Purdue Football: The Coaching Carousel

Rumors are flying, lies are swirling, but what is really going on? People think that Coach Brohm could be on his way out, some are saying that he stays. I do think he stays, but what about our great assistants?

We didn’t get to where we are at because of just Jeff Brohm, yes he was a large part of it, but his support staff was as good as anyone in the country. So who do I think stays? Who may go? I am here to tell you (guess with you).

Head Coach - Jeff Brohm - Stays

The rumors will fly around for the next couple of months on our head football coach. He is coveted, he took a Purdue team and won 6 games with them, something no one saw imaginable before the season. Not only that, he did it with the previous staff’s players. He truly won’t begin to get his guys in until 2018.

What really needs to happen is we extend Coach Brohm to the 2025 season, show our commitment and give him a pay raise with it. Show Coach Brohm that we are all in.

Co-OC - Brian Brohm - Stays

He isn’t quite ready to leave his older brother’s side yet. He will end up being an OC at some point in his career without Jeff, but he is not there yet. He is still a young coach and learning under his brother.

Co-OC/Special Teams Coordinator - Tony Levine - Leaves

Coach Levine is a former head coach, he was at Houston as their head coach before he joined Coach Brohm’s staff. A job just opened up in Houston, Rice. While he could turn his head at that, there are rumors that he has been contacted by them. It is always a coach’s dream to get back into head coaching, this would be a great chance for him, but does he want to go from being a power 5 assistant to a small conference head coach? That is up for him to decide. I say that he leaves for a head coaching job, he has done an excellent job with our special teams this year.

Co-DC - NIck Holt - Stays

Nick Holt led Purdue to a 99 place improvement in FBS football defensively, the largest improvement since the 2000-2001 season. We are ranked 19th out of 130 schools nationwide with allowing only 19.3 points per game. GIVE THIS MAN A RAISE!

Co-DC - Anthony Poindexter - Stays

After coming over from UCONN, Poindexter is looking to recreate himself. Working under Brohm and Holt is a great way to do so. He can now put that he was the Co-DC for a top 20 defense, not a bad resume builder. If Holt were to leave, he would easily slide in as the Head Defensive Coordinator.

Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers - JaMarcus Shephard - Stays, this year.

He is bound to be an offensive coordinator. He is the coach you always hear on the sidelines. He is exciting, tough and young. He will stick around for a while, but if the offense starts to gain traction, I think he could leave eventually and become an offensive coordinator - He is that good.

Running Backs - Chris Barclay - Stays

Coach Barclay inherited a stable of running backs. He helped recreate Markell Jones after a year in the dog house with Hazell after he sustained an injury last year. He returns all of the backs for year two, no reason to leave with all of the guys he has. Plus, he is an awesome follow on Twitter.

Corner Backs - Derrick Jackson - Stays

Coach Jackson did a great job of coaching up the corners this year. The improvement of Hunte was amazing from last year to this year. We will need that this upcoming season with a bunch of young guys taking over that spot.

Defensive Line - Reggie Johnson - Stays

Our front 4 was one of the best in the B1G. Gelen Robinson, Lorenzo Neal Jr., Eddy Wilson, Danny E and Antoine Miles lead the way of that group. We lose Gelen, Danny E and Miles on the edge this upcoming year, so we will be looking for pass rush, again, but the middle should be solid with Neal and Wilson back.

Offensive Line - Dale Williams - Stays

Now, people love the bash the offensive line. At all levels of football, youth, high school, college and NFL. That is the life of an offensive linemen, when things are good they are great, but one mess up and everyone is on their case, it is the hardest position to coach and to play. Coach Williams has been great, the line has been up and down, but it has improved from last year. We bring everyone back on it besides Dave Steinmetz.

So, I think Coach Levine may leave. Coach Holt will get calls as well as Coach Brohm. I do believe they both get pay raises to stay. Levine may also get a raise as an incentive to stay, but as a previous head coach, it may be something he has been seeking, another opportunity to lead his own program. I do not blame him.

Whatever happens, happens. In the end this staff has helped change the culture in West Lafayette, after only 1 year.