Pioneer Press

[Great Plains Gopher]

Truly bizarre...

Kansas might have Turner Gill! It's a weird reverse of Mason coming from Kansas to Minnesota. The Big 12 is brutal right now - easier to build and win in the Big Ten. A totally bizarre story and scenario - an why is Maturi being so coy about it? Strange...

 

[Assashian]

Oh no you guys this can't be true, is it? Hold me. Don't ever leave Tim.

 

[Schnoodler]

Bwahahaha! You are delusional.
a) have you ever listened to the a**-kissing at 'cco?
b) do you really think a tough guy college football coach is intimidated or fearful of media?????

Nuts.

Not a great response.

Pointing out the lone exception doesn't disprove the point unless the point is that ALL the media is negative then one exception disproves the point.

Feeling the media negatively affects the program and harms it is not the same thing as being fearful of it. Our media sucks and is grossly negative, your dial has to be stuck on 830 to come to any other conclusion.

 

[Bronko Nagurski Gopher]

If I were Brewster I'd leave Minnesota for the first team that offers me a job. Why would he stay here? He's the only coach in 40 years that dares to talk Rose Bowl and he gets criticized for it. He brings some enthusiasm into Dinkytown and gets mocked for it. Not even done with his 3rd season, and 2 bowl games, and everyone questions where his recruits are. The guy never gets a break.

Brew would be perfect in Kansas. Closer to Texas for his recruiting.

here, here. i also would not be surprised if brew felt this way. at least to some degree. any coach who has been treated and mocked so unfairly like he has been by the local press blowhards (reusse, barrerio, souhan, etc.) would find it hard to not feel that way.......at least a little

 

[KU4LIFE]

I've been told Tim really doesn't feel that cozy in his job. It isn't because he doesn't like Minnesota... he does, but he might be a little warmer than he would like. Maybe there is a reason Maturi is so lax on the subject. Surprising to me, but that is what I've been told by someone in the know of those things.

 

[akgopher]

Kansas might have Turner Gill! It's a weird reverse of Mason coming from Kansas to Minnesota. The Big 12 is brutal right now - easier to build and win in the Big Ten. A totally bizarre story and scenario - an why is Maturi being so coy about it? Strange...

Maturi is thinking April Fools Day came early. I wouldn't be surprised if the leak came from inside the U, so it'll make things that much easier next fall.

 

[AhliBobwa]

Kansas might have Turner Gill! It's a weird reverse of Mason coming from Kansas to Minnesota. The Big 12 is brutal right now - easier to build and win in the Big Ten. A totally bizarre story and scenario - an why is Maturi being so coy about it? Strange...

Umm...did you watch college football this year. The Big 12 was absolutely terrible! Texas is very good, and Nebraska is half decent but everyone else tanked this year. Oklahoma, Okie State, Mizzou, and Kansas were all way down.

This year the Pac Ten and SEC were the best conferences with the Big Ten a quarter step down primarily because of uninspired QB play. The ACC and Big 12 were a step down from the other 3. And of course, even with Cincy the Big East is still terrible.

 

[gophmeister]

Can anyone say for certain where Brew is? I'm sure he's out recruiting or something right now, because I haven't heard that bowl practice has begun. If Brew is feeling the heat, it would behoove him to move on. Why not start over somewhere and apply what you've learned. Players do like him, so I can imagine that would appeal to Kansas in the post Mangino era. I mean who knows, maybe circumstances have conspired against Brew here and he can do better elsewhere. I mean the guy at Iowa St last year is now coach at Auburn after a 2-10 season!

 

[Schnoodler]

If there is an offer out there for Brew I think he has to take it. Things won't be better next year and if Maturi can't extend him now he won't next and it's over. Best to take the lack of comittment as a clear signal to start over somewhere else with a fresh four years.

 

[magpie]

If he does though, Strong just got hired by Louisville -- so who's that leave us? Kansas & Notre Dame's table scraps?

 

[Doogie]

I can picture Brew telling the Pioneer Press reporter....psst....I really, really want a contract extension...do me a solid and ask Maturi about Kansas wanting me.

I am 99.9 percent sure that Brew did not call Marcus and plant this ... This rumor has been simmering for a week now... I swapped emails with Maturi yesterday and he said what he told Marcus: He wouldn't get a permission phone call until a deal was done ... had nothing else to add on the matter. Brewster, from what I understand, is having or has had a few luminaries call Lew Perkins/Kansas on his behalf.

 

[AhliBobwa]

If there is an offer out there for Brew I think he has to take it. Things won't be better next year and if Maturi can't extend him now he won't next and it's over. Best to take the lack of comittment as a clear signal to start over somewhere else with a fresh four years.

I just got done lauding your practical but optimistic outlook on another thread. But then you had to say something like this, and while I enjoy most of your posts I must respectfully note that you are dead wrong here. With the upgrade in talent and facilities Minnesota is a sleeping giant. TCF Bank stadium is better than the vast majority of facilities in the country. Minnesota plays in the only conference with its own network. Despite the Orange Bowl season Kansas is and always will be a basketball school. The Stadium there is gross and the high school talent is abysmal. If Brewster wins the bowl game and can manage 7 wins next year including a bit of offensive improvement he will get a solid extension.

 

[MBAGuy]

I am 99.9 percent sure that Brew did not call Marcus and plant this ... This rumor has been simmering for a week now... I swapped emails with Maturi yesterday and he said what he told Marcus: He wouldn't get a permission phone call until a deal was done ... had nothing else to add on the matter. Brewster, from what I understand, is having or has had a few luminaries call Lew Perkins/Kansas on his behalf.

Wow. Is this really happening?

I guess this is what happens when you have a waffler for an AD who won't make a decision one way or another when the rest of the CFB world is in full swing.

Good thing I have Thursday and Friday off of work so I can get schwasted.

 

[gophmeister]

Brewster, from what I understand, is having or has had a few luminaries call Lew Perkins/Kansas on his behalf.

Let me guess, Mack Brown and Mike Shanahan?

Oh man, this is going to be interesting if there is any truth to the rumors.

If this comes to pass, who coaches the bowl game? I'm sure Brewster will take a lot of the coaches with him to Kansas. Does he stay and coach the bowl or does he leave immediately? Maturi's an old H.S. football coach, does he coach the bowl?

 

[Schnoodler]

I just got done lauding your practical but optimistic outlook on another thread. But then you had to say something like this, and while I enjoy most of your posts I must respectfully note that you are dead wrong here. With the upgrade in talent and facilities Minnesota is a sleeping giant. TCF Bank stadium is better than the vast majority of facilities in the country. Minnesota plays in the only conference with its own network. Despite the Orange Bowl season Kansas is and always will be a basketball school. The Stadium there is gross and the high school talent is abysmal. If Brewster wins the bowl game and can manage 7 wins next year including a bit of offensive improvement he will get a solid extension.

I totally agree with you. Minnesota is a sleeping giant. Just saying, what changes next year? The team probably won't do better with a tougher schedule and the talent still a year off from giving the team an edge. Very likely to end up with a similar record, one contract year left, unable to recruit and his seat as hot as it could be. From his viewpoint as I see it, he's got to grab an offer if Maturi can't make a response. Brewster is hopelessly optimistic, but that doesn't make him stupid. He's not going to end his career because maturi won't pull the trigger and protect the program by extending him. That's all I'm saying, this is the scenario as I see it, if there is an offer. And we don't know that.

 

[nemosgold]

I'll believe it when I see it. Brew's going no where.

 

[akgopher]

It isn't going to happen unless Turner Gill, Skip Holtz, Tommy Tuberville, John Gutekunst, Tyrone Willingham, and John L. Smith turn it down.

 

[Doogie]

If I were a betting man, well I am sometimes, I can't see Lew Perkins hiring Brewster unless the UCONN coach and a few others turn him down.

 

[Rotundo]

I doubt it even matters if KU hires him or not. I too very much doubt that they would want him but what difference does that make? He really can't come back here, can he? The situation is just to unhealthy.

 

[WAGopher]

I agree that Brewster is most likely further down on the list, but it is possible that the dominoes fall that far.

 

[StPaulCyclone]

I thought it was proper for ADs to ask permission before talking to a coach. Brewster's agent is doing a nice job. I can't help thinking this is about getting an extension. In 2006, when Iowa State hired Chizik; Brian Kelly and Jim Harbaugh were confirmed candidates. Brewster claimed he was and publicly took his name out of contention...though he was the only source that said he was ever considered. The guy is a salesman!

 

[Iceland12]

I thought it was proper for ADs to ask permission before talking to a coach. Brewster's agent is doing a nice job. I can't help thinking this is about getting an extension. In 2006, when Iowa State hired Chizik; Brian Kelly and Jim Harbaugh were confirmed candidates. Brewster claimed he was and publicly took his name out of contention...though he was the only source that said he was ever considered. The guy is a salesman!

Gary P. at TCU is legendary for saying he was offered every coaching position in the world and then going back to TCU to get a raise to stay there.

 

[magpie]

Patterson is more than a salesman. Turns out he's a coach too... and he interviewed with us 3 years ago.

 

[Rotundo]

Doogie

Any feel for if this is more Brewster being interested in the job or KU being interested in Brewster. I have to imagine Brewster is the one pushing this.

 

[Doogie]

I thought it was proper for ADs to ask permission before talking to a coach. Brewster's agent is doing a nice job. I can't help thinking this is about getting an extension. In 2006, when Iowa State hired Chizik; Brian Kelly and Jim Harbaugh were confirmed candidates. Brewster claimed he was and publicly took his name out of contention...though he was the only source that said he was ever considered. The guy is a salesman!

When it's the Buffalo coach, yes ... but among the BCS conferences, NO ... Maturi only called Lexington seeking permission to talk with Tubby once a deal was reached.

 

[Doogie]

Doogie

Any feel for if this is more Brewster being interested in the job or KU being interested in Brewster. I have to imagine Brewster is the one pushing this.

More the former than the latter ... He obviously wants a contract extension here with a nice buyout, but sees the writing on the wall that 2010 could be it with just a $400,000 buyout, so why not attempt to get out?

 

[Rotundo]

Does Brewster have money problems? I know he makes about a $1M a year but a lot of these guys run into problems. And it isn't like he made much before he came here.

 

[Schnoodler]

He will if he's out of a job in another year.

 

[50PoundHead]

Patterson was never coming here. He would have been the best candidate, but there was no way we had the money to land him.

Hard to know what is legitimate and what isn't in the rumor mill, but if Brewster gets an offer, he'll take it. Gopher head football coach is a really tough job. The only two years when there was genuine excitement regarding the team in the last 30+ years is when Holtz was here. Brewster comes in and, admittedly he was an unknown quantity, tries the same "get 'em excited" approach and is met with derision and scorn.

Further, I don't sense the institutional support is all that strong for the football program. Sure, we got the new stadium, but I don't sense it has made the Gophers either a hotter ticket or something that the average fan is even going to consider. People can come with the old "win and they'll come," but that's a lame excuse. Mason actually won at a reasonable clip and although the team was playing in a mausoleum, the only time the Metrodome filled up was for Wisconsin and Iowa and only then because the visitors knew there were plenty of seats available.

A major college football team should be able to pack 50,000 plus into a stadium in a market this size. There's no excuse that it doesn't.

Brewster is a better coach then when he got here, but his first season was pretty rough so the bar was low. But in Minnesota, the coach has to be both coach and promoter. The reason Mason isn't here anymore is because he failed so miserably at the latter. I think Brewster realizes this job is a graveyard.

 

[Go Gophers Rah]

I doubt it even matters if KU hires him or not. I too very much doubt that they would want him but what difference does that make? He really can't come back here, can he? The situation is just to unhealthy.

I've never been either a rah-rah Brewster guy nor a Brewster-hater, but I am starting to come to the conclusion that the lack of fan support and downright opposition from a vocal contingent of the fanbase as well as the ultra-negative view from the media is starting to poison the well here for Brewster. Whether this KU thing is a ploy or not, I think it will drive the wedge even further. I really see the bowl as being a big factor in how long of a leash Maturi gives him next year.