jimmyshi03

December 5th, 2016 at 12:26 PM ^

Les Miles, especially in his last few years at LSU, was the definition of a coach that relied more on overwhelming talent than on strategy or development. Moving such a coach to a place that doesn't get that talent, even if you assume an uptick in recruiting, is a recipe for mediocrity. An uptick puts Purdue what, in the 30s, maybe in the top 25 in a year? But the complaint against Miles was that the talent was strangeld by the offense (i.e. an offense with Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry can't move the ball). 

Look at Purdue's history. They win biggest when they do so with someone doing something differently (i.e. Jim Young and Joe Tiller), especially offensively. They lose when they try to go conventional (i.e. Akers, Colletto, late-era Tiller, Hope and Hazell).

 

Winchester Wolverine

December 5th, 2016 at 12:31 PM ^

I'm looking at it from a recruiting and PR aspect. Miles is a big name and could draw attention to a rather abysmal Purdue program. The guy is a proven recruiter as well. I think after getting the firm handshake at LSU he might be willing to look at different game plans. Of course that's purely speculative, but I think he would have been a great get for them.

FatGuyTouchdown

December 5th, 2016 at 12:48 PM ^

Miles was basically given an adendum last season that he better high tail the offense into gear or else he'd be fired, as SURE AS SHIT, ran the EXACT SAME offense as he did leading to him getting fired. Miles is a terrible idea for Purdue. Also him being a bonafide recruiter in one of the premier schools in college football in a recruiting rich state doesn't exactly translate to him being a good recruiter at Purdue, in Indiana. 

Winchester Wolverine

December 5th, 2016 at 12:55 PM ^

You make solid points. Perhaps I'm wrong, but we're talking about Purdue. Maybe they did better getting Brohm instead but they can't do much better than that.

My argument is that, basically, a Les Miles hire would have made the biggest media impact and given the Boilermakers higher-than-usual expectations. Just my opinion.

FatGuyTouchdown

December 5th, 2016 at 1:13 PM ^

horrible until you consider what underdogs need to be successful. I actually think Miles would do well at schools like UNC that is in a rich recruiting area. 

But teams like Army and Navy can't recruit with the big dogs ever, so getting a coach like Les Miles would be a disaster. Maybe he recruits 2 guys they wouldn't normally get a year, but that's 8 guys, and not even counting attrition, that really won't move the needle a whole bunch.

Army and Navy run the triple option because it gives them a schematic advantage that can allow them to compete with bigger schools. There's a reason Navy has beaten Notre Dame 4x since 2006 and there's a reason many on this blog aren't too excited about playing Air Force next year. 

If Purdue plays Michigan, Wisconsin, or Penn State with Les Miles as HC, their BEST bet is to be a version of those schools with significantly worse players. With Jeff Brohm, it allows them to use a unique offense that many haven't seen or prepared for in awhile. Get guys in space and possibly pull an upset. 

Brodie

December 5th, 2016 at 2:41 PM ^

The lesson in college football going back decades is that big names are worthless against sound tactics. Sometimes the two are one and the same and a coach can provide both for multiple programs, like Spurrier or Harbaugh or Meyer or Saban or Holtz. 

Picking Les over a younger guy with an interesting offense on the career upswing would be like hiring Lovie Smith. You get a name, you get a recruiting boost relative to your level, but that is all you get. Purdue can be Indiana, can be a chaos team and go to bowls and build on that over time. It's a better strategy. 

DrMantisToboggan

December 5th, 2016 at 11:50 AM ^

This is a great hire for them. Purdue is never going to be a stalwart, so turn games into shootouts and see what happens. Purdue can take Indiana's mantle as the "fuuuuck we gotta play them this week, why?" team where you just have to get into a shootout and wait for them to do something dumb with lesser athletes. Good job, Purdue! You didn't take the bait and go for Miles!




Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

VauntedD

December 5th, 2016 at 12:00 PM ^

I also believe this is a good hire for them. They have not had a competitive team since Joe Tiller. An prolific offensive system will invigorate the fan base.

elm

December 5th, 2016 at 12:01 PM ^

This is about the best possible hire for Purdue.  No big name coach (except one looking for a last payday before retiring) is going to take the job and Brohm has done well for himself so far as both an OC and an HC.

But this is more likely tot stall Brohm's career rather than serve as a stepping stone to bigger things.  I'd have thought his .750 winning percentage and back to back conference titles would have gotten him a place with more winning potential than Purdue, but maybe they opened up the Big 10 network coffers and made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

jimmyshi03

December 5th, 2016 at 12:08 PM ^

But that would come with a lot of issues, from dealing with a resurgent Texas, your own fan base pining for the last guy (not technically the last guy, but you know what I mean), and the potential for settling back into your traditional place in the Big XII pecking order. 

Maybe he struggles his first year or two, though he has a QB in place who put up numbers, but then maybe manages a couple of winning records and moves on, perhaps, as someone suggested, to Louisville when Petrino leaves.

Yinka Double Dare

December 5th, 2016 at 12:04 PM ^

I'm surprised he took the job, definitely a good hire for Purdue. He's in the vein of guys that Purdue needed to consider (someone who will do something different there). There's of course the danger he'll use it as a stepping stone job but the B1G has enough money that they ought to be able to keep him from most programs if a jump elsewhere would be based solely on pay.

I'm thankful they didn't hire a guy like Calhoun or Coach Ken from Navy, because at least the "different" that Purdue will run offensively won't be buttloads of cut blocks.

MgoFunk

December 5th, 2016 at 1:46 PM ^

So WKU just lost another good to great coach. First Taggart now Brohm. You aren't really waiting for me to say Petrino are you? It's kind of surprising he isn't taking Nick Holt with him. How far has that guy fallen though? He went from USC to Washington to not really on staff at Arkansas to WKU. Serious question though, now that WKU is officially just a stepping stone is it worth buying season tickets any more? How can I expect consistency when we can't keep a coach for even 4 years.

I know most of you think he's screwed but look at the offensive numbers Western put up against SEC schools in Brohm's tenure and keep in mind most of that is local talent from the Bowling Green area. If he snags a couple good recruits and an accurate QB Purdue makes a lot of games interesting.

Rabbit21

December 5th, 2016 at 2:13 PM ^

I'd say keep buying and see what you have next year, if your AD is good they should recognize what has made WKU relatively successful and keep up with it. Air raid coaches can be found and after all, what else are you going to do? Drive into Vandy for Gameday or MTSU?




Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

MgoFunk

December 5th, 2016 at 5:40 PM ^

But to watch WKU play. It's mind blowing to be arguably the second best team in the area (WKU, Louisville, UK, Vandy, and MTSU note the SEC and ACC presence) and not be able to keep a coach. Maybe we can talk Jack Harbaugh into un-retiring and giving it another shot.

jimmyshi03

December 5th, 2016 at 2:26 PM ^

They went one-and-done in three consecutive years, Hugh Freeze in 2011, Gus Malzahn in 2012 and then Bryan Harsin in 2013, before Blake Anderson actually stayed a few seasons. It's actually an indication of strength for the program, I would imagine.  

LSAClassOf2000

December 5th, 2016 at 1:54 PM ^

For the options that Purdue realistically had - options which probably did not involve names like Strong, Miles, and a few others - this is probably one of the better hires they could make, although I don't know how well-equipped Brohm is to pull Purdue out of the predicament that it is in. I hope they are a patient lot down there - if he does it at all, it might be a while before they see results, I would think. 

Perkis-Size Me

December 5th, 2016 at 3:13 PM ^

Sounds like a good hire for them. Purdue is never going to be a Michigan or an OSU. They're never going to snag a bunch of elite recruits or bring in home run hires (or at least not ones that don't move on to another job in 3-4 years), so they're going to have to beat teams by getting creative. Sounds like Brohm has a very good offensive mind. 

Some teams you'll never be able to out-talent. But if you can find ways to out-scheme and out-coach them, you've always got a shot. 

Wal-Mart Wolverine

December 5th, 2016 at 4:25 PM ^

I would have thought P.J. Fleck would be on top of their list. I guess he's shooting for a more "big time" program like Oregon, although he's never recruited in the west.