Cosgrove hired to improve U defense

To Tim Brewster, it was a matter of looking at the whole body of work.

That's why Brewster on Friday went to his past for the Gophers future by naming Kevin Cosgrove as co-coordinator of the defense. Current defensive backs coach Ronnie Lee was elevated to co-coordinator status as well. Together they will replace Ted Roof, who left this week to take a similar position at Auburn.

"I know very well what Kevin brings to the plate," Brewster said Friday after signing Cosgrove to a one-year, $300,000 contract.

That plate -- Cosgrove's résumé -- is full, though some parts are tastier than others.

Cosgrove was at Wisconsin for 14 years through the 2003 season. During that time the Badgers won three Big Ten titles and three Rose Bowls, the last two with Cosgrove as Barry Alvarez's defensive coordinator. But that was followed by a four-year stint as defensive coordinator at Nebraska under Bill Callahan that ended with the entire staff being fired.

In 2002 Cosgrove was named by The Sporting News as the Big Ten's best coordinator. Five years later, as Nebraska stumbled to a 5-7 record, Cosgrove felt the wrath of Cornhuskers fans coaching a defense that finished 112th nationally -- only seven spots better than the Gophers. Cosgrove knows better than anyone how quickly things change; his Huskers defenses were in the top 25 in points allowed in both 2005 and 2006 before things went south in 2007.

Brewster is hoping a return to the Big Ten is just what Cosgrove -- and the Gophers -- need. Cosgrove spent the 2008 season out of college football, helping coach his son's team in Madison, Wis.

"One of the biggest things is how badly he wanted to be a Gopher," Brewster said of Cosgrove, who will be the third defensive coordinator under Brewster. "He wanted to be part of our program. It's very important for our players that we have people who want to be here."

Lee, part of Brewster's original staff, knows Cosgrove as well. He coached Badgers defensive backs under Cosgrove in 2003. Before that he was San Jose State's defensive coordinator for two seasons.

Brewster said Cosgrove will call the defenses on game day.

Alvarez, now Wisconsin's athletic director, said he thought Cosgrove is coming to Minnesota with extra motivation.

"I think he's always been motivated," Alvarez said. "But after sitting out a year? He's been a coach all his life. I know he's been chomping at the bit to get back at it. He has something to prove to show people that was an aberration at Nebraska and what he did at our place was the real deal."

Passed up a job with Vikings

Cosgrove was not available for comment. But in a release he said: "I'm thrilled to be back in the Big Ten. I'm definitely excited about the opportunity to work with Tim Brewster and an outstanding AD in Joel Maturi at the University of Minnesota. I'm very familiar with Minnesota. I always felt that this program had great potential and I'm glad to have the opportunity to work here."

Cosgrove, who came up as a linebackers coach, could have left Nebraska on his own terms. He was asked by coach Brad Childress to join the Vikings staff as an assistant in 2006 but didn't want to move his family.

The Huskers had a hard time defending the Big 12's spread offenses, a fact that was aggravated by a Nebraska offense that couldn't stay on the field.

During the past season Cosgrove did some consulting work for a few college programs, a job that enabled him to study what other defensive coaches were doing.

The hiring of Cosgrove and elevation of Lee gives the Gophers a bevy of titles. Defensive line coach Tim Cross is associate head coach. On the offensive side, Tim Davis was hired for two years at $200,000 per season to be the offensive line coach and running game coordinator. Brewster said he expects to fill the offensive coordinator job next week.

Meanwhile, former offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar, who has been reassigned by the department, will continue to draw his $270,000 salary until he finds another job.