Purdue Football Coaching Search: Brock Spack Says No

He has a Purdue mustache, a Purdue degree, and a solid background in West Lafayette, but it looks like Brock Spack won’t be coming home to West Lafayette to replace Darrell Hazell. The Pantagraph, a central Illinois newspaper based in Bloomington, Illinois asked coach Spack about his interest in the job, and his statement was somewhat Shermanesque:

“I don’t see it happening,” Spack said Tuesday. “I’ve kind of moved on from that a long time ago.”

“They stink right now. I hope they get a good coach,” said Spack. “I’ve got a lot of pride in the place. I put 22 years of my life in there. I like to see them win. But I don’t think it will be me.”

“I just don’t see Purdue going after an FCS head coach right now. It’s difficult for me. It’s the same record that keeps playing over and over again. I don’t think it’s healthy for me to go through all that stuff so I don’t really think about it."

It is not surprising, as Spack was long-rumored to to be Joe Tiller’s replacement only to be passed over in favor of Danny Hope after the 2008 season. My running theory is that Spack would have been the guy had his last three or four defenses not struggled so much. At the time of the succession plan fans weren’t high on Spack, but I agree in retrospect he probably should have been the guy instead of Hope. I don’t think he was going to be an end-all be-all coach for us, but I don’t things would have slid as far downhill as they have.

I definitely think 2008 was the time to promote Spack, but the ship has sailed. He seems content at Illinois State and I think Purdue needs something a little more than he can bring.