Now, the fun begins.
Go ahead. Let your mind race with the possibilities for Purdue football while you roll this question around your head: How good can Jeff Brohm make Purdue?
It's the query on the minds of many Boilermaker fans after news broke Wednesday that Brohm had rebuffed overtures from Louisville - his alma mater and hometown school where his family is football royalty - and opted to remain in West Lafayette.
This, ladies and gentleman, arguably is the biggest off-field win in Purdue Athletics history. By pledging his allegiance to Purdue, Brohm demonstrated the faith he has in the school's commitment and leadership to building a football program that can compete with the nation's best on an annual basis. This type of excitement and anticipation hasn't enveloped the Boilermaker football program since the Joe Tiller era.
With Brohm, anything seems possible.
The first two seasons under his stewardship have provided a fun sneak peek at where this all may end going one day. Brohm's debut in 2017 produced a 7-6 record, highlighted by the program's first bowl win since 2011. Fans were pleasantly surprised by the success, considering Purdue hadn't finished with a winning record since 2011.
This season, Brohm again defied odds by forging a 6-6 mark, highlighted by three wins over ranked teams - which hadn't happened since 2003 - and capped by a second straight victory over Indiana. And the season still has to be punctuated by a bowl game.
Now, we cast our eyes toward tomorrow: Could Brohm lead Purdue to a Big Ten West Division title? Could he guide the Boilermakers to the Big Ten championship? Could he take the program to the College Football Playoff?
Heady stuff.
Yes, we're getting ahead of ourselves. But, what the heck. It's fun to dream, it's fun to wonder. And, it all seems possible and within reach because Brohm is staying put in his corner office in the glistening Football Performance Complex on Northwestern Avenue.
"It was a very difficult and emotional decision for me and my family," Brohm said in a statement. "We are extremely happy at Purdue and thankful for the opportunity to lead this program.
"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'm excited about the challenges ahead."
Make no mistake about it: challenges remain for Brohm. The roster still needs to be upgraded and depth must be augmented. And the competition in the Big Ten won't get any easier. Next season's schedule also offers hurdles, including visits from TCU and Nebraska in addition to trips to Penn State, Iowa and Wisconsin.
But Wednesday's news showed Brohm is committed to finish the rebuilding job he began in 2017. The siren song to return home blared for Brohm. He was a prep star in Derby City at Trinity High School, and he was a key part of the University of Louisville's rise as a football program in the early 1990s, where father Oscar and brothers Greg and Brian also played. Jeff Brohm and his family are woven into the fabric of Louisville as much as the Kentucky Derby, burgoo and bourbon.
But, in the end, Brohm opted to remain rooted in West Lafayette. He's a perfect fit for this slice of middle America. Brohm is all steak and no sizzle, a no-frills, blue-collar coach who is loved and lauded for those workmanlike traits in these parts. Rarely has a coach and a school been such a hand-in-glove fit.
Let the good times roll at Ross-Ade Stadium.