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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 3 27 Assembly Required Football Analysis Brohm needs to establish mindset, find pieces to build program BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com J eff Brohm has not been shy to say how big of a chal- lenge he is accepting by taking over Purdue's football program. But a financial commitment by the administration to allow larger salaries and multi-year contracts for assistant coaches and to plug in more support staff in the form of an- alysts and recruiting assistants and football-only strength coaches certainly helps. Already, the administration is improving facilities, too. The $65-million sports performance complex that will in- clude a modern locker room and more expansive weight room is on target to be done in August, and Ross-Ade Stadi- um will have lights in 2017. Just how quickly more improve- ments will come to the stadium — a video board and sound system would be the next likely upgrades — remains to be seen. It seems likely strides will need to be made in terms of on-field performance to increase the season-ticket base for any more significant plans to enhance the south end zone and beyond. All those pieces are important — evidenced by Brohm's insistence on "commitment" during the interview process and president Mitch Daniels', AD Mike Bobinski's and Board of Trustees chairman Mike Berghoff's firm affirma- tion and delivery of such requests — in the hope of revers- ing the program's fortunes. But they may not play the most pivotal role. Brohm and his coaching staff have plenty of work in other areas that could be program-changing: Recruiting, develop- ing players and establishing a culture of belief. Purdue needs more players who are willing to "buy in," who will trust coaches, will trust teammates, will trust schemes. Without winning to affirm the plan and the ap- proach — Purdue was 9-39 in four seasons — too many players stopped believing it was possible during the Dar- rell Hazell Era. Progress for progress' sake wasn't OK by Year 3. Winning was progress. When it didn't come, there weren't enough dedicated souls, players who would work even harder when it was tough, not wither when adversity hit, former players said. Purdue needs, simply, more players. Tom Campbell David Blough led the Big Ten in several passing categories in his first season as a full-time starter. But he didn't lead in the category he most values: Victories. That'll be a step he'd like to take in 2017.