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Gold and Black Illustrated, Vol 27, Digital 5

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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 27, ISSUE 5 9 Similar Guys J eff Brohm and Matt Painter have much in com- mon. They are pretty much single-minded when it comes to their sports. Both are humble, grounded guys. But Painter spends nearly all his non-family time on hoops, and Brohm does the same with football. Neither likes to golf, for example, or has much in outside hobbies that take his time. They both inherited difficult transitions in their first seasons at the helm. Sure, Painter was a coach-in-wait- ing for a year, but the cupboard was pretty bare for him, so much so that he won just 32 percent of his games in his first season as head man in 2005-06. Fast forward 11 years, and Brohm is in a similar situation. To be blunt, if Brohm wins 32 percent of his games in 2017 — that would be four wins — he should be considered at some level for coach-of-the-year awards. Painter worked his way out of his early jam in Year 2 by making the most of the roster he had, and the return of standouts Carl Landry and David Teague from injury for that second season. But in that first season, Painter solved his longer-term problems, by first establishing a culture and then by signing the likes of Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson. Brohm is working on the culture part, and knows he has to do the same in re- cruiting. Yet, turning around a football program doesn't happen with three or four guys. But the thing I like about both coaches is they offer no excuses. When things have gone wrong for Painter over the years, he has dealt with it typically by quietly getting back to work. I sense Brohm will do the same. Brohm's biggest hurdle may be a mental one. He is not used to losing at any level, and that can weigh heavily on anyone. But he also has a close inner circle, led by broth- ers Brian and Greg on his staff, that might keep him from getting down on himself. The mantra around Purdue athletics these days is "All In" and you can't find two guys that are more all in and more focused on their collective sports than Brohm and Painter. And in the end, football, under Brohm, has a chance to return to relevance because of just that. From Publisher Alan Karpick Boiler Index "They expect the excellence out of players." Quarterback David Blough on Purdue's coaching staff having elite-level former players "I'll still be the rock, but I might be a little softer rock with some bruises. I need prayers. I need help. I need everything else that others have been able to give to other people." Sharon Versyp after her breast cancer diagnosis "Just to be able to end the season the way I did, I feel like I helped myself out a little bit." Vincent Edwards on his NBA Draft prospects

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