Purdue's appeal denied | Jeff Brohm can't communicate remotely Saturday against Iowa

WEST LAFAYETTE – Purdue's appeal to allow coach Jeff Brohm to communicate remotely during Saturday's game against Iowa was denied, athletic director Mike Bobinski told the Journal & Courier on Friday. 

The appeal was made to the NCAA Football Rules Committee. 

Brohm will be allowed to communicate with his assistant coaches and players until 90 minutes before kickoff. Saturday's game is scheduled to start at 3:40 p.m. 

On Thursday, Brohm wasn't anticipating the committee allowing him to communicate during the game but "if they gave it to me, that would be great." 

Jeff Brohm’s young brother, Brian, will serve as the acting head coach and handle play-calling duties against the Hawkeyes. 

Brohm won’t be on the sidelines after contacting coronavirus last weekend and is currently isolating at home, per Big Ten and CDC guidelines, and that's where he'll watch Saturday's game.

The fourth-year coach was eager to explore an avenue to communicate with his staff, or at least one coach, during the game.

“We would not request full-on video access,” Bobinski said earlier this week. “We’re talking more about the ability to have communication by phone to the coaches box or wherever. Pretty simple stuff – a phone call.

“Everybody has a phone these days and I think one of the reasons they were hesitant to approve some of these in the past is not everybody has the ability to bring technology in the same way. You didn’t want to have an advantage/disadvantage created.

“When you’re talking about phone calls, I don’t think there’s any conceivable advantage/disadvantage there. That’s a pretty universal resource.”  

The situation came up last week after Alabama coach Nick Saban tested positive for COVID-19 and was looking for a way to communicate with his team during isolation. Saban, though, was cleared to return to the sidelines after three negative tests. 

A coach is prohibited from communicating with his team or other coaches on his staff beginning 90 minutes before kickoff until the end of the game. No pregame or halftime speeches and adjustments are allowed by the head coach.

Mike Carmin covers Purdue sports for the Journal & Courier. Email mcarmin@gannett.com and follow on Twitter @carmin_jc