When Minnesota originally hired its new coach two years ago, the initial reaction was: "Who?" When he proceeded to produce a 1-11 record in his first season, a lot of Gophers fans were asking, "Why (did we hire this guy?)" When he managed to woo a top-20 recruiting class to Minnesota, the whole country wondered: "How?" And now we're left asking the same question now that Brewster has inexplicably turned the Gophers from 1-11 to 6-1 (even finding a way to mysteriously beat Illinois despite allowing 550 yards).

Having talked to Brewster, it's easy to see why players buy into him. His relentlessly upbeat, energetic personality is contagious. Minnesota still has a ways to go in building up its talent level, but several of Brewster's imports are already paying dividends. Freshman RB Deleone Eskridge ran for 124 yards and two TDs against the Illini, while juco LB Simoni Lawrence returned a fumble for a touchdown. Having already faced Ohio State, and with no Penn State or Michigan State on the schedule, the Gophers could well win eight or nine games. Can you say Coach of the Year?