Souhan & Reusse: "Administration Desperate to Fire Brewster"

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GoGophers2005 -- Other coaches in their 3rd year -- Jim Harbaugh, Brian Kelly, Butch Davis, Randy Shannon, Nick Saban, Jeff Jagodzinski (good at BC until he messed up), and Mark Dantonio. Happy Thanksgiving!
 

Doogie....exactly! It's a mixed bag isn't it?
Of all the names the two of us have brought up, I'd like to see what each is being paid.

And of the names I'd say that Saban and Harbaugh have done the best of the bunch. And what would Butch Davis be Thankful today about if he didn't have Withers coaching his defense and a relatively easy schedule (Georgia Southern AND The Citadel + Duke, Virginia, and East Carolina)?
And everyone is high on Brian Kelly but what is their best win this year? Non conference Oregon State? That doesn't say much about the Big East.
 

Should Brewster be fired? Absolutely not. It's asinine to even consider it, imo. We brought in a guy who we knew would have to learn on the job to rebuild the program, not just to take over the existing program. We're at 6-6 and progressing slowly. We made a commitment to Brewster for 5 years. I'd like to think an educational institution who teaches the young minds of our state would lead by example and have the integrity to honor their commitments.

Will Brewster be fired? Not now. We'd be the laughing stock of college football if he was fired. Coaching is a fraternity that Brewster is well connected in. How do you explain to the next coach "We'll start bad mouthing and undermining you publicly after 2 years and fire you after 3 even if your going to bowl games and moving the program in the right direction."? Who wants that job? It's Minnesota and while there's a new stadium and Brewster would have left the program in much better shape than he found it, a coach still has to believe he'll be supported by the Admin. No Admin support + a lynch mob mentality climate in the local media + low pay + difficult recruiting territory = Tough sell to top coaches. Maturi sure as heck better not bring in some coordinator or coaching retread to replace something that's not clearly broken or he'll be next.

When will Brewster be fired? After next season. Maturi will almost have to give him one more year or he'll embarrass the University. Maturi is between a rock and hard place if you believe the rumor mill. You can't just fire the head coach every time a couple boosters get mad that they're not covering the point spread or don't get enough back slaps from the coach. The AD has to run the AD, not the boosters and Maturi has to make sure they understand that. Now, next year we'll be playing 9 bowl teams and the schedule should be even more difficult than this years because the powerhouses Ohio St/Penn St/Iowa are tough to beat whether at home and many of this seasons tough home wins will now be even tougher road games. Factor in our harder non conference schedule (USC) and the reality is another 6-6 season would be a victory for the program but likely enough to to send Brew packing. Then the new schlep gets to field Brewster's players as upper class men and hopefully win at that time.
 

What bowl game is Dantonio coaching in? I want to tune in and check that one out. He made Adam Weber look like Dan Marino a few weeks back, but you missed that one didn't ya?

Q: What kind of "sports writer" takes his honeymoon in the middle of football season anyway?
A: An unemployed one.
 

Studwell55 said:
I tend to agree with this. Say what you will about Pat, he does not talk loosely about these matters. His statements on the Strib site were very unambiguous. He is a professional, at least in this limited respect.
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He is careful with what he writes. He is not careful at all about what he says, on radio or elsewhere.
 


Costa Rican,

Michigan State will likely end up getting picked ahead of the Gophers. They also finished third in the conference and played on New Year's Day last year.

I don't think it's close and the Spartys are way ahead of the Gophers.
 


GopherHomer said:
we beat them
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+1

anonymous said:
I don't think it's close and the Spartys are way ahead of the Gophers.
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Are you kidding me? Not even close? Man, be objective at least. Despite Sparty's nice bowl game last year, I'd say these programs are pretty much exact equals at this point. Like Minnesota, MSU hasn't beaten a ranked team in either of the last two seasons. Blown out by OSU last year. Blown out by PSU each of the last two years. Lost to Minnesota this year. Lost to a 6-6 ND team this year. Lost at home to a MAC team (a strong one, but a MAC team nonetheless). Yeah, clearly a program that's head and shoulders above ours.
 

MG,

Selection Sunday posted this on another thread. One thing that isn't included in the lists below is that MSU finished third in the league last year (when was the last time the Gophers did that) and they have a new QB and RB this season. I don't think it's close.

Dantonio
22-16 overall
13-11 in Big 10
4-2 vs. chief rivals (Michigan & Notre Dame)
5-3 in November Big 10 games
2 seasons of .500 or better in Big 10 (including a 6-2)
0-2 in bowl games
0-1 head to head vs. Brew

Brew
14-23 overall
6-18 in Big 10
0-6 vs. chief rivals (Iowa & Wisconsin)
0-9 in November Big 10 games
0 seasons of .500 or better in Big 10
0-1 in bowl games
1-0 head to head vs. Dantonio
 




anonymous said:
MG,

Selection Sunday posted this on another thread. One thing that isn't included in the lists below is that MSU finished third in the league last year (when was the last time the Gophers did that) and they have a new QB and RB this season. I don't think it's close.

Dantonio
22-16 overall
13-11 in Big 10
4-2 vs. chief rivals (Michigan & Notre Dame)
5-3 in November Big 10 games
2 seasons of .500 or better in Big 10 (including a 6-2)
0-2 in bowl games
0-1 head to head vs. Brew

Brew
14-23 overall
6-18 in Big 10
0-6 vs. chief rivals (Iowa & Wisconsin)
0-9 in November Big 10 games
0 seasons of .500 or better in Big 10
0-1 in bowl games
1-0 head to head vs. Dantonio
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Absolutely pathetic
 


anonymous said:
MG,

Selection Sunday posted this on another thread. One thing that isn't included in the lists below is that MSU finished third in the league last year (when was the last time the Gophers did that) and they have a new QB and RB this season. I don't think it's close.

Dantonio
22-16 overall
13-11 in Big 10
4-2 vs. chief rivals (Michigan & Notre Dame)
5-3 in November Big 10 games
2 seasons of .500 or better in Big 10 (including a 6-2)
0-2 in bowl games
0-1 head to head vs. Brew

Brew
14-23 overall
6-18 in Big 10
0-6 vs. chief rivals (Iowa & Wisconsin)
0-9 in November Big 10 games
0 seasons of .500 or better in Big 10
0-1 in bowl games
1-0 head to head vs. Dantonio
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Both programs were about in similar shape...I'd argue MSU may have been worse off after dealing with John L. Smith running that into the ground.

Dantonio has done a fine job over the past three years...he definitely is a better game day coach than the current guy roaming the U sidelines.
 



60 Cent said:
Both programs were about in similar shape...I'd argue MSU may have been worse off after dealing with John L. Smith running that into the ground.

Dantonio has done a fine job over the past three years...he definitely is a better game day coach than the current guy roaming the U sidelines.
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Dantonio said Brewster outcoached him this year. So you're implying Dantonio was a better coach the other 11 games?
 

Maturi needs to send a strong voice of support for Brewster. With all of the crazy people in the Twin Cities, and the crazier sports media, I think he needs to give Brewster an extension now. I don't think anything else is going to shut people in this town up.
 

steffyboy said:
He's not being fired because he went .500. He's being fired because he went beyond his authority to get things done such as fire Dunbar when the AD said no go. He's an egomaniac. The guy has made some cheesey statements that the smarter higher ups at the U don't like. He appeals to some but not many. I liked his enthusiasm at first and his recruiting but his bull*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# was spread too far. Doogie is right when he says the firing of Brewster is probably being orchestrated by other individuals than Maturi, but from what I've heard Maturi will have no issue if he is gone.
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Sharpest tack in this drawer. You guys should listen to him. The sharp daggers are gathering, have been for the past month. 5,4,3,2..... Go ahead and call me Becky and ask WTF do I know. It won't be the first time I've been correct here. He won't be fired until after the bowl game, unless they get a big fish interested before then.
 

myleslong said:
Sharpest tack in this drawer. You guys should listen to him. The sharp daggers are gathering, have been for the past month. 5,4,3,2..... Go ahead and call me Becky and ask WTF do I know. It won't be the first time I've been correct here. He won't be fired until after the bowl game, unless they get a big fish interested before then.
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Myleslong, weren't you just indicating in another thread that Brewster is running the program in the ground? Here you're implying it has nothing to do with coaching or on-the-field results.

Do you spend nearly as much time talking about the Badgers as you do the Gophers?
 

Here is what I heard today from someone in the media. Bruinicks would like Brewster fired but Maturi is not yet on-board, either through differing opinion or a general lack of guts to pull the trigger. Brewster is supposedly making a powerplay behind the scenes, I think trying to make Maturi look bad.

There is at least one prominent booster, with hockey ties, that is pushing for Brewster to be fired. Will it happen? Who knows.
 

zman -- If Bruininks wants Brewster out, he'll be out ... there is no power struggle w/ Maturi ... Bruininks, who is very involved, will do what he wants to do ... I have no inside knowledge on what Brewster's future is, just reacting to your post.
 

That's cool. I don't know if he is trying to get Maturi on board, or maybe my info is not entirely correct. I just hear that Brewster is doing some crap behind Maturi's back. I am not sure if Maturi is aware of it or not.
 

All I know is, if they are really gonna do this, they need to do it now, or not do it at all. If they don't feel justified in doing it now, then throw out support and say he's coming back now, cause recruiting can suffer if this stuff lingers. DO NOT wait until after the bowl game, just get it overwith now so the next coach can have a chance recruiting-wise.
 

60 Cent said:
Both programs were about in similar shape...I'd argue MSU may have been worse off after dealing with John L. Smith running that into the ground.

Dantonio has done a fine job over the past three years...he definitely is a better game day coach than the current guy roaming the U sidelines.
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Where was Brewster's Javon Ringer and Brian Hoyer? I won't look it up now but was Devin Thomas a John L Smith guy or a Dantonio guy? (he was a juco recruit). I don't think you could find a single evaluator of talent who would have rather taken over the Gophers from Mason than the Spartans from Smith.

I'd certainly say that Dantonio has badly outperformed Brewster through 3 years, but they were about equal in year 3. Unfortunately for us, Purdue (and to a lesser degree Indiana) seem to be moving closer to the Gophers level.
 

GoldInDirt said:
Dantonio said Brewster outcoached him this year. So you're implying Dantonio was a better coach the other 11 games?
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Dantonio likely wasn't paying attention to the Iowa game or to the SDSU game when he made that statement. ;)

Dantonio did not coach well at several points this year (it's reflected in the bad losses they've had) but overall I think he's better than Brewster in terms of game management...specific decisions are one thing but Dantonio's teams by and large played better football on the whole compared to the U.

MSU lost five games by 8 or less (2-5 overall in the TD+2pt or less department). He flips that to 5-2 and Sparty is 9-3 this year and playing on New Years Day.
 

60 Cent said:
MSU lost five games by 8 or less (2-5 overall in the TD+2pt or less department). He flips that to 5-2 and Sparty is 9-3 this year and playing on New Years Day.
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I don't have an opinion on Dantonio but I find this a bit of a BS argument. Talented, well coached teams win those games, the other types lose those games and then talk about how close they were. That's pretty much what separates them.
 

EG#9 said:
Where was Brewster's Javon Ringer and Brian Hoyer?
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Pinnix, Weber weren't exactly chopped liver...not great but Weber was praised by most folks until the spread was dumped and his throwing motion was altered. Weber is pretty much damaged goods at this point but his play as a freshman and most of his sophomore year was competent to good...Pinnix was a 1000 yard rusher in '06...jus' sayin.

Eric Decker was here as well. Nate Tripplett was a Mason recruit as well...as was most of the current defense that folks here praise. Some of you act like the cupboard was completely empty. The vast majority of that front 7 on defense was Mason kids.

Not to stoke the whole Mason/Brewster argument but there was talent here when Mason was canned...it wasn't heaping with blue chip talent but the way the defense played this year wasn't due to fairy dust and magic.

I won't look it up now but was Devin Thomas a John L Smith guy or a Dantonio guy? (he was a juco recruit). I don't think you could find a single evaluator of talent who would have rather taken over the Gophers from Mason than the Spartans from Smith.

I'd certainly say that Dantonio has badly outperformed Brewster through 3 years, but they were about equal in year 3. Unfortunately for us, Purdue (and to a lesser degree Indiana) seem to be moving closer to the Gophers level.
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Thomas was a John L Smith guy...however, I'm going to disagree that D'Antonio has badly outperformed Brewster through 3 years. I'm not saying D'Antonio is on a Tressel level but he has outcoached Brewster overall and I would argue has MSU in a slightly better position than Brewster does. MSU's team is quite young at skill positions...a few of those games go the other way that they lost and they're 9-3 and not 6-6.

zman said:
I don't have an opinion on Dantonio but I find this a bit of a BS argument. Talented, well coached teams win those games, the other types lose those games and then talk about how close they were. That's pretty much what separates them.
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MSU is a fairly young team (frosh RB, soph QB). I agree that Dantonio f'd up one or two games with coaching but I think MSU's program is in a better position right now than where Brewster has the U. MSU loses 5 on both sides of the ball while the U will pretty much have a new defense in there next year.

This isn't putting MSU on the PSU/OSU tier by the way but I think given where their program is set up for 2010 Michigan State will have a better season and will probably win more games than Minnesota.
 

60 Cent said:
Pinnix, Weber weren't exactly chopped liver...not great but Weber was praised by most folks until the spread was dumped and his throwing motion was altered. Weber is pretty much damaged goods at this point but his play as a freshman and most of his sophomore year was competent to good...Pinnix was a 1000 yard rusher in '06...jus' sayin.

Eric Decker was here as well. Nate Tripplett was a Mason recruit as well...as was most of the current defense that folks here praise. Some of you act like the cupboard was completely empty. The vast majority of that front 7 on defense was Mason kids.

Not to stoke the whole Mason/Brewster argument but there was talent here when Mason was canned...it wasn't heaping with blue chip talent but the way the defense played this year wasn't due to fairy dust and magic.



Thomas was a John L Smith guy...however, I'm going to disagree that D'Antonio has badly outperformed Brewster through 3 years. I'm not saying D'Antonio is on a Tressel level but he has outcoached Brewster overall and I would argue has MSU in a slightly better position than Brewster does. MSU's team is quite young at skill positions...a few of those games go the other way that they lost and they're 9-3 and not 6-6.



MSU is a fairly young team (frosh RB, soph QB). I agree that Dantonio f'd up one or two games with coaching but I think MSU's program is in a better position right now than where Brewster has the U. MSU loses 5 on both sides of the ball while the U will pretty much have a new defense in there next year.

This isn't putting MSU on the PSU/OSU tier by the way but I think given where their program is set up for 2010 Michigan State will have a better season and will probably win more games than Minnesota.
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Quit being a Mason apologist/Brewster hater. Either you ignore facts like you posted or Bronko is going to call you a Becky fan under your facade. There was nobody here when Brewster took over and he was going to start three of the equipment managers until he worked his magic and recruited enough to field a team. That's how close some here make it sound. The U almost gave up football until Brewster arrived.
 

Doogie said:
Fractured might've been too strong ... that's why I clarified three words later ... Do you know why he was blunt to Brewster? There's a little bit more to that story ...
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I have some info from within the Athletic Dept and can confirm what Doogie is saying (and no, I won't provide any detail about who or how I know). I might in fact use the term "fractured" in regards to the Maturi/Brewster relationship based on what I've heard.

Think of it in terms of a manager/employee relationship. As a manager, how do you think Maturi reacts to things like the Reusse tweet, the recent verbal beat-down, the berating of the Marketing person, the KFAN debacle earlier this year, etc. All of those things give a manager significant headache (and heartache I'm guessing). At some point that has to do significant damage to a professional relationship when the manager continually deals with that kind of BS from an employee.

Now that doesn't mean anything about the ultimate question being asked here (firing?) but I think it's very clear that Brewster has created quite a mess for himself internally and that can't help his cause in any way. Does a manager in Maturi's situation really go to bat for an employee that has acted like Brewster? Not likely is my guess.
 

Doogie and Clyde

If there is a problem with the head football coach...that would make 2 in a row.

I can get the first one (Maturi didn't hire Mason)....but this thing with Brewster. It can be a 2 way street...we don't know if Maturi promised something and didn't follow through...or what the deal is. It might be true...but I have a hard time believing that Brewster would all of a sudden be a bad employee...as Maturi gave him his BIG chance coaching D1 football. Something doesn't add up.

Hiring is the most important thing one can do as a "manager" as Maturi has been referred to. Maturi should be held accoutable for the situation on the field....as much or more than the head coach...HE hired him.

If the Admin want to fire him do it now (not after the bowl game)....other wise shut up...and let him coach....and extend him as he will need it to recruit properly.

This sniping and gossip has no place anywhere in a profressional workplace ANYWHERE.

So a win against ILL or Iowa and this goes away???? I smell something else at play if this gossip is true.

Go Gophers!
 

Clyde Tester said:
I have some info from within the Athletic Dept and can confirm what Doogie is saying (and no, I won't provide any detail about who or how I know). I might in fact use the term "fractured" in regards to the Maturi/Brewster relationship based on what I've heard.

Think of it in terms of a manager/employee relationship. As a manager, how do you think Maturi reacts to things like the Reusse tweet, the recent verbal beat-down, the berating of the Marketing person, the KFAN debacle earlier this year, etc. All of those things give a manager significant headache (and heartache I'm guessing). At some point that has to do significant damage to a professional relationship when the manager continually deals with that kind of BS from an employee.

Now that doesn't mean anything about the ultimate question being asked here (firing?) but I think it's very clear that Brewster has created quite a mess for himself internally and that can't help his cause in any way. Does a manager in Maturi's situation really go to bat for an employee that has acted like Brewster? Not likely is my guess.
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Exactly. At some point it is no longer worth the BS, particularly at 6-6.
 

I don't want it to seem like I'm continually ragging on Mason, but if he had coached the team in 2007, he probably wouldn't have gone 1-10, but I doubt he would have finished .500. Remember Pinnix was hurt his entire senior year and unless Mason is a faith healer or would have put Benny Hinn on the staff, we would have had no experience at RB. Whoever was at QB would have been inexperienced. My guess is Mortenson would have been the starter and either he or Weber would have been handing off all the time to, as I said earlier, an extremely inexperienced set of RBs.

As for the defense, it was Brewster who moved Campbell to LB. In Mason's scheme, he would have remained an undersized DE. Triplett would have been an inexperienced LB. Garrett Brown has improved greatly with Tim Cross as his position coach. Would the same have happened with Mason's DL coach? Further, as bad as Brewster's defense was under Withers, would it have been any better with David Lockwood running up and down the sidelines excitedly exhorting his players (whom he had lined up incorrectly?). Brewster has slowly turned this defense into a speed-based "forward" defense and it started to show some (and I mean "some") improvement and that aspect was totally absent during the Mason years.

Whether or not the Gophers under Mason would have improved more noticeably in 2008 and 2009 is a question worth asking, but 2007 was pretty much pre-ordained, at least in my view, to be a subpar season. Mason's shortcomings as a recruiter and his utter failure as an ambassador for Gopher football did him in more than anything else and his dismissal was rational. As I've written many times before, whether Brewster is the right replacement is a debate worth having, but Mason had played out his string.
 

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