's worth comparing the stability at Purdue's Head Men's Basketball Coach position versus that of the Head Football Coach. While the men's basketball team has enjoyed 43 years of continuity between its current Head Coach and his mentor before him, the football team has struggled, arguably having reached its nadir as a program during the Darrell Hazell era.

Enter Jeff Brohm, and what would follow would be the most successful run of a Head Coach since Joe Tiller's run at the turn of the century.

And yet, it's mostly with a shrug that I greeted the news of Brohm's departure this week. I respect him as a coach and as a leader. I enjoyed watching his teams play, particularly with his specific brand of exciting football. But it always felt like we were borrowing Brohm. He heart clearly beat four hours to the South. And while there are aspects of the Louisville job that would make me question whether or not this is a great idea, from a pure emotional perspective, I know that the UL job would drag around behind him wherever he went until he signed on the line. 

Purdue has been fun during Brohm's time on the bench. I have no expectations of national titles, or even conference championships. But I've enjoyed this particular brand of football that manages to be both unexpected and exciting, and the type of thing that can give Purdue a shot against anyone (Brohm's 3-1 record against top-3 teams is a testament to that.) I wish Brohm well, cross my fingers that he doesn't decimate the roster like he did when he left WKU, and hope that we're able to put his replacement in place as soon as possible.  

J Money

I remember during the doldrums saying that if Jeff Brohm (or any coach, really) came to Purdue and was successful enough that he was the apple of other programs' eyes, then that meant good things had happened at Purdue. Well, good things have happened at Purdue.

Sure, we all wanted even more because we're insane Purdue loyalists. Sure, we wanted 10 wins. Sure, we dreamed of a Rose Bowl again. But even while falling short of those admittedly-lofty goals, Jeff Brohm elevated Purdue as a brand. Purdue football under Jeff Brohm coincided with the creative department getting better than ever (or maybe having the leash taken off) and the athletic department recognizing that, yes, it's important that we aren't a joke.

As Matt Painter steadily guided the basketball team to second-weekend appearances, the baseball team facilities improved and they made the NCAAs, the volleyball team under Shondell continued to impress and football was right there with them. Nobody can or should ever forget the despondent feeling of Purdue football under Darrell Hazell, an empty Ross-Ade and regular shellackings at the hands of MAC teams.

Another thing I distinctly remember us saying was that Purdue fans simply want it to be fun again. They want stuff to cheer for. Jeff Brohm and this athletic department made it all fun again and now Ross-Ade is full every game. Not some games, every game. Now the new challenge begins -- it's time to keep the momentum going.