Recruiting Areas: South Denver, Parker, Castle Rock, Colorado Springs; North and West Houston
Tim Brandon completed his second season as offensive coordinator in 2024, and eighth season overall on the Mines coaching staff. Brandon, who also works with the offensive line, has had two tenures in Golden, first as wide receivers coach in 2015 and then as offensive line coach from 2018-22 before being promoted to offensive coordinator.
In his first season as the offensive coordinator in 2023, Brandon led Mines to historic production as the Orediggers made their second consecutive appearance in the national championship game. Mines set the program record for wins going 14-1 and had four all-Americans (John Matocha, Levi Johnson, Steele Petty, and Max McLeod) on the offensive side of the ball. Mines' offense continued to put up big numbers with 46.5 points and 508.7 yards per game as Matocha, the Harlon Hill Award runner-up, became college football's all-time leader in passing and total touchdowns during the season. McLeod broke the program records for receptions and receiving yards, and Johnson became the first player in Mines history to win the Gene Upshaw Award as D-II's lineman of the year. The Orediggers set program records for yards in a season (7,630) and first downs (387).
Mines had more offensive highlights in 2024 as the Orediggers ranked #5 in D-II in total offense and #12 in scoring offense led again by the receiver duo of Max McLeod and Flynn Schiele, who both earned all-America honors. Offensive tackle Nic Van de Graaf was an all-American and national finalist for the Upshaw Award.
As the offensive line coach since 2018, Brandon has worked with some of the nation's best units and has produced all-Americans in Grant Stewart (twice) and Matt Armendariz (twice) along with Johnson, Petty, and Van de Graaf. Armendariz won the Rimington Award as NCAA Division II's best center in 2021 and 2022, the only two-time winner in the history of the award, and the 2022 team led the nation in scoring offense and red zone offense while ranking in the top 10 in fewest tackles for loss allowed. The 2023 team saw all five offensive line starters, plus tight end Preston Rose, earn all-RMAC honors, and the 2022 squad had four all-RMAC honorees from the offensive line with Johnson also earning all-region honors along with Armendariz.
The Orediggers have also had an all-American running back in three of Brandon's seasons, with Michael Zeman becoming Mines' all-time rushing leader and the state of Colorado's all-time touchdowns leader. Mines has won RMAC titles in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 and NCAA Super Region IV titles in 2021, 2022, and 2023 with Brandon on staff.
As an offensive graduate assistant at Northwestern, he helped the Wildcats to consecutive bowl victories, winning the Pinstripe Bowl in 2016 and the Music City Bowl in 2017 to cap a 10-3 season. In addition to working with the offensive line, Brandon managed the defensive scout team and was an off-season strength and conditioning coach. While at Mines in his first stint in 2015, Brandon coached a prolific wide receivers group that included all-American Cole Spurgeon. Mines was second in the nation that year in total offense (542.2 yards per game) and led D-II in passing offense (365.3 yards per game).
Brandon also has experience coaching at the high school level as he spent the 2014 season as an offensive assistant at Regis Jesuit in Aurora, and he was a student assistant coach during his time at the University of Wyoming. Brandon has a B.S. in business administration from Wyoming and a master's in sport administration from Northwestern.
