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Jeff Brohm saw glimpses.

Purdue’s offense seemed like it had pieces, at least enough that could be manipulated by Brohm’s savvy game-planning and play-calling, to be good enough to win.

Purdue’s defense definitely had experience, loaded with seniors who had potential to be productive, consistent players, and that unit flashed ferocity and toughness early on.

But even with all of those spring practices and as training camp progressed, Brohm still was a touch hesitant.

Because though he saw those flashes from each unit in that early-season August prep, he also didn’t see it translate nearly as well when they went head-to-head in scrimmage settings or, even, in team periods that pitted the 1s vs. 1s.

“I’m not going to lie,” Brohm said earlier this week, “I was a little concerned that it may take a little bit for us to get to the point we would like.”

But then Louisville happened.

“That was the first time I really did feel like maybe we do have a chance to play at a higher level than we all think we can,” Brohm said.

A look back on how the first game of the 2017 season — one that was called a “roller coaster ride” by the first-year head coach — and why it mattered so much to Purdue being on the verge of playing in its first bowl game since 2012: