Gophers Extend Kill's Contract thru 2017.
October 25th, 2011 at 1:59 PM ^
weird. no one could win w/ the talent they have, but don't you at least want to see what he can do w/ real players before extending him?
October 25th, 2011 at 2:00 PM ^
October 25th, 2011 at 2:06 PM ^
he'd been operating under a memorandum of agreement while they hammered out terms.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:09 PM ^
Yeah I know, I just tried to make a joke. It was a poor attempt.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:02 PM ^
I don't understand this at all. It's not like he's at risk of running away or anything. And it's not like anyone else is going to try to buy him away.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:03 PM ^
Lol wut?
October 25th, 2011 at 2:04 PM ^
Unless this actually ups his buyout (by a significant margin), this is just an attempt to let him recruit without having high school kids asking if he's going to be coaching next year since his health is an issue, and the whole "losing out" thing can't be great for the perception of job security.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:04 PM ^
I'm happy for him. He seems like a nice likeable guy, unlike other coaches in the B1G.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:11 PM ^
I think there are a good share of likable coaches. Pelini, Beilema, Hope and Dantonio are asshats, but Fitzgerald, Hoke, Paterno, Ferentz, Kill and Wilson all seem like good dudes. I know almost nothing about Fickell other than he hoards timeouts, and then Zook is a poor mans Les Miles without the luck.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:11 PM ^
I was mainly talking about the asshats. I have the same feeling towards Fickell. He hasn't done anything douchey like the other asshats. Yet...
October 25th, 2011 at 2:18 PM ^
Can you imagine if OSU hired someone as bad as Dantonio? Or if OSU got Dantonio and Narduzzi stayed on at MSU? We'd have Dantonio, Narduzzi and Kelly coaching our rivals. Gross, yet appetizing from a recruiting standpoint.
Then again, Sparty would conduct a national search. Not that stupid shit we did hiring Moeller and Carr after Bo left because of how local our program is.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:16 PM ^
Bravo on the Les Miles comparison for Zooker. That made me laugh out loud in the middle of my meeting.
October 25th, 2011 at 5:32 PM ^
trust me Wilson is an asshat.
October 25th, 2011 at 3:20 PM ^
I like any coach that we can beat 58-0.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:05 PM ^
they're just really excited about GopherQuest and want to see how far it can go
October 25th, 2011 at 2:05 PM ^
he'd been operating without a contract since he was hired.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:07 PM ^
They did add two years to the original understanding. But since there really isn't much difference between 5 and 7 years when you're in year 1 of an epic rebuilding job, I'd say the "extension" doesn't matter.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:11 PM ^
but the post makes it sound like Kill had a contract and then the Minnesota AD was like "this season is exactly what I'm looking for out of a coach! Extend that man immediately!"
The whole thing makes way more sense if you realize Kill didn't have an existing contract.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:06 PM ^
October 25th, 2011 at 2:10 PM ^
He's a good coach with a legit track record for winning games and not cheating. He has such a lack of talent right now that he shouldn't be punished (i.e. on the hot seat as some suggest). Might as well lock him in now and show him that you expect a rough few years before the pressure is on to be bowl eligible every year.
He needs 2 full seasons after this one to even get close to a 6-6 record and a bowl team. By then it will be before the 2014 season for anyone to fairly assess his progress. That gives 'Sota 2014 and 2015 to see if he can actually turn it around before re-doing his contract.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:15 PM ^
Ooohhhh....
...just looked at Minnesota's 2013 schedule, and it looks like Minnesota will have to deal with senior QB Tate Forcier and the San Jose State Spartans in a tasty non-conference clash.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:35 PM ^
You're making the dangerous assumption that Tate won't transfer again between now and then...
October 25th, 2011 at 3:14 PM ^
Western Illinois is looking for a QB, Tate. And you'd still get to play Minnesota. Be the Leatherneck, Tate. Err, or Westerwind. Whatever the hell that is.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:16 PM ^
I played for Coach Kill at SVSU. He is a fantastic man, and I will root for him to turn it around at Minnesota.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:17 PM ^
Glenn Mason wasn't available...
October 25th, 2011 at 2:18 PM ^
I say good for him. Anyone would need time to begin righting that ship. Let a good guy who has passion for the game go out and try and make it happen. I will certainly pull for them to win more and more every year (excluding all contests agains Michigan)
October 25th, 2011 at 2:22 PM ^
Minnesota is a classic example of thinking you can actually do better and getting rid of the best coach you have had in a long time. Mason's success got that stadium built and then he never had a chance to coach in it. Kill seems like a decent guy, but part of me thinks Minnesota should pay for giving Mason the shaft.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:25 PM ^
I predict 3 wins for Minnesota in 2012.
Non-Conf. Games: at UNLV (1-5), New Hampshire(5-2), WMU (4-4), Syracuse (5-2) are non-conf. opponents.
Conference Games: NW and Purdue are at home. No PSU, No OSU.
I read somewhere that they have the youngest team in the Big Ten in 2011.
Jerry Kill has an impressive track record over the years of turning raw sewage into chocolate pudding on the gridiron.
In a few years, it may not be a flashy program, but the Gophers could become a decent program again.
The recruiting is going to be tough since his health and corresponding longevity at his post may be a worry for future commits.
October 25th, 2011 at 2:37 PM ^
I wish everyone in America could enjoy this level of blind faith from their employers.
- "How many letters did you deliver today, Bob? Two? Oh well then, how 'bout a raise?"
- "What's that, Sally, you lost all of the customer's money in a Ponzi scheme? Let's talk promotion!"
- "Dr. Jones, you are responsible for the deaths of all but six of your patients this week... and we just want you to know, we believe in you. Keep up the good work."
October 25th, 2011 at 3:04 PM ^
Stands to reason that this here conference is the greatest. Big men that play ball only and coaches that are the worst ever. I say I say this here is the conference to beat them all I say.
October 25th, 2011 at 5:32 PM ^
Unless recruiting improves vastly, that makes me feel sorry for Jerry Kill somehow.
October 25th, 2011 at 6:06 PM ^
think of to do this is to reassure recruits that he would be there for a while but with a 5 yr deal already in place why would this be necessary? Minnesota seems like the fringe Big Ten/MAC school that kids with only MAC offers go to. That being said, its Minnesota, no one wants to be there so lock up whoever is willing to coach there.
October 25th, 2011 at 11:12 PM ^
he'll do alright. This year's Toledo squad, best in the MAC, could easily take Minny, Purdue, Indiana and might be able to pick off NW or Iowa along the way. Win two of four NC games, and you're looking at 6 wins no problem.
October 25th, 2011 at 7:03 PM ^
I can't imagine this going over well with their fanbase. This is the least logical move they have made since they fired Glen Mason for going 6-7. I wonder how 6-7 would look to them this year?
October 25th, 2011 at 7:23 PM ^
Just more evidence on that pile.
October 25th, 2011 at 8:04 PM ^
Finally, now that the coaching situation is more solid, the Gophers can become the team everyone thinks they can be! Who wants to bet they run the table?!?!
October 25th, 2011 at 9:02 PM ^
I doubt he turns things around. Look at where he's won. He's never faced competition like the he's going to face in the B1G. I mean he's turned around programs, but he's never had much to compete against. I think they made a mistake with the hire and now the contract extension.
He'll recruit MAC-level talent and a good year would be 7-5 with an easy non-conference schedule which is what they seem to want at Minnesota.
October 25th, 2011 at 10:16 PM ^
I like Jerry Kill...and due to his physical issues...I feel very sorry for him and have a HUGE admiration for him in the way that he handles himself, not quitting or relenting...just moving forward. The guy is a rock and a good coach.
However, from Minn perspective... to up like this for a coach with health issues... is to be commended for...but at the same time, there will always be some uneasiness with this decision. Other schools that are non scrupulous, for example Michigan State...will neg recruit Minn on any level that they can, and use Coach Kill's occaisional health scares against him...
No doubt that Minn administrators are aware of this...every time Jerry has a seziure (and it probably will happen again on camera during a game)...that program takes a hit...this is a fact....
I admire all of their courage going forward. This will be something to watch in the BT. I wish success for Coach Kill, unless its against us... and that he overcomes bias that many have vs. handicapped individuals...and yes his uncontrollable seizures do qualify as a handicap.