Jeff Brohm is the ultimate football guy. So, news today that the 2020 season was being postponed hit him hard.
“Well, I’m personally very disappointed,” said Brohm. “Our team is disappointed, everyone across our conference is disappointed that we won’t get the opportunity to play football. That’s what we train for, that’s what we work for. It’s a game. It’s a lot of fun to do, it’s a lot of fun to watch. We were looking forward to it. We were excited about playing a conference-only schedule of 10 great teams in our conference and seeing how that played out. Our guys are taking it hard.”
The Big Ten wasn't alone in its decision not to play this fall. The Pac-12 also pulled the plug. The SEC, ACC and Big 12--fellow Power Five leagues--are still making a decision on playing this fall.
Brohm and many others are hopeful the Big Ten can play a season in the spring. But there are no guarantees. While the nation remains in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic, questions still cloud the future, as Purdue comes to terms with not having any fall sports in 2020.
Brohm saw bad news coming on Saturday, when the Big Ten issued an edict telling teams to remain in helmets and shorts for practices--instead of beginning a transition to pads--while league officials gathered more information on COVID-19.
“Until then, there was a ton of positivity,” said Brohm, whose team opened camp on Aug. 7. “And we were extremely excited about the season. And while I want to play and we all want to play, in the end, you know, I'm not going to second-guess our Commissioner, I'm not going to second-guess the medical experts. In the end, we have to abide by what they say. … We'll have to try to move forward and go from there.”
What does moving forward into a fall without football look like for Purdue, which got in four training camp practices?
“I don’t think there are any definitive answers yet,” said Brohm. “There have been a lot of things discussed. I think it’s important that we take care of our players and we provide them a home here to train and be taken care of and to be monitored with proper COVID protocols to make sure our guys are staying healthy … “
“We want to continue to help our guys improve and get better, and be the best players they can be.”
Brohm would have liked for the Big Ten to have waited a bit longer before opting to punt on a fall season. The Big Ten was slated to begin games Sept. 3-5. Purdue was to open Sept. 5 at Michigan.
“When we were in all these discussions,” said Brohm. “My personal opinion was to have multiple plans ready. …
“In my opinion, when the SEC backs it up to September 26, I thought we should have, as well, because it would allow us more time, a few weeks to gather more information and to maybe (have) more testing kits and protocols that we can adjust from, see how it reacts when people get on campus. So, I do think that hurt us, that we didn't do that.
"And, unfortunately, you know, we've had the Big Ten do what it had to do in the end today. But, yes, I think it hurt us and I would have preferred if we were scooted the season back.”
With the SEC and the ACC apparently pushing hard to play this fall, those leagues would provide a place for players from schools not playing to participate. Could Purdue see any players opt out to play elsewhere?
“I don't see that happening,” said Brohm. “But I couldn't say it's not going to. I would have loved to have had a commissioner that was in charge of all five of the Power Fives and they all were on the same page and we all made decisions together.
“Now that we've made our decision, we've got to be able to adjust to what the others do and, you know, if someone wants to do that (opt out to play elsewhere), you know, that's their prerogative. But I feel good about our team right here. I feel good that they understand we've done everything we can from our part and that we were ready to play. And we're all disappointed … “
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Brohm says players will continue to be tested for COVID. In fact, there is a test scheduled for tomorrow. Brohm wants to keep his team ready for a possible spring season.
“I think, myself and our team, we want to play football,” said Brohm. “I've heard a lot of people get on the air and say they want to play football. And while I want to do it right now, as well, if it can't happen now, we all need to find a way to see if we can play in the spring.”
The big unknown: Will America have better control of the COVID virus situation in the spring? If not—or if other advancements in testing and health and safety protocols aren’t improved—the Big Ten could be back in the same situation. For now, Brohm is staying positive.
“Weather is not the biggest obstacle to me (about a spring season),” said Brohm. “Between now and whenever we start in the spring, the medical advancements we can make, and the education we can learn along the way, the possible ability to get a vaccine before then, the ability to watch the NFL, Major League Baseball, the NBA and see how these teams react. I think there could be a lot of improvement to help us get to that point.”
How would Brohm construct a spring season?
“Now, the exact time frame and amount of games?” Said Brohm. “I don't know the exact answer. Maybe you start March 1st, and you have an eight-game season that ends at the end of April. Maybe you have an eight-team playoff to make it exciting that doesn't go beyond Memorial Day weekend. Then, maybe you give the players the entire summer off from workouts.
“Then, maybe you bump back the start of the next season to October 1 and maybe just have a 10-game season continued with an eight-team playoff. Then, possibly after that, maybe don't have spring practice the following year to allow more time (for players to rest).”
For now, Brohm wants to take care of his team. He worries about his players abiding by social-distance guidelines once students flood the Purdue campus later this month. The fourth-year Boilermaker coach is hopeful.
“Because to me, that's when possible more problems can come about,” said Brohm. “But I know that even with our team, we did a great job. But we had a few people test positive. We had quite a few out from contact tracing. We had multiple guys out twice from contact tracing for a total of 28 days when they never had one symptom.
“So, to think going through the entire fall season with that taking place, there were some question marks whether that was going to be a viable option for every team in the Big Ten if they were abiding by the strict protocols that were put in place. I was hopeful it could happen, but that's why we told our team: Hey, everybody has to be ready to play, because I don't know who's going to get in.”
Brohm ached to play. He was aware that some of his Big Ten peers were being vocal about not playing this fall, as Nebraska’s Scott Frost, Ohio State’s Ryan Day, Penn State’s James Franklin all made very public, passionate appeals on Monday.
“Well, I wanted to play just as much as them and our team did, as well,” said Brohm. “And I think that all of us wanted to play. Yes, those guys were vocal about it. At the same time, I did understand that I'm not going to second-guess the experts and the medical experts and our Commissioner, even though I don't agree with the decision.
"But I don't have all the information that they have. And I don't know if maybe our coaches had all the true medical information that maybe the experts had and our task force had and our commissioner had. So, yes, I was right with them as far as, yes, I want to play. Yes, if we can, let's move it back to buy ourselves more time. I am in agreement with that.”
In the end, Brohm wishes all the Power Five schools could have acted in unison.
“If all of us really want to play that bad, and we're not getting the opportunity to do it now, we all need to be into trying to play in the spring, and at least explore that opportunity to make it happen,” said Brohm.
MORE: Big Ten postpones season, could possibly play in spring | Cancel or delay? Decision looms as Purdue and league teams practice today | Brohm OK with playing spring and fall of 2021, if need be | Big Ten: No padded practices for now; helmets only | What to watch for as camp opens | With Rondale Moore "1,000 percent" healthy, Purdue kicks off camp Friday | Rondale Moore opting out of 2020 season | Big Ten unveils revised 2020 schedule | Moore will be missed, but Purdue still has cornucopia of skill at receiver | GoldandBlack.com analysis: Moore leaves for NFL
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