Meet the Staff: Tim Brewster
Jan 09, 2018 | Football
College and NFL coaching veteran Tim Brewster has been named Texas A&M's tight ends coach, Aggie head coach Jimbo Fisher announced.
Brewster, a two-time All-Big Ten tight end as a player at the University of Illinois, comes to Texas A&M after a five-year stint on Fisher's Florida State coaching staff from 2013-17. Over a 30-plus year coaching career, Brewster has been a collegiate head coach for four seasons, a NFL assistant coach for five seasons and an assistant coach at five different "Power 5" schools.
An accomplished recruiter, Brewster helped build the Seminoles' top-ranked 2016 recruiting class, which featured 18 four- or five-star rated players as well as 13 Under Armour All-Americans and four U.S. Army All-Americans. Brewster helped the Seminoles' recruiting classes rank in the top 10 of ESPN's team rankings all five years he was on the FSU staff, including in the top five four times. Brewster was named the ACC's Top Recruiter by ESPN and made 247Sports' Top 10 Recruiters list and was among Rivals' Top 25 Recruiters.
Florida State made the tight end an integral part of their offense during Brewster's time in Tallahassee. Current NFL standout Nick O'Leary was a two-time finalist for the John Mackey Award, which is given annually to the nation's top tight end, and he won the award in 2014, as well as consensus All-America honors. Overall, O'Leary left Florida State as the school leader in every category among Seminole tight ends, including receptions (114), yards (1,591) and touchdowns (18).
It's no coincidence that Florida State has had some of the nation's top tight end play in Brewster's time at FSU. Brewster was the tight ends coach for the San Diego Chargers from 2002-04 and the Denver Broncos from 2005-06 after coaching that same position at North Carolina from 1989-97 and Texas from 1998-2001. Brewster coached All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates while with the Chargers and saw six tight ends sign NFL contracts during his UNC and Texas tenures.
Brewster joined the Florida State coaching staff in February of 2013 following a stint in 2012 as the wide receivers coach at Mississippi State where he helped the Bulldogs break several records.
Brewster was the head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers from 2007-2010 before spending the 2011 season as a college football analyst for Fox Sports. He led the Golden Gophers to the Insight Bowl in both 2008 and 2009.
Prior to Minnesota, Brewster spent five seasons in the NFL. He concluded his second season as tight ends coach for the Denver Broncos in 2006. Brewster instructed the San Diego Chargers tight ends from 2002-04 and held additional responsibilities as the team's assistant head coach for the 2004 season.
During his tenure with the Chargers, Brewster oversaw the rapid development of Gates, who in 2004 earned first-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press and a Pro Bowl selection after playing only his second year of football since high school. Gates set an NFL single-season touchdown record (13) for tight ends in 2004 while ranking third in receiving yards (964) and fourth in receptions (81) among NFL tight ends.
Before working for San Diego, Brewster enjoyed success coaching tight ends at the University of Texas (1998-2001) and the University of North Carolina (1989-97). He worked on Mack Brown's staffs at both schools and developed six tight ends who signed NFL contracts.
In four years at Texas, Brewster tutored two tight ends who earned All-Big 12 Conference honors, including 1998 first-team selection Derek Lewis, and coached two players who signed NFL contracts in Lewis and Bo Scaife, who was drafted in the sixth round by Tennessee in 2005. Brewster's tight ends at Texas blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher in each of his four seasons at the school, highlighted by Ricky Williams' 2,124-yard season in 1998.
In nine years at North Carolina, Brewster mentored four All-ACC selections at tight end and helped the school advance to six consecutive bowl games from 1992-97. As recruiting coordinator, his efforts secured the talent that helped the 1997 team go 11-1 and finish fourth in the nation.
Brewster guided Alge Crumpler to a second-team All-ACC distinction and honorable mention All-America accolades from Football News as a sophomore in 1997. He also mentored Freddie Jones to a first-team All-ACC selection in 1995 and again in 1996 when Jones set a North Carolina single-season record for receptions by a tight end (32) to garner third-team All-America honors from Football News.
His tight ends at North Carolina were critical to the team's rushing success as their blocking helped clear the way for five different 1,000-yard seasons, including Natrone Means' back-to-back 1,000-yard years in 1991 and 1992. Greg DeLong, a first-team All-ACC tight end in 1994, twice earned ACC Lineman of the Week honors for his blocking in 1996 under Brewster's tutelage.
Brewster spent 1987-88 as head coach at Central Catholic High School in Lafayette, Ind., directing a wide-open offense while his squad's won 15 of 23 games during that period. He developed Indiana's passing leader in both of his seasons as head coach.
Brewster began his coaching career in 1986 at Purdue, where he coached tight ends and offensive tackles as a graduate assistant.
A former two-time All-Big Ten Conference selection at the University of Illinois, Brewster led the nation's tight ends in receiving in 1983 and captained Illinois to the 1984 Rose Bowl against UCLA. Brewster, who graduated from Illinois with a bachelor's degree in political science, participated in training camps of the New York Giants (1984) and Philadelphia Eagles (1985).
Brewster was born Oct. 13, 1960, in Phillipsburg, N.J. He and his wife, Cathleen, have three sons: Eric, Clint and Nolan.
The Brewster File
Personal
Birthdate: October 13, 1960
Hometown: Phillipsburg, N.J.
Wife: Cathleen
Children: sons, Eric, Clint and Nolan
Education
College: Illinois, 1984
Coaching Experience
1986 Purdue (graduate assistant)
1987-88 Lafayette (Ind.) Central Catholic High School (head coach)
1989-98 North Carolina (tight ends/special teams coordinator/recruiting coordinator)
1998-02 Texas (tight ends/special teams)
2002-05 San Diego Chargers (tight ends)
2005-07 Denver Broncos (tight ends)
2007-10 Minnesota (head coach)
2012-13 Mississippi State (wide receivers)
2013-17 Florida State (tight ends/recruiting coordinator)
2018- Texas A&M (tight ends)
Postseason Experience
As a Player
1982 Liberty Bowl (Illinois)
1984 Rose Bowl (Illinois)
As a Coach
1993 Peach Bowl (North Carolina)
1994 Gator Bowl (North Carolina)
1995 Sun Bowl (North Carolina)
1996 Carquest Bowl (North Carolina)
1997 Gator Bowl (North Carolina)
1998 Gator Bowl (North Carolina)
1999 Cotton Bowl (Texas)
2000 Cotton Bowl (Texas)
2001 Holiday Bowl (Texas)
2002 Holiday Bowl (Texas)
2008 Insight Bowl (Minnesota)
2009 Insight Bowl (Minnesota)
2012 Gator Bowl (Mississippi State)
2013 BCS National Championship Game (Florida State)
2014 Rose Bowl (College Football Playoff) (Florida State)
2015 Peach Bowl (Florida State)
2016 Orange Bowl (Florida State)
Brewster, a two-time All-Big Ten tight end as a player at the University of Illinois, comes to Texas A&M after a five-year stint on Fisher's Florida State coaching staff from 2013-17. Over a 30-plus year coaching career, Brewster has been a collegiate head coach for four seasons, a NFL assistant coach for five seasons and an assistant coach at five different "Power 5" schools.
An accomplished recruiter, Brewster helped build the Seminoles' top-ranked 2016 recruiting class, which featured 18 four- or five-star rated players as well as 13 Under Armour All-Americans and four U.S. Army All-Americans. Brewster helped the Seminoles' recruiting classes rank in the top 10 of ESPN's team rankings all five years he was on the FSU staff, including in the top five four times. Brewster was named the ACC's Top Recruiter by ESPN and made 247Sports' Top 10 Recruiters list and was among Rivals' Top 25 Recruiters.
Florida State made the tight end an integral part of their offense during Brewster's time in Tallahassee. Current NFL standout Nick O'Leary was a two-time finalist for the John Mackey Award, which is given annually to the nation's top tight end, and he won the award in 2014, as well as consensus All-America honors. Overall, O'Leary left Florida State as the school leader in every category among Seminole tight ends, including receptions (114), yards (1,591) and touchdowns (18).
It's no coincidence that Florida State has had some of the nation's top tight end play in Brewster's time at FSU. Brewster was the tight ends coach for the San Diego Chargers from 2002-04 and the Denver Broncos from 2005-06 after coaching that same position at North Carolina from 1989-97 and Texas from 1998-2001. Brewster coached All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates while with the Chargers and saw six tight ends sign NFL contracts during his UNC and Texas tenures.
Brewster joined the Florida State coaching staff in February of 2013 following a stint in 2012 as the wide receivers coach at Mississippi State where he helped the Bulldogs break several records.
Brewster was the head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers from 2007-2010 before spending the 2011 season as a college football analyst for Fox Sports. He led the Golden Gophers to the Insight Bowl in both 2008 and 2009.
Prior to Minnesota, Brewster spent five seasons in the NFL. He concluded his second season as tight ends coach for the Denver Broncos in 2006. Brewster instructed the San Diego Chargers tight ends from 2002-04 and held additional responsibilities as the team's assistant head coach for the 2004 season.
During his tenure with the Chargers, Brewster oversaw the rapid development of Gates, who in 2004 earned first-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press and a Pro Bowl selection after playing only his second year of football since high school. Gates set an NFL single-season touchdown record (13) for tight ends in 2004 while ranking third in receiving yards (964) and fourth in receptions (81) among NFL tight ends.
Before working for San Diego, Brewster enjoyed success coaching tight ends at the University of Texas (1998-2001) and the University of North Carolina (1989-97). He worked on Mack Brown's staffs at both schools and developed six tight ends who signed NFL contracts.
In four years at Texas, Brewster tutored two tight ends who earned All-Big 12 Conference honors, including 1998 first-team selection Derek Lewis, and coached two players who signed NFL contracts in Lewis and Bo Scaife, who was drafted in the sixth round by Tennessee in 2005. Brewster's tight ends at Texas blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher in each of his four seasons at the school, highlighted by Ricky Williams' 2,124-yard season in 1998.
In nine years at North Carolina, Brewster mentored four All-ACC selections at tight end and helped the school advance to six consecutive bowl games from 1992-97. As recruiting coordinator, his efforts secured the talent that helped the 1997 team go 11-1 and finish fourth in the nation.
Brewster guided Alge Crumpler to a second-team All-ACC distinction and honorable mention All-America accolades from Football News as a sophomore in 1997. He also mentored Freddie Jones to a first-team All-ACC selection in 1995 and again in 1996 when Jones set a North Carolina single-season record for receptions by a tight end (32) to garner third-team All-America honors from Football News.
His tight ends at North Carolina were critical to the team's rushing success as their blocking helped clear the way for five different 1,000-yard seasons, including Natrone Means' back-to-back 1,000-yard years in 1991 and 1992. Greg DeLong, a first-team All-ACC tight end in 1994, twice earned ACC Lineman of the Week honors for his blocking in 1996 under Brewster's tutelage.
Brewster spent 1987-88 as head coach at Central Catholic High School in Lafayette, Ind., directing a wide-open offense while his squad's won 15 of 23 games during that period. He developed Indiana's passing leader in both of his seasons as head coach.
Brewster began his coaching career in 1986 at Purdue, where he coached tight ends and offensive tackles as a graduate assistant.
A former two-time All-Big Ten Conference selection at the University of Illinois, Brewster led the nation's tight ends in receiving in 1983 and captained Illinois to the 1984 Rose Bowl against UCLA. Brewster, who graduated from Illinois with a bachelor's degree in political science, participated in training camps of the New York Giants (1984) and Philadelphia Eagles (1985).
Brewster was born Oct. 13, 1960, in Phillipsburg, N.J. He and his wife, Cathleen, have three sons: Eric, Clint and Nolan.
The Brewster File
Personal
Birthdate: October 13, 1960
Hometown: Phillipsburg, N.J.
Wife: Cathleen
Children: sons, Eric, Clint and Nolan
Education
College: Illinois, 1984
Coaching Experience
1986 Purdue (graduate assistant)
1987-88 Lafayette (Ind.) Central Catholic High School (head coach)
1989-98 North Carolina (tight ends/special teams coordinator/recruiting coordinator)
1998-02 Texas (tight ends/special teams)
2002-05 San Diego Chargers (tight ends)
2005-07 Denver Broncos (tight ends)
2007-10 Minnesota (head coach)
2012-13 Mississippi State (wide receivers)
2013-17 Florida State (tight ends/recruiting coordinator)
2018- Texas A&M (tight ends)
Postseason Experience
As a Player
1982 Liberty Bowl (Illinois)
1984 Rose Bowl (Illinois)
As a Coach
1993 Peach Bowl (North Carolina)
1994 Gator Bowl (North Carolina)
1995 Sun Bowl (North Carolina)
1996 Carquest Bowl (North Carolina)
1997 Gator Bowl (North Carolina)
1998 Gator Bowl (North Carolina)
1999 Cotton Bowl (Texas)
2000 Cotton Bowl (Texas)
2001 Holiday Bowl (Texas)
2002 Holiday Bowl (Texas)
2008 Insight Bowl (Minnesota)
2009 Insight Bowl (Minnesota)
2012 Gator Bowl (Mississippi State)
2013 BCS National Championship Game (Florida State)
2014 Rose Bowl (College Football Playoff) (Florida State)
2015 Peach Bowl (Florida State)
2016 Orange Bowl (Florida State)