Big Ten Daily (Oct. 20): Purdue Coach Jeff Brohm Confirms Positive Test for COVID-19

Jeff Brohm met with the media via Zoom on Monday and confirmed that he hasn't been feeling well and multiple tests have verified that he has COVID-19. He will not be able to coach Purdue's home opener against Iowa on Saturday.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Purdue coach Jeff Brohm has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not be on the sidelines on Saturday when the Boilermakers open the season at home against Iowa.

Brohm admitted he does have symptoms, and the daily antigen test given to everyone in the Big Ten read positive. A more thorough test a few hours later confirmed he had the virus, and he immediately went home to isolate.

He's been working remotely from home, but will have to miss the opening game that's been in the works for 11 months. Big Ten protocols preclude his being on the sidelines.

'I've asked that question numerous times to try to make that work, but it's looking like that probably won't happen,'' Brohm said during a Zoom call on Monday. 'I'm not going to give up hope on any of that, but following the guidelines set forth, I don't think I'll be able to do that.

'I will continue to coach throughout the week and be in communication with our coaches constantly and our players, and then when it comes to game time, Brian Brohm will handle the game-time decisions and will be the acting head coach on that day.''

Brohm is the first Big Ten coach to get knocked down by the virus. The league waited to start the season until daily testing could be in place. It's working, and Brohm, despite being sick, feels like the season will go from beginning to end without interruption.

'Actually I'm very confident,'' he said. "This has been unfortunate. We've had good results. With the daily testing, we've had great success rate on that. Unfortunately it got me, and it's something that we're going to have to deal with. 

"There are going to be a few things flare up here and there, but I think as far as testing our guys daily, having the best medical procedures in college football set up for our guys in order to play football, I think we're going about as good as anybody right now in that. So I feel confident, and I applaud the Big Ten for the ability to get this daily testing going.''

Indiana coach Tom Allen was asked about Brohm on Monday, and said he is praying for Brohm and his family.

"My thoughts and prayers to him and his family,'' Allen said. 'I've lost a close friend to this virus, so I'm praying for him that he'll be able to have a quick recovery and a full recovery and not have any long-term effects from this.

'It's just the reality that we're all dealing with. We're around a bunch of people all the time, and we test all the time It's a great reminder that we don't take anything for granted. We're all just one positive test away from being in that position, that's for sure.''

Brohm and Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski talked about the positive test and its impact on how things will work this week. There complete interviews are listed below.

• Complete Jeff Brohm interview, CLICK HERE
• Complete Mike Bobinski interview, CLICK HERE

Northwestern names Peyton Ramsey as starting QB

Northwestern released its depth chart for Saturday's home opener against Maryland, and Indiana grad transfer Peyton Ramsey was listed as the starting quarterback.

Ramsey graduated from Indiana in May, and had one year of eligibility remaining. With Michael Penix Jr. firmly established as Indiana's starter, Ramsey sought a better opportunity for playing time and found it at Northwestern. The Wildcats are looking for a bounce-back season after going 3-9 a year ago, including a loss to Ramsey and the Hoosiers.

'We battled it out for quite a while, and they made me better,' Ramsey said. 'I've know for a little bit, and we have an awesome quarterback room. I think it's a great fit, I have experience playing in the Big Ten, playing against this defenses, playing in Big Ten weather.''

Ramsey likes his new offense under first-year offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian, which has been easy to adapt to, he said. 

“The scheme, everybody's excited about it. My former quarterbacks coach at Indiana (Nick Sheridan) was a QB coach under Coach Jake at Tennessee, so there’s some of the same verbiage and some carry over. There’s some subtle difference, but it’s mostly learning the terms and executing.

“We have a tempo, period, on air, but we’re running plays and immediately sprinting to the ball and getting to the next play. It will continue be an emphasis because it throws the defense off and cause a lot of problems, but it’s continued to improve and get better.”

Ramsey played against Maryland a year ago, coming off the bench to lead the Hoosiers to a 34-28 victory after a Penix injury. He was 20-for-27 passing in that game for 193 yards and a touchdown.

Penn State RB Brown Could Miss Season

Penn State running back Journey Brown could miss the 2020 football season because an undisclosed medical condition.

Penn State announced the news Monday night, five days before the team is scheduled to begin the 2020 football season at Indiana. "Journey Brown is being treated for a medical condition discovered during the off-season and will potentially miss the 2020 football season," the statement said.

Brown's potential loss is significant to a Penn State offense that planned to feature its gifted group of running backs under new offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. Brown, a redshirt junior, averaged 118.6 yards over the last five games of 2019, punctuating the finish with a 202-yard performance against Memphis in the Cotton Bowl.

"He is a tremendously talented player, but they have a stable full of running backs that are extremely talented,'' Indiana coach Tom Allen said on preparing for someone other than Brown. "That is the first I have heard of that, but we would not dwell on that. The bottom line is that they are a great football team. Their offensive line makes them go, they have an excellent quarterback, a very talented receiver corps and arguably one of the best tight ends in in the country, definitely one of the best.

"I have tremendous respect for their personnel. They have recruited at an extremely high level with that position, so if he is not there, you will have somebody else that is extremely talented, a future NFL running back, taking snaps.''

Here's the complete story from Mark Wogenrich at AllPennState, our Sports Illustrated Penn State channel. CLICK HERE