College football analyst Josh Pate recently stirred up discussion on his show by naming Jeff Brohm the most underrated head coach in the game.
Despite his impressive track record, Pate argued that Brohm’s consistent success at Western Kentucky, Purdue, and now Louisville often flies under the radar. As the Cardinals enter Year 3 under Brohm, can they continue their rise into an ACC powerhouse?
Analyst Josh Pate Says Louisville HC Jeff Brohm Is “Most Underrated” Coach in College Football
“Jeff Brom is my guy, he’s the most underrated head coach in major college football,” college football analyst Josh Pate said, on Thursday’s episode of “Josh Pate’s College Football Show,” pointing out that Brohm’s name rarely comes up in conversations about top coaches in the ACC or beyond.
He urged fans to “check out what happened to those programs when he left,” highlighting the noticeable decline at Western Kentucky and Purdue after Brohm’s departures. Pate also praised Brohm’s ability to adapt and win without elite recruiting classes, a skill he believes sets him apart.
Beyond Brohm, Pate gave shoutouts to Lance Leipold at Kansas and Chris Klieman at Kansas State, calling them “extremely underrated” and ranking them among the top 20 head coaches in the country.
Jeff Brohm’s head coaching career kicked off at Western Kentucky in 2014, following a stint as the team’s offensive coordinator. Taking over a program that had just moved up to FBS, Brohm quickly turned the Hilltoppers into a Conference USA powerhouse. Over three seasons, he compiled a 30-10 record, including two conference titles in 2015 and 2016.
His offenses were electric, ranking in the top 10 nationally in total yards each year, peaking at 523.7 yards per game in 2016. That season saw Western Kentucky finish 10-3, capped by a Boca Raton Bowl win over Memphis, a huge leap forward for a program still finding its footing at the FBS level.
Brohm’s ability to develop quarterbacks like Mike White and lean on a fast-paced, high-scoring system became his calling card.
When Brohm left for Purdue after 2016, Western Kentucky felt the loss hard. The Hilltoppers slipped to 6-7 in 2017 under new coach Mike Sanford Jr., followed by a dismal 3-9 record in 2018. While the program has since steadied under Tyson Helton, with a 36-18 record over the past four years, it hasn’t matched the consistent excellence of Brohm’s era.
In 2017, Brohm headed to Purdue to revive a program that had gone 9-39 over the previous four seasons. The Boilermakers were a Big Ten doormat, but Brohm flipped the script fast. In his debut year, he led them to a 7-6 record and a bowl win over Arizona, a stark contrast to the 3-9 mark the year before.
Over six seasons, Purdue went 36-34, including standout victories like the 49-20 upset of No. 2 Ohio State in 2018. Brohm’s tenure peaked in 2022, when Purdue finished 8-5 and won the Big Ten West, earning a spot in the conference title game.
His offenses averaged over 400 yards per game in four of his six years, showcasing his knack for maximizing talent. The program became known for pulling off surprises against ranked ones, a testament to Brohm’s preparation and play-calling.
After he left for Louisville following the 2022 season, Purdue struggled to maintain that momentum. Under new coach Ryan Walters, the Boilermakers went 4-8 in 2023 and 5-7 in 2024, missing bowl games both years. Once a strength, the offense dropped to 349.5 yards per game in 2023, ranking 10th in the Big Ten. Brohm’s exit left a clear gap.
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Once Brohm returned to his alma mater, Louisville, in December 2022, he was tasked with steadying a program that had gone 23-22 over the prior four years under Scott Satterfield. Fans hoped the former Cardinals QB could spark a resurgence, and he delivered right away.
In 2023, Louisville went 10-4, reaching the ACC Championship Game for the first time ever and finishing No. 19 in the AP poll. The 2024 season brought more success, with a 9-4 record highlighted by a 35-34 Sun Bowl win over Washington and a landmark 24-20 victory at Clemson, the program’s first against the Tigers.
Now, as Brohm enters Year 3 in Louisville, analyst Josh Pate thinks the former Cardinals quarterback could recreate his WKU and Purdue success by leading the “‘Ville” to even greater success.
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