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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 3 31 BY STACY CLARDIE AND ALAN KARPICK M ike Bobinski, finally, can take a breath. Bobinski's first 90 days on the job as Purdue's athletic di- rector had nearly a singular focus: Getting the football program right- ed, which ultimately meant spend- ing eight weeks searching for a new coach after he dismissed Darrell Ha- zell midseason. The process, which included a search firm, was interesting and in- tense at times and nearly always en- lightening. Bobinski sat down with Gold and Black for an extensive interview on Dec. 15 to talk about the search, that fateful — and stressful — Sunday before new coach Jeff Brohm's intro- ductory press conference and what's next for his athletics program. Here's an excerpt: Gold and Black: You've said identified Jeff Brohm early in the process. Why? Bobinski: "I've known of Jeff and, honestly, his fam- ily, his brothers, for a long time. I remember watching him play. I remember watching him coach. I remember him chewing out his younger brother, Brian, on the side- lines on national television, which came up in our very first conversation. He said, 'Yeah, that wasn't my finest moment.' That was where the brother part overrode the coach part for everybody to watch and see. So I knew a little bit about him from a distance. I had no personal re- lationship whatsoever, but as we worked through things and I started to think more deeply about each of the can- didates we had originally sort of put on the table as pros- pects or potential fits, I became more and more intrigued by him for a variety of reasons. "One (reason) was the regional proximity. It's not un- believable to think there might be some ability for him and his familiarity with our area to be a benefit to us as time goes by from a relationship and familiarity per- spective, the identity of his family. In Louisville, they are Tom Campbell Mike Bobinski (center) identified Jeff Brohm (left) early in Purdue's coaching search but relied on Mitch Daniels and the Board of Trustees throughout the process. MISSION: First-year AD lands marked man Q&A: Mike Bobinski ACCOMPLISHED