Start a list of the best assistant football coaches in the Big Ten Conference and place Mitch Browning’s name toward the top. The Gophers’ offensive coordinator is a high impact coach and recruiter who has been vital to Minnesota’s success.
Last week Minnesota’s Matt Spaeth won the John Mackey Award, given annually to the nation’s best tight end. There will be an awards dinner on April 30 in Orlando, Florida and Browning will accompany Spaeth.
Before the season started Spaeth, a senior and the first Gopher to win the Mackey award, talked about Browning being one of the great assistant coaches in the country and the “mastermind” of the Gopher offense that has set school and Big Ten Conference records.
“His knowledge and what he has taught me is just amazing,” Spaeth said. “It’s amazing how much a person can learn once he is here. Not just x’s and o’s but just work ethic and different things like that.”
Browning has also upgraded the Gophers’ talent over the years by recruiting successfully in Ohio and he also recruited former all-American running back Laurence Maroney from St. Louis.