Unranked Purdue won’t be favored when it takes on No. 16 LSU in the Citrus Bowl, but the Boilermakers will have the help of a favorite son.
The school announced Thursday that Drew Brees, who set records at Purdue before doing the same in the NFL over a 20-year professional career that ended after the 2020 season, is joining the Boilermakers as an assistant coach. Brees, 43, is set to participate in preparations for the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 2, when Purdue faces LSU.
Purdue said Brees is being brought aboard in an official, if temporary, capacity as a countable assistant coach per NCAA guidelines. That will allow him to not only engage in on-field work with Boilermakers players but also to assist in recruiting.
This week, Purdue hired a new coach, former Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, following Jeff Brohm’s departure for Louisville. While Walters focuses on recruiting, building his staff and other transitional tasks, Purdue will be coached in the Citrus Bowl by offensive coordinator Brian Brohm, Jeff’s brother. Brees will be there to help.
“I am extremely excited to work with our team over the next few weeks as we prepare for the Citrus Bowl,” Brees said in a statement. “I see it not only as an opportunity to coach and mentor this group of young men, but represent all the former Purdue players that care so much about our program. This is also preparation for the future of Purdue Football with new head coach Ryan Walters. I had a great conversation with Coach Walters last night, and love the energy, passion and detail he will bring to our program. The future is bright, and there is no better time to be a Boilermaker!”
Brees is helping prepare Purdue for its first meeting with LSU. As fate would have it, he is also a popular figure among Tigers fans, given his accomplishments over 15 seasons with the New Orleans Saints. He helped the franchise win its first Super Bowl and at his time of departure held league records for career passing yards, completions, completion percentage, seasons with 5,000-plus passing yards and games with 300-plus passing yards, among others.
Brees entered the NFL as a second-round pick in 2001 by the San Diego Chargers, with whom he spent his first five seasons. Before that, he won the Maxwell Award while at Purdue, led the Boilermakers to their second Rose Bowl appearance and set program records for yards, completions, attempts and touchdowns.
“When I first heard about Drew coming back to help coach our guys for the bowl game, I was hoping the rumors were true,” Walters, 36, said in a statement. “Our players have the opportunity to learn from one of the greatest leaders in football history, a valuable experience that they will never forget. Drew taking time out of his busy schedule to coach the bowl game is a perfect example of Purdue Football being one big family, and I cannot wait to see him on the sidelines in Orlando.”
Walters was hired less than a week after Jeff Brohm, who led Purdue to its first Big Ten West title in his sixth season with the program, left for Louisville, where he played quarterback. The Cardinals had a vacancy following the departure of Scott Satterfield, who replaced Luke Fickell as the coach at Cincinnati ahead of a bowl game between the Bearcats and Louisville. Fickell had been hired in November to become Wisconsin’s coach.
The school announced Thursday that Drew Brees, who set records at Purdue before doing the same in the NFL over a 20-year professional career that ended after the 2020 season, is joining the Boilermakers as an assistant coach. Brees, 43, is set to participate in preparations for the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 2, when Purdue faces LSU.
Purdue said Brees is being brought aboard in an official, if temporary, capacity as a countable assistant coach per NCAA guidelines. That will allow him to not only engage in on-field work with Boilermakers players but also to assist in recruiting.
This week, Purdue hired a new coach, former Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters, following Jeff Brohm’s departure for Louisville. While Walters focuses on recruiting, building his staff and other transitional tasks, Purdue will be coached in the Citrus Bowl by offensive coordinator Brian Brohm, Jeff’s brother. Brees will be there to help.
“I am extremely excited to work with our team over the next few weeks as we prepare for the Citrus Bowl,” Brees said in a statement. “I see it not only as an opportunity to coach and mentor this group of young men, but represent all the former Purdue players that care so much about our program. This is also preparation for the future of Purdue Football with new head coach Ryan Walters. I had a great conversation with Coach Walters last night, and love the energy, passion and detail he will bring to our program. The future is bright, and there is no better time to be a Boilermaker!”
Brees is helping prepare Purdue for its first meeting with LSU. As fate would have it, he is also a popular figure among Tigers fans, given his accomplishments over 15 seasons with the New Orleans Saints. He helped the franchise win its first Super Bowl and at his time of departure held league records for career passing yards, completions, completion percentage, seasons with 5,000-plus passing yards and games with 300-plus passing yards, among others.
Brees entered the NFL as a second-round pick in 2001 by the San Diego Chargers, with whom he spent his first five seasons. Before that, he won the Maxwell Award while at Purdue, led the Boilermakers to their second Rose Bowl appearance and set program records for yards, completions, attempts and touchdowns.
“When I first heard about Drew coming back to help coach our guys for the bowl game, I was hoping the rumors were true,” Walters, 36, said in a statement. “Our players have the opportunity to learn from one of the greatest leaders in football history, a valuable experience that they will never forget. Drew taking time out of his busy schedule to coach the bowl game is a perfect example of Purdue Football being one big family, and I cannot wait to see him on the sidelines in Orlando.”
Walters was hired less than a week after Jeff Brohm, who led Purdue to its first Big Ten West title in his sixth season with the program, left for Louisville, where he played quarterback. The Cardinals had a vacancy following the departure of Scott Satterfield, who replaced Luke Fickell as the coach at Cincinnati ahead of a bowl game between the Bearcats and Louisville. Fickell had been hired in November to become Wisconsin’s coach.
