Brewster has been spending the Christmas holiday in a two bedroom apartment in Denver where his family, wife Kathy and three sons, are in a housing transition.

Brewster was an assistant coach for Denver’s Mike Shanahan before accepting the Gopher job in January.  He described his former boss as “maybe the most prideful man I’ve ever met.”  Brewster expects Shanahan to have the Broncos well prepared for the Vikings on Sunday, despite the Broncos’ disappointing season and 6-8 record.

Former Notre Dame star Ryan Harris, who was born in Minneapolis and attended Cretin-Derham Hall, is an offensive tackle for the Broncos. He was a third round draft choice earlier this year.

In last Sunday’s loss to Washington the Vikings were held under 100 yards rushing for the first time this season.  Although they gained only 87 yards, the Vikings still rank No. 1 in the NFL in rushing per game at 164.1.

In his three last games rookie Adrian Peterson has gained a total of 108 yards. The defenses have made adjustments to stop Peterson and the team’s other runners but the question here is whether the knee injury he suffered on November 11 has impacted his explosiveness, physically and/or psychologically.

Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson’s performance has been among the more scrutinized in the NFL this season, certainly in this town.  What’s he like with the media?  He’s a personable 24-year-old who has had to learn how to deal with reporters.  Soft-spoken with a southern accent, Jackson is approachable and cooperative but cautious about what he says.

In Jackson’s last three games he has thrown two touchdown passes and five interceptions.  On the season his totals are seven and 12.

Former Gopher center Joel Przybilla had 16 rebounds for Portland on Tuesday night in the team’s 11th consecutive win.  He averages 7.3 rebounds and 5.1 points while playing about 21 minutes for Portland. The Timberwolves are at Portland tonight (Friday) playing the Trail Blazers.

Coach Tubby Smith signed five players to National Letters of Intent in the early signing period in November but none are from Minnesota.  Iowa and Wisconsin each signed two Minnesota preps.  Forward Andrew Brommer from Rosemount High School and guard Anthony Tucker from Minnetonka High will be at Iowa next season.  Wisconsin recruits include forward Jared Berggren from Princeton and guard Jordan Taylor from Benilde-St. Maragaret’s.

Smith is new this season to the Big Ten Conference as is Todd Lickliter of Iowa.  Those two, plus Tom Izzo of Michigan State, Bo Ryan of Wisconsin, Kelvin Sampson of Indiana and Bruce Weber of Illinois give the Big Ten six former national coach of the year winners during their careers, more than any conference in the country.

High scoring Indiana freshman Eric Gordon, averaging 23.5 points per game, may lead the Big Ten in scoring this season.  He may also set the league record for highest average ever by a freshman in conference and non-conference games.  Former Ohio State star Michael Redd holds the record with a 21.9 average, while ex-Gopher Kris Humphries is second at 21.7.

The Gophers are off to their best start since the 2000-01 season with an 8-1 record.  A year ago the team was 3-6 playing under interim coach Jim Molinari who had succeeded Dan Monson earlier in the season.  Monson, now head coach at Long Beach State, was featured in an article in the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday.  The story contrasted his high visibility at Minnesota with the relative obscurity of coaching a mid-major program like Long Beach State. His team is 3-6.

Starting tonight the Gophers play their next three (and final) non-conference games in the Duel in the Desert tournament in Las Vegas.  The first opponent is Nicholls State, 4-8 and a member of the Southland Conference.  Nicholls State is located in Thibodaux, Louisiana. There will be no telecasts here of the Gopher games this weekend.

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With a victory on Sunday against the Broncos in Denver possibly sending the Vikings into the playoffs for the first time since 2004, the Purple will take a final exam in not only execution on the field but in leadership.  A loss by Washington to Dallas and a win by the Vikings on the final Sunday of the 16 game season means an NFC wild card entry in the playoffs.

Last week, before Washington stopped a Vikings’ five game winning streak and Minnesota lost control of its playoff fate, there was conversation about the team’s leadership.  Place kicker Ryan Longwell, a 10 year NFL veteran, said every locker room is different year to year.

“We have a good mix of veteran leadership and young guys,” Longwell said.  “A group that likes to work and that’s what you need.”

It’s been documented that the Vikings, coaches and players, made improvements after the 34-0 loss to the Packers in Green Bay, then went on to win five straight before being dominated in the 32-21 loss to the Redskins on Sunday night.  Longwell was asked last week if the locker room atmosphere was different before and after the Green Bay milestone.

“I would say yes and no,” he said.  “Yes, we’ve put together a streak so our record looks better but I think even at 2-5…this was a different locker room than last year’s group.  Just more resilient, a closer knit group of guys. …I don’t think we get too high after the win streak.  I don’t think we were giving up on the season after the Green Bay game by any stretch.”

Reserve defensive tackle Otis Grigsby said last week a team that’s winning and has something to play for late in the season has an advantage in mental approach over a team with no playoff prospects. “If a team believes in what they’re doing, why would you go out there and be tight?” he asked.  “If you’re winning, you’re going to go out there and play ball. …”

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In the Tubby Smith system the emphasis is on team play.  The coach’s use of 10 players seeing more than 10 minutes per game has become routine. Play team defense, share the ball on offense, place the emphasis on the group, not the individual.

There’s no denying, though, that particularly in recent games senior forward Dan Coleman is playing like a star in a system that doesn’t strive to create one.  The 6-foot-9 former Hopkins High School player scored 20 points to lead the Gophers on Saturday night as they defeated Santa Clara 68-50.  He has now scored 20 points or more in his last three games, a career first.  He leads the Gophers in scoring at 14.3 points per game (shooting .505 percent from the field) and rebounding 6.0 a game.

Coleman also had six of the Gophers’ 18 steals in the Santa Clara game and three blocks.  Whether it’s stealing the ball, blocking shots or energizing the crowd with breakaway dunks, Coleman has been playing in non-conference like someone who intends to have his name nominated for all-conference honors after the Big Ten season ends in March.  He was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week for his performance against Santa Clara (along with Shaun Pruitt of Illinois).

Smith said it’s taken Coleman awhile, just like the other Gophers, to adjust to the coaching change but he didn’t hesitate to praise him. “Dan is probably as versatile a forward as there is in this league because he can shoot with range, score and defend,” Smith said on Saturday night.  “That gives the team a lot of confidence. …Dan is about as hard a worker as we have.”

Earlier this season Coleman became the 34^th Gopher to score more than 1,000 points in his career.  With 30 more rebounds he will have 500 career rebounds.  Then he will be the 17^th player in school career history to have at least 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.

Coleman is second on the team in average minutes per game at almost 26.  He and his teammates know that playing effective defense is a requirement for being in the game and defense is the Gophers’ identity.  Minnesota is holding opponents to a field goal percentage of .405 and 59.5 points per game while compiling a record of 8-1 in non-conference games.  The Gophers’ numbers are: .462 percent and 76.7 points per game.

After Saturday’s game Coleman was asked about the role defense plays for the Gophers.  “I think it’s huge,” he said. “That’s our niche.  Scoring one-on-one in the half court goes up and down but if we get a lot of points out of our defense that helps steady the tide a little bit, ups and downs.”

The Gophers finish non-conference play with three games in a Las Vegas tournament this week, the Duel in the Desert.  Minnesota plays Nicholls State Friday night, then Kennesaw State on Saturday evening, and a final game against UNLV on Sunday night.

“Vegas can be a fun place if you’re playing well,” Smith said. “It’s not much fun if you’re not playing well. …We want to enjoy ourselves but we know it’s a business trip.”

As of last Saturday, Coleman and the Gophers have been taking care of business.

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