His teams had two straight seven-win seasons, in 1958 and 1959, and an 8–2 record in 1962, with the two losses coming at Ohio State, 14–7, and against #1 USC, 42–37, in the 1963 Rose Bowl.

Bruhn attended high school in Mound, Minnesota, where he played football and basketball.

Bruhn played left guard for the Gopher teams that went undefeated and won Big Ten Conference championships in 1934 and 1935.

Bruhn also played catcher on the baseball team at Minnesota that won the Big Ten Conference championship in 1935.

He succeeded Williamson as head football coach, when the latter moved to the position of athletic director following the death of Guy Sundt.