RECRUITING: Nolan Brewster Likes The Big Hit

It doesn’t hurt your football IQ when your dad has been coaching the game as long as Nolan Brewster’s. Tim Brewster is the new head coach at the University Minnesota after assistant coach tenure with the Denver Broncos. His son, Nolan Brewster of Denver (CO) Mullen, will be one of the most highly recruited safeties in America for the class of ’08. The younger Brewster has game.

Growing up around so much football, Nolan Brewster (6-1.5, 195) couldn’t help but learn along the way. The quarterback of the defense for his Mullen team, Brewster also likes to dole out some punishment when he plays the game and his role model is one of the NFL’s all-time headhunters.

“I think I model my game after John Lynch,” Brewster said about the all pro safety that is known for dismantling ball carriers. “I have been around him for the past two years now with my dad having been a coach for the Broncos. He is such a smart player. You know he isn’t the fastest or the quickest; he just puts himself in great positions to make plays.

“I think I just grasp the defense and have a general understanding of football because I have been around it my whole life. I think my football intelligence helps me out.”

That intelligence helped him make one of the more memorable plays of his career as a sophomore at Mullen. It was a play that ended up finishing the game and his team coming out victorious.

“I remember when we were playing up in Fairview in my sophomore year,” he said. “They were trying to make a comeback I picked it off and ran it back a ways to seal the game.”

Still if he had his way, the ball isn’t what he would be getting a hold of on a play. Brewster just loves to hit and along those lines, he loves to dole out the pain.

“I just wan to make a play whatever it takes,” he said. “Me, I am looking for the big hit. I will take that over an interception any day. “

Brewster’s ability has a number of suitors lined up wanting him to play for their school. His father’s new team was one of the first to offer a scholarship to Nolan, but he is not a lock to wind up a Golden Gopher.

“I have eight offers, Texas, UCLA, Colorado, Colorado State, LSU, Minnesota, Illinois, and Oregon,” he said before he talked about the awkward situation of having his own father recruit him. “He definitely wants me to play for him and he has his guys recruiting me hard, but he understands if I want to go somewhere else. He plans on going with me this summer on some unofficial visits. He really is supportive and understands and will respect my decision.”

Brewster plans on taking some trips to some big time programs in the summer.

“Florida is definitely going to be one of the schools I visit,” he said. “Texas is one of them … Notre Dame, and UCLA too. I may go to some camps to schools that haven’t offered and I want to get an offer from them, but nothing is set.

The Gators have really started heating up the recruitment of Brewster. He seems to know a bit about the Gator program and its legacy in college football.

“I always heard about Florida and the program and the players they have produced,” Brewster said. “They won the national championship and they are just starting to recruit me and that is a definite plus.

“I have been to Florida and the weather is nice and with a top program like that, you can’t really beat it. I saw them pretty much every time they were on TV. I liked to watch them and other SEC teams. I’d say they just play with a swagger like no one can beat them. They came in as the underdogs and just knew they would win. They are a tough team, hard nosed, especially with Coach [Urban] Meyer that is how he likes to have it.”

Currently his spring is going well and he is power lifting and running. His bench is at 300 and he squats about 405 competitively for Mullen. When spring ball rolls around he will probably play a little receiver and fullback in preparation for the ’07 season.

As his senior season grows nearer he can reflect a little on his pre collegiate career in the game he loves. He started in on his first memories of football.

“I used to be a ball boy,” Brewster said. “My dad used to coach for North Carolina and I remember being on the field and catching balls and after they kicked off I ran out and got the tee. That was some of my first memories.

“I wanted to be a football player ever since I saw the game. I knew right from an early age that is what I wanted to do.”

And that leads to a collegiate decision. When it is all said and done, Brewster just wants to fit in at the place he chooses to play football.

“In the end, I just have to feel comfortable,” he said. “A lot of places will offer a scholarship but I might not feel comfortable because there isn’t a lot of communication. I just have to feel comfortable with the location and me feeling like I can play there.”