Defensive Coordinator. Paul Brewster. The epitome of a tough Defensive Coach. A strong, disciplined man who showed love for his Players in his own way. Brewster would often say: “I don’t have time to tell you all the things you’re doing right. When you come down to the Field, leave your feelings up on the fencepost and pick them up on your way out.” Brewster initiated us boys into men. He taught us how to be respectable Warriors. He taught us how to fight in the “Sweat Box". None of us will ever forget “Top Cat”. It’s was a form of hand-to-hand combat with a broomstick-handle like weapon that was padded on both ends. One of his favorite sayings was “You’re going to get your Tally-wacker knocked up into your watch-pocket.” Good advise to always be on-guard when you enter the Field-of-play. I learned this the hard way. When I was a Sophomore, I stood daydreaming during practice one hot afternoon and a Senior came out of nowhere and blindsided me—knocked me flat on my back. I jumped up, the Senior shrugged and said, “Coach Brewster told me to do it.” My head was In-the-Game every practice after that hit. In 1979, on another hot practice day, I watched him whip the bare-calves of a big defensive tackle with his leather whistle strap. He demanded the big lineman get his feet moving in the drill with an offensive lineman. This was totally acceptable in 1979 and he was initiating us boys into being men. We needed the tough-love Brewster dished out to us. We feared Coach Brewster in a respectful way. We loved him and we knew he loved us all in return.
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