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Gold and Black Illustrated, Vol 27, Digital 3

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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 3 13 I t's really hard to hire college football coaches nowa- days. It's even more difficult to do so and find them met with consensus approval among fans. That's just the world in which we live, where people are quick to form opinions, slow to move off them. That being said, it's difficult to imagine Purdue having made a hire that would have been met with more elation from the Boilermakers' suffering supporters than Jeff Brohm was when his was announced Dec. 5. The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, if the court of public opinion is any indication. Now, that guarantees Purdue nothing long-term and, soon, the reality of the program's current state will move back to the forefront. But people are excited, more than they've been in years. And they should be. Brohm fits, more than just about anyone else Purdue could have hired, aside from maybe Brock Spack, who'd have done well if given the chance. But Brohm is blue-collar to the ousted Darrell Hazell's white collar; he's relatable to where his predecessor came off as distant and detached. Brohm's hire fully reflects Purdue's history. He's a quarterback guy known for big-time offense. When Purdue's been good, it's typically had a good amount to do with offense, specifically quarterback-driven offense. That's an important legacy Purdue was wise to reconnect with. This program has had no identity of late; now, over- night, it does. Purdue's always been a quarterback school. That's what's set it apart before and can set it apart again, and lord knows, this program needs something, anything, to set it apart. Aside from historic futility, that is. And Brohm's won, and won big. This isn't a guy talking about winning championships; it's a guy who's done it, claiming the last two Confer- ence-USA titles at Western Kentucky, with a mere 75-per- cent winning percentage over his three seasons as a head coach. This wasn't a coach squeaking out a bunch of close wins and it adding up to a good record; this was a coach laying waste to his conference, replacing key players, then doing it again. This is a coach people wanted. I think the enthusiasm around Brohm's hire was supersized by the thrill of the hunt. When we broke the news that he was the guy Purdue wanted days before the C-USA title game, excitement per- colated. When word came later that Baylor and Cincinnati, and maybe others, wanted him too, people freaked out. The sky fell, only to rise again when Brohm accepted Mike Bobinski's robust offer, a reflection of this upper commitment to football university leadership had prom- ised and has thus far delivered on decidedly. Purdue's on the mat right now, no question, so for a coveted coach to want the job, but to still want the job in the face of other good opportunities, well, that validated for fans that all is not lost. Brohm's come in and made an impact already in re- cruiting. His offensive rep brings the potential to level the playing field competitively and, at minimum, make Purdue football interesting again. It will give Purdue an identity on the field, but also in recruiting, where Purdue has been losing games long before they're played. Soon, the realities of Purdue's situation will be dealt with. This group has won nine games in four years and the schedule next year is a widow-maker. But for now, and for the first time in a long time, the energy around Purdue football is a positive, productive one. While there's no crystal ball here and while all parties involved here go into this with eyes wide open, the ear- ly returns are unanimous: Purdue, for which so little has gone right, got it right. j Neubert can be contacted at BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com Purdue Gets It Right From Editor Brian Neubert

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