College football circles are small and the coaching carousel often sends coaches across the country by the dozens. It’s more common to see a coach with stops at eight or more schools than it is to see the kind of loyalty that guys like Billy Gonzales, John Hevesy, and Greg Knox have had to Dan Mullen.
Even as that movement becomes common, Tim Brewster might have more airline miles than any other coach in the country. When Brewster takes the field with the Gators on September 26, it will be his fourth different team in as many years. Brewster has coached at the high school, college, and professional levels, even getting the opportunity to coach a future NFL Hall of Famer in Antonio Gates.
Brewster won a National Championship with Florida State in 2013. He followed Jimbo Fisher from Tallahassee to College Station when Fisher became the head coach for Texas A&M. that only lasted a year before Fisher joined Mack Brown’s staff at UNC before Dan Mullen came calling.
Brewster has a deep respect and loyalty to Brown after the head coach gave him an opportunity to coach tight ends while Brown was coaching Texas. It was going to take a lot for Brewster to leave Brown but when Dan Mullen called it was simply an offer he couldn’t pass up.
“I was with him in 2012 at Mississippi State, and I just admire the guy. I admire how he coaches, I admire his work ethic, I admire his aptitude for the game of football,” Brewster said of Mullen. “I haven’t been around a guy that truly, absolutely loves the game like Dan does. I think that’s what I’m about, I’m about positivity and love of the game.”
Still, Brewster’s recent history might have Gators fans feeling that the 59-year old coach is renting in Gainesville rather than buying, but that isn’t the case according to him.
“I told Scott Stricklin I’m going to stay as long as Dan will have me,” Brewster said. “You know, I’d like to stay at the University of Florida for a good stretch and win some national championships and truly be part of something special here.”
Brewster is known for his recruiting prowess and during a 36-minute Zoom interview, you could tell why. Even after a two-plus hour practice, the coach was bouncing around, selling his team and his players to the reporters on the other end of the computer screen. He’s high-energy. He’s excited and it’s palpable.
He has a lot to be excited about as well. He’s getting the chance to coach Kyle Pitts, one of the best tight ends in the country. With Pitts’ work ethic, God-given ability, and skill, combined with Brewster’s experience and coaching ability the duo think Pitts could take home a Mackey Award at the end of the season.
Now the goal is to win and not just for one season.
“I’d like to stay at the University of Florida for a good stretch and win some national championships and truly be part of something special here.”