Leader of the pack
'Brew Crew' has unofficial leader in Orlando native
By: Matt Friedman
Posted: 2/4/08
Cornered by a surplus of legendary college football programs in the state of Florida, all Kansas City-born offensive line recruit Michael Brewster could think about was returning to the Midwest to play for Ohio State.
"That's all he ever talked about wanting to do was going to Ohio State to play," said Bill Gierke, Brewster's coach at Edgewater High School in Orlando.
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Without playing a snap or lifting a weight, Brewster has already contributed to Buckeye football through a commonplace activity: text messaging. Once he decided to become a Buckeye, Brewster met other potential recruits, formed relationships and stayed in touch through text messages. Other recruits committed to the program and suddenly they joined the text game, too.
"We didn't pressure recruits; we became friends and we didn't have to talk about football," Brewster said.
Undecided quarterback and top-ranked national recruit Terrelle Pryor is a good friend Brewster talks to.
"He's got to do what is best for him," Brewster said of Pryor. "When it comes down to it we don't want to end our friendship with him going to Michigan. I keep my hopes up that it works out and I think it will."
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Noon said Brewster might be in the mix for playing time at guard next year because he is the most versatile of the new class of linemen. He also said Brewster and his class will be part of a run of linemen at OSU who could go on to become prominent NFL players.
Brewster is fully aware of the expectations that come with his high ranking.
"I don't want people to think of me as a flop," Brewster said. "This is what I do, I workout and play football and that's what I was born to do."
Gierke doesn't foresee the word flop being used anytime in Brewster's future.
"He is very mature for his age and his focus to be great is second to none," Gierke said. "I've been coaching for 32 years and this is by far the best focused and advanced player I've ever coached without a doubt."