Michigan Interested in Jerry Kill?

Submitted by poppinfresh on

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-botched-a-chance-to-utilize-jerry-ki…

"This week Kill spent time with his close friend, TCU coach Gary Patterson, and could wind up on his staff. Kill has always been close to Jack Harbaugh, father of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, and rumors around the Big Ten are that a job on the Wolverines staff is his if he wants it."

 

Would be an OUTSTANDING addition if true

mjv

March 3rd, 2016 at 3:04 PM ^

He wasn't fired from coaching, he retired.  But the issue between Minn and Kill was that Kill had expected to be able to work within the athletic department after he stepped down from coaching.  Things didn't work out with the interim AD and Kill and Minn parted ways.

http://www.startribune.com/jerry-kill-gophers-are-parting-ways/369993891/

ijohnb

March 3rd, 2016 at 3:11 PM ^

is really odd.  They could not find ANYTHING related to athletics that they could have thrown in?  Assistant to the assistant recruiting adviser?  Anything?  That surprises me.  So I guess we are kind of trolling Minnesota.  I'm in.

Mr Miggle

March 3rd, 2016 at 3:44 PM ^

Claeys somewhat surprisingly revamped his staff, firing a couple of longtime Kill assistants. He's nearly an interim coach, with a relatively short contract. He's trying to put his own stamp on the team, harder to do with Kill still around. Kill's probably a lot more popular with people around the program too. 

FrankMurphy

March 3rd, 2016 at 7:38 PM ^

I remember Claeys' staff shakeups. That made it look like perhaps Kill and Claeys weren't as close as it seemed from the outside and that Claeys is trying to limit Kill's influence within the program. 

All I know is that I'm glad Claeys is not so good at managing the clock during late-game goal line situations. 

Mabel Pines

March 3rd, 2016 at 4:16 PM ^

to be paid a certain amount and I'm not sure if Minnesota's Athletic department is rolling in the dough.  That new stadium looks expensive and I don't know if they get $85 a ticket.

FrankMurphy

March 3rd, 2016 at 9:44 PM ^

The stadium cost almost $300 million to build. Of that, the University of Minnesota paid about 50% with the rest being picked up by the State of Minnesota and by TCF Bank under its naming rights deal. The Vikings paid them no more than $3 million a year to play there in 2014 and 2015, so that's no more than $6 million total. The university still had to finance over $140 million of the cost by itself, and I doubt they were able to raise that much in donations. On top of that, they're probably bracing themselves for lawsuits and other financial ramifications of the sexual harassment scandal involving their former AD. So it would make sense if the reason they parted ways with Kill is that they simply didn't want to pay him $200,000+ for what might have been a largely ceremonial position that they could have done without.   

LSAClassOf2000

March 3rd, 2016 at 3:54 PM ^

“I visited with the president [Monday], and it was very professional in manner,” Kill said. “He would like me to speak on behalf of the university, raise money and teach a class or two. I really appreciate that offer, but I want to be involved with athletics. I’ve been involved with athletics my whole life, and I want to be around the kids more than anything.

You would think that they could find a role somewhere in football or somewhere just in the department for someone who put Minnesota on more solid footing as a program than it was when he walked into it. It would be interesting to know more about why the school felt that all it could give was a teaching position and some work fundraising for the university, especially if he was very clear about what he wanted. 

End-Around

March 4th, 2016 at 3:07 PM ^

Also him being around would be awkward for his successor...its the right thing for Kill to do to step away.  You can tell the kind of integrity the guy has.  Sad he's not a full-time head coach anymore.

End-Around

March 4th, 2016 at 3:08 PM ^

Also him being around would be awkward for his successor...its the right thing for Kill to do to step away.  You can tell the kind of integrity the guy has.  Sad he's not a full-time head coach anymore.

SoDak Blues

March 3rd, 2016 at 2:51 PM ^

This would be a really great hire. And, in my mind, you cannot say Jerry Kill without this gif. 

And yes, I know, that is not Kill. But the gif is still priceless. 

Kwitch22

March 3rd, 2016 at 2:52 PM ^

It seemed weird that all of a sudden he was out of the athletic department, there was a clause in his contract that if he had to retire because of health reasons he still had a job. Maybe Cleays didn't want him around? Might be someone for kids to talk to when Coach gets a little excited at them.

reshp1

March 3rd, 2016 at 3:05 PM ^

I would think it's mutual. Think about having Hoke on the staff as a DL coach for example. It's just not a great environment and is ripe for dissension when the guy many of the players are closely connected to is working alongside the new guy that is doing things in a different way. 

Jerry's a good dude by all accounts, my guess is he doesn't want to inadverdently undermine the new staff as much than the new staff doesn't want that situation either.

Big Boutros

March 3rd, 2016 at 2:52 PM ^

I think being an analyst for us like the now-departed TJ Weist is best for Kill. He gets to work in football but his hours and duties are a more conventional office role. He doesn't have to recruit and be on the road all the time. And candidly, he doesn't have to pour his heart and soul into the program and jeopardize his health, holding his breath on every snap. He can just do a job in a field he loves.