Jeff Brohm says no to Louisville, staying at Purdue

Louisville’s search for a new head football coach will go on without Jeff Brohm.

The Louisville native and former Cardinal star released a statement Wednesday night saying that he will remain the head coach at Purdue.

“This has been a very difficult and emotional decision for me and my family. We are extremely happy at Purdue and thankful for the opportunity to lead this program. After intense and thorough discussion, I believe it is important to finish the building process we have begun and honor the commitment I made to our football program, players, and recruits.

“While going home was very appealing and meaningful to me, the timing was not ideal. I believe that remaining at Purdue is the right thing to do, and I am excited for the challenges ahead. I want to thank the University of Louisville and Vince Tyra for reaching out and expressing their interest in me. As a former Cardinal player and coach, I want nothing but the best for the University of Louisville. Under the leadership of President Neeli Bendapudi and Vince Tyra, the future of the university is in great hands. I also want to all Cardinal fans for their support over the years.”

Brohm and Tyra had an extensive meeting Tuesday night in which terms for a potential deal were laid out. After more than 24 hours of deliberation, Brohm made the choice to stay put.

The “Kentucky High School Player of the Decade” for the 1980s, Brohm led Trinity High School to an undefeated season and a state championship in 1988. He then stunned much of the area by spurning Notre Dame in favor of staying home and playing for the same program his father had once suited up for.

At Louisville, Brohm backed up Browning Nagle for two seasons before taking over as Howard Schnellenberger’s starting QB in 1991. As a senior in 1993, he guided U of L to a 9-3 season that ended with an 18-7 Liberty Bowl victory over Michigan State. Despite playing with a broken index finger on his throwing hand, Brohm was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after tossing for 197 yards and a touchdown. He would go on to serve as an assistant coach at Louisville from 2003-08.

As bitter a pill as this is to swallow, the show must go on. Expect Tyra to now turn his attention to Appalachian State head coach Scott Satterfield.