Posted October 31, 2007
Popular Pioneer Press columnist Charley Walters plans to write a book about the good guys and bad guys he's known.
Brewster Tackles the Tough Questions
Minnesota’s 1-8 overall record is surprising and disappointing to fans, although Sports Illustrated predicted the Gophers would finish 0-8 in the Big Ten Conference. The Gophers are 0-5 in conference with home games remaining against Illinois and Wisconsin, and a game at Iowa. Minnesota has lost four of its games by six points or less. The Gophers' one victory was in overtime against Miami of Ohio.
The Gophers finished 6-6 last season, 3-5 in the conference, and then lost their bowl game in a second half flop to Texas Tech. Minnesota was a mediocre team and although new coach Tim Brewster inherited eight starters from defense and six from offense, the talent level has been declining for a few years.
In an interview last week with Sports Headliners, Minnesota’s first year coach answered questions about his program and himself. Unlike many coaches, Brewster hasn’t tried to evade the public or media when problems and disappointments develop. In the interview he responded to several questions that are topical among the public.
Q-The Gophers have lost games to Bowling Green, Florida Atlantic and North Dakota State. Those are more losses in one season to non-marquee teams than any year within memory. Can you understand the disappointment of the fans?
A-“I certainly understand the fans’ disappointment, but I also know this: we’ve played five or six absolutely gut wrenching, close football games that we’ve come out on the short end. But our kids have played with tremendous passion, heart and toughness, and so I am really proud of our kids. We’re in our first year of this program. Change is hard. Everything is new. We’re installing a brand new offense, a brand new defense. Kicking game principles that are different than what has been done here. That’s all part of why we’re sitting here at 1-7 (now -1-8 after the Michigan loss last Saturday), and not maybe 5-3. ...”
Q-You have said the coaching staff has to coach better. How major have the coaching mistakes been? Also, do you plan any staff changes after this season?
A-“You know what? I am so proud of our staff. I think we’ve got a great staff. I think it’s truly the best coaching and recruiting staff in the country. I think that will bear itself out as we move forward. I believe this: players win, coaches lose. So any time that we lose a football game, I think it’s on the coaches more than it is on the players. We as coaches gotta find a way to help our kids play better defense. Execute better on offense and in the kicking game. … As far as individual mistakes, I am sure I haven’t been perfect. But I don’t know that I would do anything over again either. I am very, very comfortable with the decisions that I have made here as the head football coach as far as my game management, as far as decisions regarding the team. …”
Q-Before the season you indicated the talent was better than what the results are specific to wins and losses. What’s gone wrong?
A-“I don’t know that anything has gone wrong. There hasn’t been a championship won here in over 40 years. I am trying to change a culture, and to me I am trying to change a culture into something that is very, very positive. I want to inspire our fans. I want to inspire our football team. Irregardless of how good we are, I want to inspire our team to be better and unfortunately that hasn’t played out the way I would have liked. But, again, I am an inspirational guy. I believe that you can inspire people to play beyond what they thought they could. And I am going to continue in that same vein as I long as I am here. That’s who I am.”
Q-Has the team played under its talent level?
A-“I wouldn’t say so. I think the team has played the best it can. I think it’s played the absolute best it can. I don’t question our kids’ heart, character (and) our effort. All that has been outstanding. I am extremely proud of them. ..."
Q-Your enthusiasm and high expectations have been well received by many fans but because of the team’s performance do you plan to talk more cautiously in the future?
A-“I think what I am going to do is continue with my stated goal. … Win a Big Ten championship and take the Gopher nation to Pasadena, to the Rose Bowl. Each and every day that’s how we’re going to wake up and that’s how we’re going to go about our business. Are we going to go achieve that each and every year? … We don’t know, but that is going to be the goal. That’s going to be the dream. That is going to be the inspiration each and every day.”
Q-But do you plan to be less outgoing with the public?
A-“No. ... I am who I am. I am a guy whose glass is half full. I wake up in the morning and I am excited about being the head football coach at the University of Minnesota. I am unbelievably excited about representing the state of Minnesota as the head football coach here. Shoot, I would be trying to be somebody who I am not. I know that bothers some people. Some people would rather you be maybe a little less demonstrative, or a little less excited about your position, but I am one of those people who truly believes that I am blessed to be where I am at. And I am very thankful. And I show that thanks in how I live my life.”
"I think we've got a great staff. I
think it's truly the best coaching and recruiting staff in the country."
Tim Brewster
Tim Brewster
"I am trying to change a culture, and to me I am trying to change a culture into something that is very, very positive."
Tim Brewster
Worth Noting
Gophers' basketball coach Tubby Smith was asked recently about freshman Blake Hoffarber who had a storied career at Hopkins High School and enrolled at Minnesota as a top 100 recruit. The 6-foot-4 Hoffarber has been slowed recently by a high ankle sprain but Smith has seen enough to form impressions. He likes Hoffarber’s work ethic, shooting skills and basketball intelligence.
“His athleticism and speed is deceiving,” Smith told Sports Headliners last week. “And being a lefty, that creates a problem for an opponent as well. …”
Hoffarber is a shooting guard but Smith said he may play point guard, too. What about playing minutes? “He’ll help us a lot,” Smith said. “How many minutes? I don’t even talk about minutes. Minutes is not something I even discuss with players. Each player will determine how many minutes they get based on how they perform, and how they do in practice. Based on what he’s doing in practice, he’ll play a lot.”
The Gophers open their schedule with an exhibition game starting at 7 p.m. tomorrow night in Williams Arena against Minnesota State, Mankato. Hoffarber is expected to play. The game will be televised by the Big Ten Network.
Brooks Bollinger, the Vikings’ third string quarterback forced to play in last Sunday’s game because of injuries to Kelly Holcomb and Tarvaris Jackson, answerd a question about how rusty he was: “Well, it’s tough. The last couple of weeks I was the third (string), and the second, and back and forth. You don’t get a ton of reps with our offense. …The main thing (in the games) is making sure your cadence is the same. I haven’t had a chance to just be in the huddle with those guys a whole bunch of late but as far as the job description you just try to go in there and communicate and take care of the little things. …”
Vikings’ coach Brad Childress said after the game that Bollinger did “okay” considering the “limited reps” he had received prior to the game.
A fan held up a “Fire Brad” sign in the Metrodome after Sunday’s 23-16 loss to Philadelphia.
The Vikings are donating 200 tickets for the November 18 Oakland game at the Metrodome to victims of the recent floods in southern Minnesota. The organization is providing 100 tickets to the Morrie Miller Youth Football program that serves the Winona area youth, and 100 tickets to the Rushford-Peterson School. The tickets will be distributed to youth directly affected by the flooding. The Vikings also gave a $1,000 check to the United Way of Olmsted County that will be directed toward flood relief.
Tubby Smith
Brooks Bollinger
Extra Innings
Former Vikings’ assistant coach Dean Dalton hosts “Late Hits” on Saturday nights from 7 to 10 p.m. on Sirius NFL Radio. Past guests have included various NFL personalities including Vikings alums Michael Bennett, Daunte Culpepper, Nate Burleson and Mike Tice. The program is on channel 124.
The Timberwolves announced yesterday that guard Randy Foye has suffered a stress reaction of his left patella (knee cap). On Monday, Foye received an MRI and a CT Scan that revealed the injury. Foye will be out indefinitely.
The Wolves play their regular season opener Friday night at Target Center against Denver. Ten players will make their Minnesota regular season debuts: Greg Buckner, Corey Brewer, Michael Doleac, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Chris Richard, Sebastian Telfair and Antoine Walker. The first 8,000 fans in attendance will receive a Timberwolves stocking cap courtesy of U.S. Bank.
Sports Illustrated’s NBA Preview predicts the Timberwovles will finish last in the Northwest Division. The magazine rates the Wolves last among the 15 Western Conference teams. Dallas will defeat Detroit in the NBA finals, according to S.I.
Sporting News recently rated Indianapolis’ Tom Moore as the best offensive coordinator in the NFL. Moore, 68, once coached at the University of Minnesota, working for head coach Cal Stoll in the 1970s. Another assistant for Stoll was Norm Parker who coached with Moore and now is an assistant at Iowa. He is arguably the best defensive coordinator in the Big Ten Conference.
The same issue of the Sporting News listed Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier as one of five “head coaches in waiting.”
The Wild’s Brent Burns is scheduled to appear and sign autographs at the Cub Foods store located at 20250 Heritage Drive in Lakeville on Sunday from 5 to 6 p.m.
Local resident David Nash reported via e-mail that the US International Tennis Club defeated the British International Tennis Club 36-18 in a match last weekend in La Jolla, California. Known as the Avory Cup, the match is played semi-annually. Nash captained the American team.
Augsburg junior quarterback Jordan Berg, Carleton junior strong safety Drew Ziller and St. Thomas freshman wide receiver Ben Wartman have been chosen as the offensive, defensive and special teams football players of the week in the MIAC. Saint John's senior Chris Erichsen and Bethel University sophomore Marie Borner are the men’s and women’s cross country athletes of the week. Saint Benedict first-year middle blocker Laurel Heggernes, Concordia senior outside hitter Michelle Honek and St. Thomas freshman setter Emily Foster are volleyball athletes of the week. Carleton junior forward Brian TenHoor and Hamline first-year goalkeeper Katie Gardner have been named soccer athletes of the week.
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Dean Dalton
Al Jefferson
