Gophers coach Tim Brewster looked at quarterback Adam Weber’s passing numbers from Saturday’s 35-20 win over Purdue and was enthused. Weber attempted nine passes, and completed five for 74 yards. He had no touchdowns and two interceptions.
“I have so much admiration for Adam,” Brewster told Sports Headliners yesterday. “He’s such a great leader. It’s so exciting for this program to have the quarterback go five-for-nine and win the football game.”
The Gophers rushed for a season high 207 yards, emphasizing the run and taking the focus off the pass (leading receiver Eric Decker didn’t catch a ball in the second half. Brewster credited Weber with making the correct run calls to make the rushing game effective.
Weber participated in the run game early, carrying the ball the first two times the offense was on the field, and he also ran for a touchdown. “Adam is one of those kids who likes to get in the flow of the game,” Brewster said. “He loves to get bumped around a little bit and it helps get him into the game.”
The Gophers, now 2-1 in the Big Ten and 4-2 overall, had lost to Wisconsin a week ago Saturday and play the next two weeks at Penn State and Ohio State, nationally ranked teams with a combined 10-2 record. Weber said the win over Purdue “was crucial.” It was the right step in answering questions about the kind of season the Gophers will have.
The victory was also an early birthday present for Brewster who turns 49 tomorrow. Brewster’s mother, Ritter Trexler, came from out of town to surprise him on Friday and celebrate the birthday. This time of year, though, Brewster is mostly about business and on Saturday night was entertaining several out of state recruits at his home.