A LITTLE MAN ’ S TAKE ON A BIG SPORTS WORLD
By Jim Biery
The Business of Rebuilding
A s the Purdue Boilermakers begin their 2017 football season Sept . 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis , they will be led out on the field by first-year head coach Jeff Brohm .
Coach Brohm has led teams into battle before , most recently at Western Kentucky University where he led the Hilltoppers to consecutive Conference USA championships in 2015 and 2016 .
The big difference this year is that he will have a pretty large task ahead of him : trying to rebuild a program that has seen little success in recent years and , more importantly , has lost a large part of the fan base mainly because they haven ’ t posted a winning record since 2011 .
When it comes to rebuilding a program , it helps to understand exactly what steps need to be taken and what direction you must lead not only the players on the team but the fan base as a whole . I sat down with Brohm to ask him exactly what the business of rebuilding entails .
Brohm played under Howard Schnellenberger at the University of Louisville from 1989 to 1993 and credits his former coach as being the master of rebuilding programs . Schnellenberger turned the University of Miami into a national championship winner and football powerhouse . He is perhaps best known in these parts for stating the Cardinals were “ on a collision course with the national championship . The only variable is time .” This seemed laughable at the time .
The key to the start of a rebuilding process is to get people interested and motivated while giving them a product on the field that is entertaining to watch . Another aspect is to create a brand for the program and also market it in the right way . “ As far as getting the team to buy into the right philosophy , you need to get them to believe they are better than what they think they are ,” said Brohm . “ Create a sense of confidence and swagger as they take the field against any given opponent . The players need to know you are a genuine person and you ’ re in it for the right
reasons , and if you surround yourself with the right people , anything can be achieved .”
For the fans , he said , you have to provide an exciting style of football that they want to come and watch , and know that the team is going to play to the very end with confidence , to see a team that plays hard and lays it all on the line .
Over the past three years , the Boilermakers have averaged 35,731 in attendance and have
Photo of the author with Purdue football head coach Jeff Brohm .
compiled an overall record of 8-26 . This is the lowest three-year average since 1950-1952 . That ’ s pretty dismal considering the seating capacity at Ross-Ade Stadium is 57,236 . During this span , teams like Nebraska , Ohio State , and Notre Dame have had more fans in the stands for the game than the Boilermaker .
As far as the boosters of the program are concerned , Brohm said being open and honest with them and having an open-door policy is critical . Letting them know you are listening to them and willing to address any questions they may have is vital to building their support . “ If you can get them to buy into what we ’ re trying to do and show the effort on the field , it helps to get them to trust in your beliefs for the team ,” he said .
When it comes to putting fans back in the seats , you have to play an exciting schedule with teams outside the Big Ten that people want to see , Brohm said . You need to show the fans that you are competing at a high level , and if you can ’ t win all the games , the fans need to see the effort . Eventually , you win a few games that you ’ re not “ supposed ” to and get better every year , which should bring more people to the games .
When asked what a successful first year would look like , Brohm said he wants a team that is competitive and fights to the very end . This competitiveness should be evident to the average fan . They should be able to walk away from the game and say , “ These guys play hard and they competed .” Of course , trying to win six games and go to a bowl is the logical first step .
With such an impressive start to his head coaching career Brohm had several opportunities to choose from when it came to taking the next step . So , why Purdue ? “ The school has a great tradition , is part of a great conference , and people are hungry for success ,” he said .
Is Purdue football on a collision course like Schnellenberger believed UofL was ? Who knows . But I ’ ll tell you this , given Brohm ’ s track record so far in coaching , not to mention his legendary mentor , I can ’ t wait for the journey to begin . Boiler Up !
40 EXTOL SPORTS / SEPTEMBER 2017