Early Life and High School
Tom Brandstater was born and raised in Turlock, California, a town in Stanislaus County. He is the first son and second child of William and Sharen Brandstater and has three siblings. He began playing football at the age of eight with the Turlock Vikings Youth Football program, a youth football program, where he lists Mike Hibden and Mike Huber as his most influential youth coaches. Several other WAC teammates and opponents, notably Colin Kaepernick of the Nevada Wolf Pack, and fellow Fresno State Bulldog Anthony Harding also played for the youth football program. He was the starting quarterback from the age of eight, but also played other positions.
Brandstater attended Turlock High School. He achieved several distinctions as a high school player, including being named to the First-team All District team by the Modesto Bee as a defensive back, and guiding Turlock to the San-Joaquin Section Division I South championship against Stockton Lincoln High. As a high school quarterback, he directed an offense that was primarily focused on rushing and did not display his true passing ability, though he still threw for over 1,000 yards in his last season in high school. He was the top quarterback in Fresno State's Summer Football Camp in 2003.
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