LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Leading a football team through a world crisis is hard enough on its own, but for Louisville wide receivers coach Gunter Brewer, the past few months have been riddled with challenges.
“There’s a lot of things that have happened to us while we’ve been gone that you have to be extremely tough mentally to fight through,” Brewer said.
The first blow came in late March when it was announced junior wide receiver Corey Reed had lost his father to complications from COVID-19.
“He’s handling it better than I would,” Brewer said. “I guess young people have a way of being really resilient and fighting through things. We’ve given him as much help as we can.”
Then came the tragic shooting death of 18-year-old Louisville signee, Dexter Rentz. His funeral was held earlier this month in Florida.
“You found out real quick he had a magnetic personality,” Brewer said. “He was a dynamic person with an infectious smile. He didn’t come from a whole lot but had a very loving family and people that really cared about him. It also affects you mentally in a case where we weren’t able to go (to the funeral) due to the restrictions on travel and other things involved, which was heartbreaking.”
Through the losses, Brewer said his position group has grown closer, although they are still limited to virtual meetings.
“The journey is really the best part,” Brewer said. “Everybody sees the games as being it, but it’s really the amount of time you spend with people in the locker room, on buses, in the weight room, meeting room. You get to know people you otherwise would’ve never crossed paths with. So, it’s a unique situation not being able to have that.”
The good news is that the wide-out position shows a lot of promise. Not only does the team return its top two receivers in Tutu Atwell and Dez Fitzpatrick, but its younger core brings a new wave of athleticism.
Brewer seems particularly excited about Fitzpatrick’s younger brother, Christian.
“I expect big things from him,” Brewer said. “He’s a large human being. He’s Dez’ little brother but that’s just a fictitious statement because he’s much larger than his brother.”
Until Brewer has a chance to see his players in person, the development will have to continue virtually. What makes it easier, Brewer said, is working with a coaching staff like Scott Satterfield’s.
“Coach (Satterfield) has done a great job since he’s gotten here about building relationships where guys feel like they can trust us and we care about them, and that’s all truth," Brewer said. "It’s very transparent and that’s really helped us in these times, especially tough times.”
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