A year ago at this time, when Jeff Brohm moved on from Nick Holt as his defensive coordinator, it set up a crucially important decision for Purdue's coach to make.

Defensive improvement was important, but so was stability.

It was a profoundly important hire that had to be made.

And, it was a bust.

Bob Diaco was a disaster. Purdue let signing day run its course, then put out a morning-after notice confirming what most of us figured, that Diaco was out. He coached six games with the Boilermakers.

Now, assuming there's no "cause" here, Purdue will pay him $600,000 to not coach here next season, in the midst of unprecedented financial adversity.

That's how big a disaster this was.