▁end ▁more ▁heavily ▁in ▁their ▁off ensive ▁scheme . ▁ ▁At ▁Illinois ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁two - time ▁All - Big ▁Ten ▁Conference ▁selection ▁as ▁a ▁tight ▁end . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁first ▁season ▁he ▁played ▁against ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Alabama ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁Liber ty ▁Bowl , ▁which ▁was ▁Bear ▁Bry ant ' s ▁final ▁game . ▁In ▁his ▁final ▁season ▁he ▁capt ained ▁the ▁Ill ini ▁during ▁their ▁run ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁Rose ▁Bowl . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁player ▁at ▁Illinois ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁former ▁Minnesota ▁Vik ings ▁head ▁coach ▁Brad ▁Child ress ▁was ▁an ▁assistant ▁coach . ▁ ▁He ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁political ▁science . ▁ ▁The ▁Illinois ▁program ▁named ▁him ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Fight ing ▁Ill ini ' s ▁ten ▁greatest ▁rece ivers ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁Following ▁his ▁college ▁career , ▁he ▁made ▁an ▁un success ful ▁attempt ▁at ▁establish ing ▁a ▁professional ▁playing ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁NFL . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁cut ▁during ▁training ▁camp ▁for ▁both ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁New ▁York ▁Gi ants ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁Philadelphia ▁E ag les . ▁ ▁Co aching ▁career ▁ ▁High ▁school ▁B rew ster ▁began ▁his ▁co aching ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁gradu ate ▁assistant ▁for ▁Pur due ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁under ▁Leon ▁B urt nett . ▁ ▁B urt nett ▁was ▁fired ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁ ▁B rew