Tim Brewster Tim Brewster ( born October 13 , 1960 ) is an American football player and coach . He most recently served as the head coach of the University of Minnesota from 2007 until he was fired midway through the Golden Gophers ' 2010 season . In 2011 , Brewster was a Sideline Analyst for Fox College Football and the NFL on Fox with Gus Johnson ( sportscaster ) and Charles Davis ( defensive back ) . Brewster currently coaches tight ends and is the recruiting coordinator for the Florida State Seminoles . Playing career . As a football player born and raised in Phillipsburg , New Jersey , U . S . and coming out of Phillipsburg High School , Brewster was a hybrid somewhere between a wide receiver and a tight end . He enrolled at Pasadena City College , at the time a major junior college program , and was recruited along with five other players to transfer to the University of Illinois where they were looking to involve the tight end more heavily in their offensive scheme . At Illinois he was a two - time All - Big Ten Conference selection as a tight end . At the end of his first season he played against the University of Alabama in the 1982 Liberty Bowl , which was Bear Bryant ' s final game . In his final season he captained the Illini during their run to the 1984 Rose Bowl . He was a player at Illinois at the same time former Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress was an assistant coach . He graduated with a degree in political science . The Illinois program named him one of the Fighting Illini ' s ten greatest receivers in 2008 . Following his college career , he made an unsuccessful attempt at establishing a professional playing career in the NFL . He was cut during training camp for both the 1984 New York Giants and the 1985 Philadelphia Eagles . Coaching career . High School . Brewster began his coaching career as a graduate assistant for Purdue University in 1986 under Leon Burtnett . Burtnett was fired in the middle of the season . Brewster then went to work as a car salesman , an experience he described as the " most miserable experience in my whole life . " Soon afterwards he was hired as head coach at Central Catholic High School in Lafayette , Indiana . Legendary coach Bear Bryant , when they met in 1982 , advised him , after hearing of his interest in coaching , to coach high school and " really learn the game . " During his two years there ( 1987 – 1988 ) , he directed a pass - heavy , wide - open offense that enabled its quarterback to lead the state of Indiana in passing both years . His record at CCHS was 15 - 8 . Still , Brewster longed to go back to the college ranks . Early College . Brewster found out about a young head coach starting at the University of North Carolina , Mack Brown . Not really knowing him , but hoping to get a position , Brewster drove to Chapel Hill and convinced Brown to hire him as an unpaid volunteer assistant for the 1989 season . He gained a full - time job before the following season , and served as a special teams coach , tight ends coach , and recruiting coordinator under Brown . When Brown was hired as head coach at the University of Texas following the 1997 season , Brewster followed him and worked as tight ends coach from 1998 - 2001 . As a recruiter for Texas , he helped land a number of highly touted players , including Vince Young . NFL . After 13 years with Mack Brown , Brewster decided to try coaching in the National Football League to " enhance my Xs and Os [ . . . ] and study the game at a level without distractions " that come with college players and NCAA requirements . Brewster gained his first NFL coaching experience when he was hired as the tight ends coach for the San Diego Chargers , a position he held from 2002 to 2004 . He is credited with the rapid ascent of Antonio Gates , who went from an undrafted free agent in 2003 to a first - team All - Pro and Pro Bowl selection in 2004 , only his second year in the NFL . Brewster was held in such high esteem by his peers that he served as assistant head coach during the 2004 season . He was hired by the Denver Broncos as their tight ends coach prior to the 2005 season , and served in that capacity for two seasons before moving on to the University of Minnesota . Minnesota Golden Gophers Head Coach . On January 15 , 2007 it was reported on ESPN . com that Brewster was the choice of University of Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi to replace Glen Mason as the Gophers head coach . Various local news outlets , including WCCO and the " Star Tribune " , could not confirm the veracity of the report . The following day , January 16 , Minnesota associate athletic director Tom Wistrcill confirmed that Brewster was indeed the university ' s choice , with the contract signed in the early morning . He was officially presented as the new head coach on Wednesday , January 17 at the McNamara Alumni Center on the University of Minnesota campus . At his first press conference , Brewster stated that his long - term goal for the program was to " win the Big Ten championship " and " take the Gopher Nation back to Pasadena . " Brewster signed a five - year contract worth : $ 400 , 000 in base salary , $ 400 , 000 in supplemental salary and $ 200 , 000 in deferred compensation that will vest after his contract expires . Additionally , he can earn up to $ 700 , 000 in annual bonuses if the Gophers reach several goals including : win the Big Ten title ( $ 200 , 000 ; $ 75 , 000 for second place ) , the national championship game ( $ 300 , 000 for reaching the game ; an additional $ 50 , 000 for winning ) , any non - title BCS bowl game ( $ 200 , 000 ; $ 100 , 000 for each bowl game played on New Year ' s Day or after that is not a BCS game ; $ 25 , 000 for pre - New Year ' s Day bowl games ) , as well as reaching maximum goals in two academic categories , the Academic Progress Report ( up to $ 50 , 000 ) and sixth - year graduation rates ( up to $ 100 , 000 for 75 % ) . He decided not to retain any of his predecessor ' s assistant coaches . After a dismal start to the 2010 season which had featured four straight home losses , fans and media openly speculated that Tim Brewster would not coach at Minnesota past the 2010 season . Early in that season , University President Robert Bruininks publicly criticized the current state of football under Coach Brewster when he told the " Minnesota Daily " , " We need a stronger football program here at the University of Minnesota . " On September 11 , 2010 , Minnesota lost a home game to the South Dakota Coyotes , a Division I FCS team , by a score of 41 - 38 . The last time the Coyotes defeated the Golden Gophers in a football contest prior to that was on September 28 , 1912 . Brewster was relieved of his head coaching position and had his contract terminated on October 17 , 2010 . As stipulated in his contract , Brewster received a $ 600 , 000 buyout . Joel Maturi commented that " While I appreciate the passion and commitment that Coach Brewster has shown , it is clear that a change in the leadership of Gopher football is necessary . " Co - offensive coordinator Jeff Horton assumed the duties of head coach for the remainder of the 2010 season , leading the team to a 2 - 3 record and upset wins over Illinois and Iowa during his tenure as interim coach . Mississippi State University Wide Receivers Coach . On August 23 , 2012 Brewster was hired by Mississippi State University for the position of Wide Receivers Coach , replacing Angelo Mirando after he unexpectedly resigned on 19 August 2012 for unspecified " personal reasons " . Coaching tree . NFL head coaches under whom Tim Brewster has served : Personal . Brewster and his wife , Cathleen , are the parents of three sons . His youngest , Nolan , played safety at Texas before being forced to retire due to post - concussion syndrome .