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Everyone knows when a Purdue receiver is getting called out.

Position coach JaMarcus Shephard’s bellowing echoes off the walls of the indoor practice facility. And, even, when the Boilermakers practice outdoors, Shephard’s voice carries across two fields.

Shephard is especially detailed in his critiques at times, and others, he simply uses what he jokingly calls “voice inflection” to rattle nerves, to get under skin, to challenge with firm language.

But, then, in the locker room after practices, Shephard will pull aside one of the same players he’d just dressed down and joke with him, laugh with him, ask about his family, about school, about life. He’ll have that same player over to his house for Thanksgiving, allowing Anthony Mahoungou or Greg Phillips or any number of his receiving corps who are away from home, to meet his mother, his brothers and sisters. He wants the players entrenched in the lives of his 7-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter.

Shephard isn’t the only coach on Jeff Brohm’s staff who approaches his profession like that, finding a balance of high expectations and high volume on the field with being an attentive listener and father-type figure off it.

And that’s not by accident.

When Brohm assembles his staffs, of course, he wants coaches who understand football. Guys who grasp Xs and Os, who can scheme and plan and put players in positions to have success.

But that is not his top priority in identifying coaches.

Instead, it’s an ability to cultivate, build and establish relationships with players.

“Really, it’s the No. 1 thing,” Purdue’s first-year head coach said. “Myself and a lot of our coaches are former players and that’s how we want to be treated. Yes, you want knowledge and experience, all that matters, but if they’re not a great person and they’re not into it for the right reasons and put the kid first, we’re not going to have that as part of the program.

“I have no doubt the guys on our staff have been outstanding, done a tremendous job this year, worked with our guys on an everyday basis. They have a perfect mix of motivating them and pushing them to be their best but also patting them on the back and loving them when they need to. You have to have that. It’s important. Players will play harder if they know you care about them and you’re all in it together. I’m grateful to have the guys we have.”