Early last week, the wide receivers on the Mississippi State football team found themselves in somewhat of an isolating situation. Angelo Mirando, who was just days away from officially entering his second season as a position’s coach at MSU, unexpectedly resigned as State’s wide receivers coach, citing personal issues in a statement released by MSU on Aug. 19. With the beginning of the 2012 season on the horizon, Mirando’s surprising resignation left the Bulldog offense minus a position’s coach and in quite a predicament.
A day after State announced Mirando’s departure, head coach Dan Mullen said he would coach the wide receivers until a more permanent plan was put into place.
“We have an immediate plan, a short-term plan and a long-term plan,” Mullen said. “The short-term plan and the long-term plan could be a combo plan.”
MSU did not take long to execute the plan, however, as the school announced on Aug. 23 that Tim Brewster, a popular name as both a coach and recruiter, had been hired to fill the void left by Mirando.
Brewster, who flew to Starkville and took part in MSU’s practice the day he was hired, has former playing coaching experience from all corners of the United States. In college, Brewster played for the University of Illinois, where he was selected as a two-time All-Big Ten Conference at the tight end position. Upon graduating, Brewster ventured to the NFL but was cut by the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles before the 1984 and 1985 seasons.
Once his playing days were over, Brewster wasted no time emerging in the coaching world. Since 1986, Brewster has made collegiate coaching stops at Purdue, North Carolina, Texas and Minnesota while also coaching in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos. Along with the teams he has coached, Brewster has three-and-a-half seasons of head coaching experience with Minnesota. Under the direction of Brewster, the Golden Gophers posted a 15-30 record that included back-to-back appearances in the Insight Bowl.
With only nine days to prepare before MSU’s first game of the new season, Brewster said he can immediately contribute knowledge and passion to State’s coaching staff and in-game strategy.
“I’d like to think that I can contribute as a veteran, experienced football coach,” Brewster said. “I’ve been in a lot of different battles. I’ve been in battles in college, I’ve been in battles in the National Football League, and Saturday night is just another one.”
While adjusting to a new environment at MSU, Brewster said he has enjoyed the process of meeting each of State’s wide receivers as well as learning the X’s and O’s of the offense. 
“It’s been a great week for me,” Brewster said. “I’ve really had a great time getting to know these players. This is an outstanding group of young men. It’s as hardworking of a group as I’ve ever been around.”
Upon his arrival at State, Brewster inherits a receiving corps that has the potential to be one of MSU’s best in recent memory. With a mixture of veteran experience and young, blossoming underclassmen, multiple Bulldogs could be destined to have breakout seasons in 2012. Long known as a “player’s coach,” MSU wide receiver Brandon Heavens said Brewster’s high-energy attitude and on-field intensity have been well received by MSU players thus far.
“Coach (Brewster) talks so fast,” Brandon Heavens said jokingly. “He’s so energetic, and that’s what we like about him.”
Arceto Clark, another senior wide receiver, harped on Brewster’s experience and leadership qualities.
“We’ve got a pretty good chemistry,” Clark said of Brewster. “He’s very excited, being that he’s been around the game for awhile. He’s leading us in the right way.”
Joe Morrow, a redshirt freshman wide receiver, said he has been impressed with how quickly Brewster has learned MSU’s players and offensive system.
“He’s a great coach,” Morrow said. “He’s already been with us for four days, and I can already see that he’s a great coach. He’s still learning the system, so he’s coaching us and we’re coaching him. By Saturday, he’ll have it down pat.”