With University of Minnesota football recruiting being noticed nationally and locally, coach Tim Brewster is excited about announcing his 2008 class on Wednesday, February 6. Although NCAA rules prohibit Brewster from talking about specific individuals who have verbally committed to signing National Letters of Intent, he can speak collectively about a group rated No. 26 in the country by rivals.com and might be even better.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with this recruiting class,” Brewster told Sports Headliners. “It will (help) re-establish the Gophers as one of the elite teams in college football.”
The athletic department is sponsoring a “Signing Day ’Sota Social” on February 6 at the Gibson-Nagurski Football Complex on campus beginning at 5 p.m. with Brewster previewing the 2008 class at 6:30 p.m. (Tickets are $10, and include food and beverages. Fans must register for tickets through the Goal Line Club at www.goallineclub.com by February 5.)
Brewster has been traveling like a man without a home during December and January. “It’s incredible where I’ve been,” he said. The Gopher coach has been visiting homes of all the players who have verbally committed to the Gophers, plus he’s been working on the 2009 recruiting class.
Last week he was in Atlanta, Houston and Cleveland. On Saturday he was headed to California, and Philadelphia was on his short-term itinerary, too.
The Gophers’ recruiting class is expected to have at least six players with four star ratings, according to rivals.com. The overall class is ranked fourth nationally among Big Ten teams after Ohio State, Michigan and Illinois.
Minnesota’s 2008 recruiting class may be the school’s best since 1964 when a group that included future NFL standouts John Williams and Charlie Sanders came to Minneapolis. That class was the core of the 1967 Big Ten title team, the school’s last conference champion.
Brewster has already announced the signings of junior college players to National Letters of Intent. Included in that group are three defensive players. Those players, along with high school defensive players who have verbally committed, are expected to give the Gophers an improved defense over last year when Minnesota ranked last among Big Ten teams during conference play giving up almost 500 yards per game.