Meh. Braun is safe. Nobody cares about NUFB. NU ain’t competing for the playoffs anytime soon.Safe to say, Braun has to win 5 games next year with a brutal schedule to be back in 2026.
He has about a hundred million reasons not to go there.Fitz to Purdue?
I suspect he’s looking to settle his lawsuit and then go for the Iowa job.Exactly.
Maybe, but now way of knowing at this point.I suspect he’s looking to settle his lawsuit and then go for the Iowa job.
AdamI don’t see how your headline and comment relate whatsoever. I do think the infusion of new resources raises the bar for Braun. Idk if there is a specific number of wins, but if the powers that be invest like that and get no results changes will be requested.
Meh, I was just told nobody cares about NUFB.Adam
Simple. Purdue gave Walter’s two years and saw the future in front of them.
Moving into the palace and a golden age for NU basketball, women’s lacrosse, softball, golf and field hockey, mediocrity is no longer acceptable.
The excitement from the stadium alone will not carry beyond the non conference schedule in 2026.
If we win 1-3 games in 2025 the headwinds going into that new stadium will be fierce. All the stories will not be about moving into a palace but rather why is a football program in the NCAA, that stinks, spending all that money. The positive story will be a negative PR mess.
I suspect he’s looking to settle his lawsuit and then go for the Iowa job.
Unfortunately, if Braun doesn't get any traction in rebuilding the program, it might take another 3-5 years for the next guy to get it going again, and that is if we hire the right man for the job. The administration better decide to go all in on football and soon, or any recruit with a brain will avoid NU. NIL is a must, as the program seems to not be able to recruit the needed talent on its own merits anymore to be competitive. A truly innovative HC or even just an OC is also sorely needed.Adam
Simple. Purdue gave Walter’s two years and saw the future in front of them.
Moving into the palace and a golden age for NU basketball, women’s lacrosse, softball, golf and field hockey, mediocrity is no longer acceptable.
The excitement from the stadium alone will not carry beyond the non conference schedule in 2026.
If we win 1-3 games in 2025 the headwinds going into that new stadium will be fierce. All the stories will not be about moving into a palace but rather why is a football program in the NCAA, that stinks, spending all that money. The positive story will be a negative PR mess.
Anyone with eyes could see that Walters was not going to be the long term answer for Purdue. I believe Brohm and Tiller were cut from similar molds - proven head coaches with an ability to field strong offenses in one of the least desirable destinations in the Big Ten. Purdue needs to replicate that in their next hire...not a coordinator looking for his first job. It's only too bad for them that Cignetti showed up a year early downstate.
Someone mentioned Fitz to Iowa...if Kirk Ferentz were to retire tomorrow, the Iowa AD would be an absolute idiot to do anything but 1) call Bret Bielema and 2) write him a blank check.
To your point, Dave Clawson is getting a decent amount of push for Purdue. And makes sense — established head coach with an offensive background and Purdue can likely offer better resources/platform than Wake Forest.
Here in Winston-Salem, the bloom is definitely off the Clawson rose. He peaked when he had an all-time program great QB, and this season has been almost as bad as NU's. I wouldn't be surprised to see him return to the midwest if offered the chance.Up until this comment all I have ever heard is Clawson would never leave Wake. If that has now changed he would be an excellent choice for Purdue.
Clawson is interesting, although coming off a pair of losing seasons probably doesn't fire up the boosters. I would simply say if you look at Cignetti as a case study, a great coach with resources and the Portal can work wonders - not to say he should be the standard that all programs expect out of the gate, but he proves it's possible.
I don't disagree, but it baffles me how/why ANY program in the Big Ten or the SEC doesn't pay salaries that enable them to basically buy anyone they want, including coordinators and assistants.Purdue isn’t going to be playing in the high-end section of coaching selection unless there’s some booster willing to step up to promise a significant salary and NIL budget.
Walters was making ~$4MM at Purdue, which sounds like a lot but was 14th in the B1G (ahead of DeShaun Foster and, presumably, Braun; Cignetti’s initial contract had him at ~$4MM, but has now increased to ~$8MM). Can’t imagine that Purdue is getting a ton of NIL and/or revenue sharing at a basketball-first school. It’s not an easy job.
Bret’s contract includes a non-compete clause for other big ten schools. He can’t resign his position to take another big ten job until summer 2029. It was added at Bret’s request because he was getting negative recruited constantly with other coaches telling recruits he was headed to Iowa or Wisconsin soon.Anyone with eyes could see that Walters was not going to be the long term answer for Purdue. I believe Brohm and Tiller were cut from similar molds - proven head coaches with an ability to field strong offenses in one of the least desirable destinations in the Big Ten. Purdue needs to replicate that in their next hire...not a coordinator looking for his first job. It's only too bad for them that Cignetti showed up a year early downstate.
Someone mentioned Fitz to Iowa...if Kirk Ferentz were to retire tomorrow, the Iowa AD would be an absolute idiot to do anything but 1) call Bret Bielema and 2) write him a blank check.
He must not want the Iowa job that much for him to voluntarily request this clause. He couldn’t be that confident that Ferentz is going to stay until 2029.Bret’s contract includes a non-compete clause for other big ten schools. He can’t resign his position to take another big ten job until summer 2029. It was added at Bret’s request because he was getting negative recruited constantly with other coaches telling recruits he was headed to Iowa or Wisconsin soon.
Bielema committed to putting down roots, building long-term at Illinois: 'I wanted this to be my last rodeo'
Bret Bielema wants everyone to know he's at Illinois for the long haul247sports.com
Purdue and Indiana are both really hard jobs. Cignetti effectively imported a ready-made roster. Maintaining that success will be very, very difficultPurdue isn’t going to be playing in the high-end section of coaching selection unless there’s some booster willing to step up to promise a significant salary and NIL budget.
Walters was making ~$4MM at Purdue, which sounds like a lot but was 14th in the B1G (ahead of DeShaun Foster and, presumably, Braun; Cignetti’s initial contract had him at ~$4MM, but has now increased to ~$8MM). Can’t imagine that Purdue is getting a ton of NIL and/or revenue sharing at a basketball-first school. It’s not an easy job.
He must not want the Iowa job that much for him to voluntarily request this clause. He couldn’t be that confident that Ferentz is going to stay until 2029.
Or else what? Penalty of death? Dig deep enough and I'm sure there's an escape clause, with money owed to Illinois or some such.Bret’s contract includes a non-compete clause for other big ten schools. He can’t resign his position to take another big ten job until summer 2029. It was added at Bret’s request because he was getting negative recruited constantly with other coaches telling recruits he was headed to Iowa or Wisconsin soon.
Bielema committed to putting down roots, building long-term at Illinois: 'I wanted this to be my last rodeo'
Bret Bielema wants everyone to know he's at Illinois for the long haul247sports.com
Correct. There’s a buyout but it’s astronomical. I can’t recall the value but it’s preposterous money.Or else what? Penalty of death? Dig deep enough and I'm sure there's an escape clause, with money owed to Illinois or some such.
I don't mean to sound so cynical, but in this day and age we've seen enough instances where contract language really just helps determine the price tag of voiding the agreement.
I actually never assumed Bielema would want to go back to Wisconsin - he's been there and done that, went to three consecutive Rose Bowls and won a conference title under much easier circumstances than he'd face today. Iowa is a different story.
I think Gary Patterson would be an excellent option for Purdue.I posted this in another thread. The first coach most people should consider (for seven or so years, everyone wants one "for the next 25 years" and that is not realistic) is former TCU coach and turnaround expert Gary Patterson. Yeah he is about 65, Saban coached until he was 73 (and could have kept going).