Ever since his arrival at Jackson State, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders has been unafraid about his willingness to go after the best players and coaches.
After landing the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit Travis Hunter and Kevin Coleman, another top-50 recruit, plus 15 capable transfers in the field portal, the reigning Eddie Robinson Award winner (FCS top coach), then went out and hired a rising offensive savant in Brett Bartolone to take his team into an era of “Air Raid,” football. With those pieces in tow for the defending SWAC champions, Sanders still saw holes he needed filled.
On Wednesday, he reportedly added longtime Power Five tight ends coach and former Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Tim Brewster.
Tim Brewster, a former head coach at Minnesota who was most recently Dan Mullen’s tight ends coach and assistant head coach at Florida, is expected to join Deion Sanders’ staff at Jackson State, sources tell @on3sportshttps://t.co/MNxeYH2E6O
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) June 1, 2022
The aforementioned Brewster brings a wealth of experience to the offensive room, and his ability to develop tight ends into three-down players is huge. In football, when you have a guy who can play all four downs it keeps the defense guessing, and that’s what you saw Brewster do with 2021 No. 4 overall pick Kyle Pitts while he was at Florida.
The Gators’ 2020 offense was one of the best in the country, and Pitts was a huge reason why. He was a first-round draft pick of the Falcons and showed his generational talent in his rookie season.
Top 5 NFL Rookies (Week 8) | Atlanta Falcons’ Kyle Pitts & Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase Are Already Elite
Now Brewster will look to bring that type of talent development to a JSU Tigers team that doesn’t have Kyle Pitts but does possess plenty of firepower.
How Will Brewster’s Knowledge Fit The Air Raid Offense?
In most Air Raid attacks tight ends are an afterthought, but Sanders bringing in Brewster indicates that the tight ends will be utilized and moved all over the field in JSU’s offense. But in order to do so they’ll need to be multiple-down players. For Brewster, that’s the only way he wants his tight ends to be. He’s never been a fan of the pass-catching and run-blocking version of the position. He wants a guy who can do both adequately.
Brewster spoke about his tight end preferences in a Gators post-practice press conference prior to the season.
“I coach true three-down players,” Brewster said. “I’m not interested in coaching a situational player.”
That philosophy helped turn Pitts into the only tight end to become a Biletnikoff Award finalist, given annually to the nation’s top wide receiver. The work Pitts put in with Brewster allowed him to become the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history.
He also developed FSU’s Nick O’Leary, the starting tight end and Jameis Winston’s security blanket during his two seasons as starting QB in Tallahassee, including the Noles’ 2013 national championship campaign under current Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher.
Brewster Brings Wealth Of Experience: He’ll Help Entire Offense
Great teams have equally polished position coaches, and adding someone with Brewster’s résumé adds another layer to the formidable program Coach Prime is building, brick by brick at JSU. He’s coached everywhere, including NFL stints with the Broncos and Chargers, Power Five jobs with Minnesota, Texas, UNC, Florida State, and the aforementioned Florida. While he didn’t have much success as a head coach (15-30), he’s always been a highly respected and courted tight ends coach.
I’ve worked at some amazing schools in my career….just so blessed! One of the greatest moments The Spear!! pic.twitter.com/d0kXZQtVmE
— Tim Brewster (@TimBrewster) May 14, 2022
JSU Tight End Recruit Perfect For Brewster
Brewster isn’t gaining a position of strength or great depth, and it remains to be seen how this fit will work out. JSU did land tight end Keveon Mullins, a former four-star recruit who transferred in from South Carolina. He has all the tools to be the guy but has to prove himself after not playing much for the Gamecocks.
Keveon Mullins " Tight End" University of South Carolina announces Commitment to Jackson State University pic.twitter.com/8KyNqblVxC
— HBCU Premier Sports & More (@HBCUSports1) January 2, 2022
The Tigers also possess a handful of big-bodied wide receivers who are capable of stepping in and filling the tight end duties based on play formation and design. This is another quality hire by Coach Prime, whose goal is to never just win, but dominate, while elevating every controllable facet of HBCU football.
