What we learned from the Purdue press conference: Jeff Brohm, transfer portal, Citrus Bowl

WEST LAFAYETTE - A scheduled 10 a.m. Monday press conference with Purdue football coach Jeff Brohm and athletic director Mike Bobinski got more interesting with the prior report that Louisville coach Scott Satterfield was leaving to take over at Cincinnati.

The press conference was to discuss Purdue's invitation to play in the Citrus Bowl.

Brohm's name has long been linked to Louisville, dating back to 2018 when he ultimately chose to stay at Purdue rather than return to his alma mater after the firing of Bobby Petrino.

Bobinski opened the press conference saying, "We recognize that the world is in motion around us... that is not the topic of today's meeting. Our purpose today is to talk about our team. We're fully aware what's happening elsewhere, but that's not here."

Here's five tidbits that did come out of that press conference:

MORE:What Jeff Brohm, Purdue AD Mike Bobinski said about Louisville links

∎ Brohm said, "No, there’s been no contact" when asked if there'd been any communication between himself and Louisville. Brohm said he'd only heard of the Louisville head coaching opening via Twitter.

"To be quite honest with you, I know no more than you guys do," Brohm said. "I was in some meetings this morning. I got some texts about Twitter. I found out on Twitter what was going on in the college world. Other than that I know no more information."

∎ This will be the third season under Brohm Purdue ends its year against a team from the Southeastern Conference. The Boilermakers beat Tennessee in last season's Music City Bowl 48-45 in overtime and were blown out in the same Music City Bowl in 2018 by Auburn.

Purdue travels to Orlando to face LSU in the Jan. 2 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

MORE:Purdue football to play LSU in Orlando's Citrus Bowl Jan. 2

MORE:Building on championship experience at Big Ten title game should fuel Purdue football

"We've got a chance to play another really, really high-caliber, highly-talented team that’s well coached. Won some big football games. Beat Alabama," Brohm said. "We’re going to have to figure out how to play a solid 60 minutes of football. That is what’s intriguing for myself and our team is can we step up to the plate and up to that challenge because it will present itself here in a month."

∎ Purdue was hopeful of a Rose Bowl bid, one that would have been probable had the Boilermakers beaten Michigan in Saturday's Big Ten Championship. With Michigan and Ohio State in the College Football Playoff, the Rose Bowl took Penn State. The Citrus Bowl had its choice of the remaining Big Ten teams and invited Purdue.

"As the last couple of weeks unfolded, they clearly became one of the primary options for us as we sort of projected out how the rest of the field might go," Bobinski said of the Citrus Bowl invite. "We still … had an opportunity had we won the game Saturday night to play ourselves into Pasadena, which would have been another huge opportunity for us.

"The Citrus Bowl is a great destination. We’re excited about it. It is one of the premier bowl games in the country. It’s a great destination for our fans, for our team. They do a great job. We’re going to play a great opponent. It’s all good from every perspective."

∎ Last year, players opted out of the bowl game, notably defensive end George Karlaftis and receiver David Bell, who were high NFL draft picks. Brohm said he planned to meet with players to discuss who may or may not participate in the bowl game for whatever reason.

The first one of those who won't is starting offensive guard Spencer Holstege, who has started 31 games at Purdue. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

"After much consideration and many prayers, I have decided to enter the transfer portal," Holstege said on Twitter. "Although I will miss the bowl game, I feel that this decision is what is best for my future going forward."

∎ It was Camping World Stadium, host of the Citrus Bowl, where one of Brohm's most notable moments came.

He was quarterback for the XFL's Orlando Rage in 2001. The league folded after one season, but Brohm infamously returned after a gruesome hit and the phrase, "Let's play football."

"That is when life was a lot of fun and you had no worries. I really enjoyed it," Brohm said. "I was able to hang on in the NFL for awhile and last as a backup and have a lot of good memories there and learned a lot along the way. I thought I was kind of done playing and then they came out with the XFL and I was able to get drafted by Orlando to be the quarterback there. I actually had a lot of fun. ...

"We sold out our first football game and I remember they said they sold more alcohol by halftime than any event they’d ever had in the Citrus Bowl. Looking at the crowd, I could believe it."

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue football: Jeff Brohm rumors, transfer portal, Citrus Bowl