OT: Tennessee now interviewing Jeff Brohm.
In what only can be described as the worst scenario possible for Purdue football, ESPN is stating that Tennessee and Brohm are in talks regarding their vacant head coaching position. If true, this is very unfortunate for Purdue fans after living through 4 years of crap. If this comes to fruition, I hope Purdue offers Bo Pelini, who is very similar in mentality and approach.
November 29th, 2017 at 11:20 AM ^
That was always the problem for a progam like Purdue. The moment their head coach has any type of success they'll move on to a better job. Same reason I don't think Fleck will be at Minnesota long.
November 29th, 2017 at 11:39 AM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 1:25 PM ^
I don't think he meant Purdue specifically, but programs at Purdue's level--coaches take those jobs as stepping stones. Last season it was Tom Herman leaving Houston and that rowboat guy (name escapes me) leaving WMU. I realize those are G5 teams and Purdue is not, but only technically. This year, Dan Mullen has already traded up from Mississippi State to Florida, if you want a P5 example.
Purdue's coaches haven't had the chance to ditch the Boilers for a higher-profile option because they haven't won. Doesn't mean they wouldn't have left if they'd had the oppotunity.
November 29th, 2017 at 1:51 PM ^
Mollenkopf won plenty. Spent his entire career there.
Tiller, too. (Well, not his entire career because he cut his head-coaching teeth in Wyoming first.) Surely he did enough to leverage a better offer if he'd wanted one, didn't he? In retrospect I wonder if his health issues played a role (he seems to have gotten the initial diagnosis around the time he took the Purdue job).
November 29th, 2017 at 2:13 PM ^
That's exactly what I meant. Tiller has been the only successful coach they've had in decades and he did stay. But he was older and of a different era. Now, a school like Purdue is a stepping stone because as soon as a "hot" young coach strings together two 8-9 win seasons a place like Tennessee (a better overall job even if it is currently a shit show) will come calling. Career-wise, Brohm would be a fool not to accept the Tennessee job.
November 29th, 2017 at 11:20 AM ^
for Tennessee. He is a good coach and would probably be able to make them respectable again in a fairly short amount of time.
November 29th, 2017 at 11:21 AM ^
If I were Brohm, I think I'd stay the hell away from Knoxville right now. There's no way Currie stays the AD there for much longer. And if the AD that hires you gets fired, you're all but going to be fired. And I think PU can be fixed before UTenn, at this point. Another year, or two, of improvement at PU, and he puts himself in a position for something better than the chance at getting ass-raped by Alabama and Georgia for the next many years.
UTenn is in baaaad shape right now...
November 29th, 2017 at 11:27 AM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 11:32 AM ^
Does Purdue hire Sumlin? Isn't Sumlin a PU Alum, and wouldn't Sumlin take that job over ASU?
November 29th, 2017 at 11:58 AM ^
He is. Could be a nice rebound for Purdue too. Would he take it over ASU? Ceiling at ASU is higher than at Purdue, but I would not underestimate the "when mama calls" factor.
November 29th, 2017 at 11:34 AM ^
If I'm George Karlaftis Jr, the 2019 DE who recently committed to Purdue, I believe I'd be on the phone with Don Brown 2 minutes after Brohm is introduced in Knoxville.
November 29th, 2017 at 12:23 PM ^
Matty and his wife (she is apparently the star DL recruiter) should go ahead and start planning their trip to WL right now.
November 29th, 2017 at 12:42 PM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 11:50 AM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 12:31 PM ^
Cameron....
November 29th, 2017 at 11:58 AM ^
I would bet Brohm hasn't even unpacked all his stuff yet. If he goes to UTenn he should just keep everything on the moving van.
Tenneessee is desperate now. If I were Brohm I'd ask for $10 million per year.
November 29th, 2017 at 11:59 AM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 12:05 PM ^
Jeff Brohm from Purdue to Tennessee.
Kevin Sumlin from aTm to Purdue.
Now we just need to figure out Nebraska: Scott Frost, Willie Fritz, Chad Morris, or other?
November 29th, 2017 at 12:17 PM ^
Nebraska has been figured out. It's Frost.
November 29th, 2017 at 12:07 PM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 12:10 PM ^
how horrible Purdue football was.
Jeff Brohm really polished the crap out of that turd in West Lafayette.
November 29th, 2017 at 12:12 PM ^
Then Purdue should go right ahead and hire Sumlin. It would be a win for Purdue.
November 29th, 2017 at 1:31 PM ^
They should fire Brohm and hire Sumlin. And the AD should inform Brohm by calling him into the office and saying, "you know that statue outside? HE HAMMERS DOWN!!" and slamming a pink slip onto the floor at Brohm's feet.
That would totally be worth the buyout clause.
November 29th, 2017 at 12:37 PM ^
It owes Jones $8.2 million. Would also need to pay Purdon't $5 million for Brohm's buyout ($4 million if after Dec. 5).
November 29th, 2017 at 1:47 PM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 12:39 PM ^
Got to say that if this happens I feel bad for Purdue. I mean they had to know one way or another that Brohm was never going to stay long term if he actually panned out there, but leaving after one year would definitely suck for all the recruits that came in last year and committed to him.
UT would be taking a big chance on him since he has only one year of major college football data to go by. Definitely improved Purdue's stock, but considering Hazell left a disaster behind that isn't saying much. As for Purdue, if Brohm does indeed leave I'd go balls to the wall for Sumlin. He'd be a great fit there. The offense he runs is somewhat similar, and expectations at Purdue are minimal at best. I think Sumlin could do pretty well there, probably field some good 8-9 win teams and occasionally challenge Wisconsin for the West.
November 29th, 2017 at 1:17 PM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 1:23 PM ^
Makes sense for both sides if Brohm goes...
November 29th, 2017 at 3:18 PM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 12:47 PM ^
approved by Clay Travis yet, though?
November 29th, 2017 at 12:47 PM ^
I mean, it's an upgrade in terms of prestige, but I'm not sure Tennessee is so demonstrably better a situation in terms of winning a bunch of games compared to Purdue. Who else other than Wisconsin and (maybe) Nebraska is going to consistently give you a fight in that division? NW? Iowa? I mean, the SEC East is the weaker of the two divisions, but Florida and Georgia are still elite programs with (it seems) good coaches who aren't going anywhere and great recruiting grounds. I'd rather bum around in the Big Ten West for a bit and get a better job than settle for being a sloppy second at a mid-level SEC school.
November 29th, 2017 at 1:24 PM ^
Tennessee can be a great job in the SEC. It's not like we're talking about Kentucky or Vandy which realistically will never be a good football job. Tennessee has the history, and Butch Jones had no problems luring top-10 classes to Knoxville. All goes in ebbs and flows. Alabama had a 5-6 year period before Saban showed up where it wasn't that great a gig anymore. 15-20 years ago Tennessee was one of the top jobs in the country.
Neither Kirby Smart nor Dan Mullen have proven to be unbeatable, and even though UT has to play Alabama every year, Saban realistically doesn't have more than another 3-5 years in him if you ask me. There is going to be a massive power vacuum in the SEC as soon as he leaves, and whoever comes in after him is automatically a downgrade.
Tennessee has the resources and fan support to be one of the best jobs in college football if it has the right coach in place. Purdue is always going to be just Purdue. There will always be limitations to what they can do on a consistent basis, and there will ALWAYS be a better job than Purdue.
November 29th, 2017 at 3:19 PM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 5:45 PM ^
You have GOT to be kidding.
You're three hours away from Atlanta
You have a 100,000 plus person stadium
All the financial resources you could probably want if you're successful.
Despite this years record there is some good talent on the roster, unlike Purdue.
Better weather, fan support, stage for national interest. It's all there.
I like your takes almost all of the time BronxBlue, but I'm having a hard time picturing a better job that is likely to come open soon than Tennessee in terms of potential.
November 30th, 2017 at 12:09 AM ^
I think bronxblue is mostly correct. In a vacuum, UT is a much better job than Purdue. More tradition, more resources, better recruiting base, etc. In theory, you can win a national title at UT and you probably won't at Purdue.
However, UT plays in the SEC East with Georgia and Florida so a national title while possible, is not likely since the path runs through them. Both have just as much if not more resources. They have far better recruiting bases (state lines matter in recruiting). And they have also had more recent success. (Since UT's last SEC East title, UGA has won it 3 times, UF has won it 4 times.) Things do ebb and flow but right now Georgia is on the verge of a playoff bid under Smart. (UT last contended for a title in 2001). I think they are trending up. Likewise, Florida just hired the best available coach not named Kelly or Frost so I think it's safe to say they will be winning 9+ games a year from now on under Mullen.
And therein lies the problem for UT. If UGA and UF are handling their business (hiring a good coach, recruiting well enough in Georgia and Florida respectively), it doesn't matter what UT does since both will have more talent to work with. Even during the Fulmer era, UT had a losing record against UF. And UT's record against UGA was inflated because UGA was mediocre for much of that stretch. That series changed when UGA hired Richt.
On the other hand, you can make the case that Purdue can be the #3 team in the B1G West. Perhaps not yet, but eventually. So if UT is the #3 school in the SEC East and Purdue is the #3 team in the B1G West, is UT really that much of a step up from Purdue?
Now if UT was content on being the #3 team in the SEC East, the job would be much more attractive. However, they turned on Jones after 4 years, two years owhich featured two straight 9 win seasons in years 3 and 4. They essentially vetoed the Schiano hire and it appears that they are now doing the same as UT is looking at Doeren. This is a fanbase that has warped expectations.
I mean, if UT was really that great of a job, coaches wouldn't be turning it down.
November 29th, 2017 at 1:42 PM ^
was Elmer Burnham, who for some reason left Purdue after two seasons to become head coach at the University of Rochester (NY) in 1944. The weird thing is that Burnham led Purdue to a 9-0 record, a #5 ranking, and a share of the conference title in '43. Why he would have left for Rochester—a program and area he had no prior relationship with—is a mystery.
November 29th, 2017 at 2:02 PM ^
A newspaper article at the time refers to "a flattering offer from the University of Rochester." Is it possible Purdue was outbid?
November 29th, 2017 at 2:12 PM ^
That's the most likely reason, other than some sort of personal angle that I can't find anywhere.
Imagine getting outbid by Rochester. Ooof.
November 29th, 2017 at 2:29 PM ^
...came from a comment in a Rochester article on one of his two undefeated seasons there that "2/3 of the players are attending on academic scholarships."
That's a very different coaching environment from a power conference school, and I can imagine it might have some appeal if it didn't come, like it invariably would, with an order of magnitude (or even two nowadays) cut in pay.
Then I found the "flattering offer" quote.
November 29th, 2017 at 2:47 PM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 2:46 PM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 2:56 PM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 8:23 PM ^
of NCSt.
November 30th, 2017 at 12:07 AM ^
And I'll say this: hiring Doeren is a really bad idea. It violates the Shawn Eichorst Rule of college coach hirings: never hire a coach who is a year away from being fired by his current team.
NC State went into this season ready to fire him if he had another 6-6 type season, because everyone knew this year's team had a lot of talent and they'd been waiting for Doeren's rebuilding to finally pay off. Doeren hasn't been winning much at State and he fired Matt Canada the year before Canada won the Broyles Award at Pitt before getting the LSU job.
Doeren is trying to get a new contract off this year, and he's not getting it because 1) NC State people think this year's team underacheived (it did, it should have won 10 games because it was way better than SC and Wake and managed to lose both games) and 2) next year's team is going to be crap with all the guys graduating. Nobody wants to hand the guy a lucrative extention the year before he goes 4-8.
That's not a guy Tennessee should hire. If that's the best they can do, they should fire Currie now because he's blown his credibility in the industry with the botched Schiano hiring.
November 29th, 2017 at 3:07 PM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 3:41 PM ^
Dude can recruit his @ss off - he has won a few battles against Michigan. Also, he is a natural leader - always was.
I can't comment one way or the other on his technical skills, but either way you can find coordinators to handle the x's and o's
November 29th, 2017 at 8:58 PM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 4:22 PM ^
Aren't the Vols down to their 6th or 7th choice now that Brohm seems to be off the table? It just seems like a total cluster fleck. It may be that there are warring factions within the university fighting for control and selectively leaking info. to make each other look bad or there are idiot reporters so intent on getting the news first that they're willing to throw anything out there, hoping they get lucky.
November 29th, 2017 at 5:32 PM ^
November 29th, 2017 at 5:41 PM ^
I think the wheel eventually lands on Tee Martin, they may try to do something interesting but it'll end up with them having to go to the alumni well.
Too bad, as Brohm would have been a great hire for them I think.