The Final Days of Tim Brewster at Minnesota

As polls go, this isn't even close.

Readers of the Minneapolis Star Tribune were asked if it was time for Minnesota to make a coaching change. A whopping 87.2% said it was, with 67.4% of the respondents saying Tim Brewster should be fired now instead of at the end of the season.

It makes you wonder about the other 12.8%.

Yes, the natives are restless in the Twin Cities. A 41-38 loss to Division I-AA South Dakota will do that.

Count university president Bob Bruininks among the disappointed. "I don't feel very good; I feel pretty low about this game, and I think everybody else does," he said.

This isn't the first time Brewster has experienced an embarrassing loss. He's actually accomplished at it. In 2007, his Golden Gophers lost to Bowling Green and Division I-AA North Dakota State. But it was his first season as coach and the locals gave him a pass.

Now with a $288.5 million TCF Bank Stadium in its second season of operation, more is expected of the team.

"It's not just the [South Dakota loss], but the condition of the whole program, all things considered," former Minnesota All-American Bob Stein said. "The condition of the football program is shameful."

Not everybody is saying nasty things about the coach. Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan writes of Brewster: "He is a wonderful recruiter in one respect. Nobody has done more to attract good football players to North and South Dakota."

Sid Hartman, the longtime columnist and cheerleader for local teams, went on a search for answers. He came up with this: Minnesota's football budget is last in the Big Ten.

OK, but what about the $288.5 million spent on the stadium?

The students have even lost faith, leaving the Minnesota Daily to pick at the carcass. Two editorials printed Tuesday ripped the program. If you've lost Dinkytown, you've lost it all.

Up next is USC, and the Star Tribune decided to conduct another poll to see how readers felt about Minnesota's chances. As you can see, there's not a lot of faith in the hometown team.

Comments

[huskers]

I find it funny that everybody blames this on Tim Brewster-- except for Nebraska fans, who know the real problem. The real problem is Kevin Cosgrove, who screwed Nebraska over and is now screwing Minnesota over. If Brewster, unlike Bill Callahan, would just fire the clueless Cosgrove, he might be able to save his job. But it might already be too late.

[Chippewal]

Coach Brewster needs to fire Ronnie Lee and Kevin Cosgrove !!!!!!!!!!!

[Robert]

Look, Brewster is a complete idiot. he preaches so much garbage that not even he can believe it. he cannot coach, Cosgrove cannot coach and on down the line. But... the real problem is Joel Mturi. This guy passed up Bo Pelini, Lane Kiffin, Paul Johnson and others. Until Maturi is gone, Gopher Football will be horrible.

[Randall Reed]

The season has only begun
I saw improvement from week one to week two in pass protection and specal teams.
Brewster has a four year plan. so please give him the four years
the kids play hard for the guy and they all seem to like him. I think we can still get to a bowl this year

[Randall Reed]

there is a rumor that Dungy is interested in the job

[Randall Reed]

There is a rumor that they are going to carve a statue of Tim Brewster somewhere in the black hills

[greg6363]

I will be at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon for the USC game. If the Gophers are not competitive (i.e., lose by more than 3 touchdowns), I believe Brewster's fate is sealed. Not to say Maturi will do the same thing to Brewster that he did to Dan Monson (forced resignation during the season) but his mind will be made up to take the program in another direction at the end of the season.

[virginia tech vs ecu tickets]

Sounds like the same heat Frank Beamer and his OC are getting in Blacksburg.