Was it really surprising? Gophers football disappointed the masses again with the hiring last night of Northern Illinois’ Jerry Kill.
The program has tormented followers for 40 years and for a lot of fans the bad news just keeps coming. A prominent former Gopher athlete called Sports Headliners to ask, “Is this the best we can do?”
Another fan who has been a big booster of TCF Bank Stadium emailed this: “My football season ticket partner already emailed me to say he is done. We’re not renewing our tickets. This is a DISASTER!”
Kill has been a success coaching for three years at Northern Illinois and before that seven for Southern Illinois where his record was 55-32. Maybe he can be the turnaround guy the program needs so badly, but the first reaction of many fans is why him and not a bigger name?
It’s obvious Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi couldn’t attract a marquee name… or could he? No, the Dan Mullens, Chris Petersens and Jim Harbaughs didn’t come knocking on Maturi’s door. But Mike Leach campaigned for the job and Lou Holtz reportedly did, too.
The opening created after Tim Brewster (another Maturi hire) was fired cried out for a name coach with a top resume. Maturi said publicly in October he wanted a “Tubby Smith type hire.”
About that need Maturi was right. The program needs credibility, excitement, and hope! The Kill appointment won’t immediately sell tickets, nor will it improve the Gophers image.
Kill has never been a head coach at a BCS school. Leach was 84-43 at Texas Tech before being fired. He battled the big boys of college football at a place that historically has been difficult to win at.
Apparently Maturi and school president Bob Bruininks considered Leach too controversial. Fans and media thought he was just right for the Gophers.
A passionate fan who wanted Leach at Minnesota emailed the following last week: “You don’t think all these guys (other successful coaches) are like him? ….They should cancel football at the U.”
The December 6 issue of Sporting News Magazine includes a cover story on Leach who lives in Key West, Florida while contemplating coaching options. The magazine lists Minnesota as No. 1 among schools that would be “perfect fits” for him.
SN’s comment: “Any state that elects Jesse ‘the Body’ Ventura as governor is a perfect fit for the quirky, outspoken Leach. Hey, the Gophers have to fill that new stadium somehow.”
During WUCW’s Sports Show program last night Sid Hartman and Mike Max both said Holtz was interested in the Gophers job. I have reason to believe that Holtz also would have considered the position after Maturi fired Glen Mason and before he hired Brewster.
Holtz, who has his own controversial career, won a national championship at Notre Dame after revitalizing the Gophers in 1984 and 1985. He had this town so fired up that when he left Minnesota, the Gophers were selling 56,000 season tickets.
There will be no proven BCS coach leading the Gophers in the near future and those who still care about Minnesota are left to wonder if a guy named Kill can bring life to this beaten down program that has not won a Big Ten title since 1967 and managed just a couple of third place finishes in 40 years.