Purdue petitioning to allow Brohm to communicate during game on Saturday
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Purdue has filed an appeal with the NCAA Football Rules Committee for Jeff Brohm to communicate with his staff during Saturday's season-opening game vs. Iowa in Ross-Ade Stadium.
Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski said he expects an answer on the appeal on Thursday. He is unsure what time of day he will hear back on a decision.
"Other appeals like this have been denied," Bobinski told GoldandBlack.com. "But it always involved the use of video. So, we weren't gonna go down that same road because the answer already has been given multiple times. You can't do it."
Brohm is in the midst of 10-day isolation after contracting COVID-19. The Boilermaker boss has appointed younger brother Brian Brohm as interim head coach in his absence. Brian Brohm--the team's co-offensive coordinator and quarterback coach--also will assume Jeff's play-calling duties on Saturday. Brian Brohm never has called plays in a game. He has worked from the press box in the past but plans to be on the field Saturday.
Bobinski said that decision to deny teams remote communication in the past was based on the fact not all schools could afford video communication technology.
"We are just asking for a phone," he said. ... "We don't think we're asking for anything extraordinary. We'll see."
Bobinski said Jeff Brohm would be watching on delay, so communication wouldn't be in real time.
"But that's better than nothing," Bobinski said. "It at least gives him a chance to participate and contribute in some way."
Bobinski said the school discussed the appeal internally.
"We saw the interpreation earlier in the year," he said. "... Why not ask? Let's just ask the question. I encouraged our folks to get it together. And they did and got it out there yesterday."
What odds does Bobinski put on getting an OK?
"I really have no idea," said Bobinski. "I'm not wildly optimistic because it's easier for them to stick with the established position ... that no remote contact is permitted. It's just an easier call for them.
"The concern for these kind of committees is always, if we open the door, then the next group is gonna wanna open it further and further ... I think it's a reasonable request. I'd like to think we have a chance and if this happens somewhere else, they could certainly have access to this type of set up. It's not like we would be doing something exotic or unique to our situation. It's pretty generic. It's just a phone call."
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