Career: Began career at quarterback, but was moved to wide receiver toward the end of second season with the Wildcats ... After making the transition to a new position, and overcoming some injuries, saved his best for last, concluding his career with a stellar senior season in 2009 ... Played multiple receiver positions, but seemed to find a home on the outside ... Big receiver who came into his own in 2009 ... An outstanding student-athlete, who not only excelled on the field, but off, as he was selected as a 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team recipient ... Closed career with nearly 1,500 all-purpose yards.
2009: Graduate student ... Named to Phil Steele's preseason All-Big Ten squad (fourth team) ... Named to the 2009 AFCA Good Works Team@, one of 11 players nationally from the FBS ranks ... Tabbed as one of 10 finalists for the 2009 ARA Sportsmanship Award and one of 12 finalists for the Wuerffel Trophy Award ... Semifinalist for National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy ... Team's Carnig Minasian Citizenship Award recipient (given for outstanding citizenship in all aspects of campus life) ... Set a single-season school record with a 16.2 yards per reception average (breaking the mark of 16.1, held by Sam Simmons) ... Ranked fourth in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game (71.2) and eighth in receptions per game (4.4) ... Among Big Ten receivers who had 4.0 or more catches per game, ranked first in yards per reception average (16.2) ... Team-leader with 925 receiving yards (57 catches) -- that figure ranks fourth on NU's all-time single-season list ... Finished season with nine TD receptions, second-most on NU's single-season list ... Seven of his nine TD grabs went for 20 yards or more ... Had five 100-yard receiving games ... Closed career with perhaps his best performance in the Outback Bowl vs. Auburn: eight catches for 133 yards and two TD's -- 39- and 35-yard TD grabs ... Also threw NU's fourth-quarter tying two-point PAT conversion pass to Brendan Mitchell ... Tabbed an All-Big Ten Bowl selection by ESPN.com ... Named team's offensive player of the game vs. Indiana and offensive big playmaker vs. Wisconsin and Towson ... Surpassed the 100-yard plateau in Senior Day win over Wisconsin (102 yards) on six receptions and hauled in two touchdowns (26, 12 yards) ... Totaled 73 yards on three catches at Illinois, including a 52-yard reception in the third quarter ... At Iowa, compiled 33 receiving yards on three catches and returned one punt for five yards ... Caught six passes for 65 yards and returned two punts for 22 yards against Penn State ... Tied his career high with eight receptions vs. Indiana while racking up a team-best 135 receiving yards, including a 51-yard TD reception that helped fuel NU's 25-point comeback win ... At Michigan State, set a career high with eight catches that totaled 108 yards, including a 15-yard TD grab in the first quarter ... Three catches for 44 yards, including a 24-yard third-quarter touchdown reception, vs. Minnesota ... At Syracuse, he caught a 39-yard TD pass and also threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Mike Kafka on a quarterback throwback play ... Totaled 184 all-purpose yards (four catches for 73 yards, six kickoff returns for 111 yards) against the Orange ... Two receptions for 18 yards vs. Eastern Michigan ... Against Towson, caught six passes for a career-high 145 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown strike from Dan Persa for his first receiving TD ... His 145 yards in the opener were the most since Jonathan Fields had 202 vs. TCU in the 2004 opener ... Academic All-Big Ten.
2008: Finished fifth on team in receiving yards with 145 on 18 catches ... In Alamo Bowl vs. Missouri, caught three passes for 14 yards ... Against Illinois, caught two passes for seven yards ... Three catches for 21 yards vs. Ohio State ... Caught one pass at Minnesota for 14 yards ... At Indiana, caught two passes for 25 yards, including a season-long 19-yard reception ... Left the game vs. Ohio in the second half with a right knee injury ... Sat out the Iowa game with the injury ... Returned to action against Michigan State ... At Duke, caught one pass for 16 yards ... Hauled in a team-best six passes for 48 yards in the season-opening win vs. Syracuse ... Academic All-Big Ten.
2007: Sat out the entire season with a broken arm, an injury he suffered during the preseason.
2006: Academic All-Big Ten ... Began the year at quarterback, but played some wide receiver/slot positions once C.J. Bachér moved into the starting QB role ... His first career reception was a 48-yarder on NU's opening TD drive at Iowa ... Played some backfield snaps against Illinois and totaled 13 rushing yards, which included a 2-yard TD run on the 'Cats' first TD drive ... Made his first career QB start at Penn State ... Played the entire game, completing 14-of-30 passes for 157 yards and an interception against the Nittany Lions ... Ran for a team-best 41 yards, despite being sacked three times ... Named NU's Chevrolet Player of the Game for ABC ... Made second career start at Wisconsin, where he totaled 174 total yards (94 passing, team- and career-best 80 rushing) ... Completed 10-of-24 passes with an interception ... Versus Purdue, was 7-of-11 for 59 yards with an interception ... Had 30 rushing yards (on 20 carries) against the Boilers ... Made first career appearance on final series of the season-opening game at Miami ... Saw his first significant action at QB in the second half of Eastern Michigan game ... Ran for 26 yards (1.7 ypc) and his first collegiate TD (1-yard run), and completed 6-of-8 passes for 34 yards vs. EMU ... Played one snap against Nevada and had a carry for 7 yards ... Appeared in NU's final drive at Michigan, rushing for 6 yards and throwing one interception.
2005: Redshirted.
High School: Named an all-state quarterback by the Daily Oklahoman, Tulsa World and the Oklahoma Coaches Association ... Led prep power Jenks to the Class 6A state title game in both 2003 and 2004 ... The Trojans won the state championship in 2003 (12-2) ... Went 12-1 his senior year, with the loss coming in the championship game ... SuperPrep All-Midlands Region team ... Ranked 47th in SuperPrep's region player rankings and ninth in the state ... Ranked 11th in the state by Rivals.com ... For career, threw for 3,705 yards (220-of-407), 45 touchdowns and 16 interceptions ... Also rushed for 1,081 yards (on 187 carries, 5.8 ypc) and 12 touchdowns ... Team captain ... 2004 District Co-Player of the Year ... Also played safety and registered 18 tackles and two interceptions in 2004 ... One of his best throwing performances came against Ponca City: 12-of-16 for 237 yards and three TD's ... Versus Muskogee, totaled 163 passing yards (three TD's) and 165 rushing yards (1 TD) ... Played in the Oklahoma High School All-Star game in July, 2005 as well as the Oil Bowl (Oklahoma vs. Texas all-stars) ... In the Oil Bowl, was named the game's MVP by completing 8-of-14 passes for 79 yards and a pair of TD's ... Also had 22 yards rushing for Oklahoma, which recorded a 38-7 win over the Lone Star state -- its biggest win over its border rivals ... Also helped the Trojans to a state title in track and field ... A 2004 NSIC All-American in the 4x400 relay ... Four-year member of school's Honor Roll and a Student-of-the-Month honoree ... Coached by Allan Trimble.
Personal: Born Andrew Jesse Brewer ... Son of Paul and Jewel Brewer ... Father played football one year at Tulsa ... Graduated in June 2009 with degrees in communication studies and religion ... Enrolled in graduate school (communication studies).
The Brewer File
Q: If you could dine with anyone from any period in history, who would it be?
A: The Apostle Paul
Q: What is the greatest lesson in life that you have learned?
A: Life: It's not about me
Q: Something people would be surprised to know about me is:
A: I plan on getting involved in the ministry after college.
Q: My favorite place to visit is:
A: The beach
Q: My favorite thing about NU is:
A: The new friendships I've made
Q: Best part about being a Northwestern football player is:
A: Playing in the Big Ten
Q: Describe Coach Fitzgerald in five words or less:
A: Passionate
Q: Most humbling experience:
A: My senior year of high school. State runner-up in both football and track
Q: What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
A: Leading people to a relationship with Jesus Christ
Q: The best book I have ever read is:
A: The Fisherman by Larry Huntsperger
Q: The person that inspires me the most is:
A: My whole family
Q: When I played football as a kid, I pretended to be:
A: John Elway
Q: If you could have a starring role in any film already made, which movie would you pick?
A: Braveheart
Q: My favorite food is:
A: Mom's lasagna
Q: My favorite thing about playing at Ryan Field is:
A: Not having to travel.
Q: My ultimate SportsCenter highlight would be:
A: Celebrating with my team after we win the national championship.
Q: My favorite television show is:
A: Man Vs. Wild
Brewer's Career Statistics
RUSHING G Att Yds TD Lg Avg/C Avg/G2006................ 10 72 202 3 24 2.8 20.22008................ 12 1 0 0 0 0.0 0.02009................ 13 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0TOTAL............... 35 73 202 3 24 2.8 9.2
PASSING G Att- Cmp- Int Yds TD Lg Pct Avg/P Avg/G Effic2006................ 10 74- 37- 4 344 0 37 50.0 4.6 34.4 78.22008................ 12 0- 0- 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.02009................ 13 1 1 0 24 1 24 100.0 24.0 1.8 631.6TOTAL............... 35 75- 38- 4 368 1 37 50.7 4.9 10.5 85.6
TOTAL OFFENSE G Rush Pass Total Avg/G2006................ 10 202 344 546 54.62008................ 12 0 0 0 0.02009................ 13 0 24 24 1.8TOTAL............... 35 202 368 570 16.3
RECEIVING G Rec Yds TD Lg Rec/G Avg/C Avg/G2006................ 10 1 48 0 48 0.1 48.0 4.82008................ 12 18 145 0 19 1.5 8.1 12.12009................ 13 57 925 9 72 4.4 16.2 71.2TOTAL............... 35 76 1118 9 72 2.2 14.7 31.9
SCORING G TD Rush Pass Retn PAT 2PAT FG Total Avg/G2006................ 10 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 18 1.82008................ 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.02009................ 13 9 0 9 0 0 0 0 54 4.2TOTAL............... 35 12 3 9 0 0 0 0 72 2.1
PUNT RETURNS G No. Yds TD Lg Avg/R Avg/G2006................ 10 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02008................ 12 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02009................ 13 7 33 0 14 4.7 2.5TOTAL............... 35 7 33 0 14 4.7 0.9
KICK RETURNS G No. Yds TD Lg Avg/R Avg/G2006................ 10 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02008................ 12 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.02009................ 13 7 135 0 24 19.3 10.4TOTAL............... 35 7 135 0 24 19.3 3.9
ALL PURPOSE G Rush Rec PR KR IR Total Avg/G2006................ 10 202 48 0 0 0 250 25.02008................ 12 0 145 0 0 0 145 12.12009................ 13 0 925 33 135 0 1093 84.1TOTAL............... 35 202 1118 33 135 0 1488 42.5