Tracy Claeys told Sports Headliners earlier this week he isn’t sure if Jerry Kill will coach from the press box in the Gophers’ bowl game in Houston on December 27.
“He’s basically back doing everything now anyways, except I still do a lot of the practice organization and the meeting times and all that stuff getting (things) set up,” Claeys said. “But as far as recruiting and everything else goes, coach is back in the office doing everything.”
Claeys, the Gophers defensive coordinator, added the title of acting head coach earlier this fall when Kill needed time to first focus on his epilepsy struggles and then shifted his workload. The Gophers won four consecutive Big Ten games with the arrangement and finished with an 8-4 record, the school’s best since 2003.
Could the roles of Claeys on the sidelines and Kill in the press box continue indefinitely? “That will be up to ‘Killer’ but I don’t expect this to go on very much longer,” Claeys said. “He’s gotten along great (with improving health).
“He is very superstitious and the fact that we’ve played well, and by me taking a few of the things off (Kill’s duties) with the practice schedule and stuff like that, it has allowed him to spend more time with the players and recruiting. At this time of the year that’s the two most important things to spend your time with.”
Claeys moved from his usual game day spot in the press box to the field when Kill was sidelined this fall. Claeys was concerned about no longer being able to direct the defense if he took on head coaching responsibilities on the field but that hasn’t been an issue. He has continued directing the defense while taking on the extra work.
Claeys has coached with Kill for about two decades. The two are close friends and value each other personally and professionally. “I would do it again (acting head coach),” Claeys said.
Claeys has also gained admiration for all that a head coach does. “You deal with a lot of things every day,” he said. “It takes a lot more time when you are the guy in charge. It gives you a lot of respect for the person sitting in that seat.”
Although Claeys made the coaching switch to help a friend and assist the staff, the change hasn’t been without compensation, too. The Gophers athletic department has been paying him an additional $13,000 per game for serving as acting head coach.
Claeys appreciates the money but what will he do with it? “I am gonna give half of it to the state of Minnesota, I am sure,” he laughed. “So that’s the way that works.”