Pinned atop the Twitter page of Dontay Hunter II is a tweet with three photos of Hunter in a white Purdue uniform with several hashtags and Twitter handles, along with one word: "C O M M I T T E D." Each capitalized character separated emphatically by one space. Hunter, a 2019 three-star defensive end from Westerville, Ohio, is firmly committed to Purdue football and believes Jeff Brohm is firmly committed to Purdue football, too.
"Yes, very confident," Hunter told HERO Sports this week as speculation swirled that Brohm sat atop Louisville's wish list after firing Bobby Petrino on Sunday. "He is building something extremely special. I think he and his staff understand that."
Like Hunter — and everyone else who's not living on the moon — Louisville athletics director Vince Tyra hears the Brohm speculation
"I know all the ties-in that Jeff has with Louisville. I know the ties-in that he and I have with Trinity (High School). I've heard it all," Tyra said during Sunday's press conference. "But that doesn't mean he wants to be here. I just don't think it's worth speculating until we get to the end of the season and think about who's out here."
On Thursday, the speculation turned to confirmation…at least for one man, Dan Dakich, who tweeted, "Jeff Brohm will be announced as The University of Louisville Head Football Coach on Monday November 26th according to my sources."
“I don’t know how else to answer that. It caught me off-guard as well," Brohm said Dakich's tweet. "I think I’m an open book in how I communicate with coaches, players and the administration. Completely no truth to that.”
Brohm doesn't discuss the coaching rumors with recruits, said Hunter, though Brohm did address the team about Dakich's tweet.
"Normally, I let that stuff go,” he said. “Had a quick team meeting right after practice. It was addressed and explained. My office is an open door if anyone has any questions. Feel free to come ask me. That’s the best way to handle it."
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Hunter, who picked Purdue over Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and others, is part of a 24-man 2019 recruiting class that ranks 25th nationally and fifth in the Big Ten (247Sports), both of which would be the highest for Purdue in the recruiting era. In each of the two years prior to Brohm's arrival, they had the conference's worst-ranked classes.
"The program is set up for the long haul," says Chase Triplett, a three-star linebacker from Michigan City, Ind., also expressing zero concern for Brohm's future. [The 2019 recruits] feel good. We were talking earlier today and the vibe is good. We plan on taking off when we get down there."
"No, sir, I am not worried about the speculations and rumors," said Sulaiman Kpaka, a three-star weak-side defensive end from Grand Prairie, Texas. "He has done so much the past two years at Purdue."
Why so confident? Hunter, Triplett and Kpaka have been around college football programs. They've met coaches and seen the carousel in action. Why won't Brohm leave for his hometown and alma mater?
"One word: Momentum," Hunter said.
