Multiple sources have told Sports Headliners a deal is in the works to increase coach Jerry Kill’s compensation. An increase in salary could be from $1.2 million to $2.2 million annually.
The new agreement is believed to have other elements beyond salary but those details haven’t been identified by sources. An announcement appears likely between recruiting Signing Day on Wednesday and the team’s spring game April 12.
Kill was the lowest paid head coach in the Big Ten Conference last fall, according to a November 7 USA Today article listing the earnings of major college football coaches throughout the country. The story said the average compensation for a Big Ten head football coach was $2.6 million.
Kill has been Minnesota’s coach for three seasons, leading a rebuilding of the program. The 2013 Gophers won eight games, the most since 2003. They also had four conference wins, the most since 2005.
University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler and other decision makers are admirers of Kill and want to see him remain with the Gophers. Athletic director Norwood Teague gave more than a nod of support toward Kill when he recently promoted Dan O’Brien from Kill’s staff to the position of senior associate athletics director. In that role O’Brien, a Kill ally and former college football coach, will oversee Gophers football operations and be very supportive of Kill’s needs for the program.
Because of struggles with epilepsy, Kill coached from the press box and not the sidelines for much of last season. But Kill has made changes in his daily life and appears to be in good spirits as he closes in on announcing his 2014 recruiting class Wednesday. He has let it be known how excited he is about soon driving a car or truck again, another indication of improved health.
In addition to Kill’s change in contract, expect his assistant coaches to receive compensation increases before next season.
Worth Noting
The Signing Day Central blog on Gophersports.com will activate at 6 a.m. Wednesday and announce signees and include their bios. Recruiting coordinator Billy Glasscock, defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys and offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover will answer questions on the blog about recruits who sign National Letters of Intent to play for the Gophers.
Kill’s 4 p.m. Signing Day news conference from TCF Bank Stadium will be streamed online at Gophersports.com.
The Signing Day Social program for fans begins at 6 p.m. at TCF Bank Stadium. Doors open at 5 p.m. The cost is $25 per person and some Gophers signees are expected to attend. Registration is available at GoalLineClub.com.
Kill was inducted into the Saluki Hall of Fame on Friday night. He revived a collapsing football program at Southern Illinois, going 50-18 in his final five seasons in Carbondale before moving to Northern Illinois and then Minnesota.
Kill said on WCCO Radio’s “Sports Huddle” yesterday that if the Gophers can hold the verbal commitments they have received from recruits this will be a “very, very good signing class.”
Recognition and honors are coming to Mike Grant, the Eden Prairie High School football coach who has led the Eagles to nine state championships including three consecutive titles. Grant will be inducted into the Minnesota Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame March 29 along with several others (more details in Wednesday’s column), and he is also the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year award winner. Grant receives $25,000.00 for the national award, with $15,000.00 dedicated to the Eden Prairie program.
Former Gophers quarterback Rickey Foggie, who played for Lou Holtz at Minnesota, is the new head coach at Red Wing High School and takes over a program that was 1-17 during the last two seasons, according to a January 30 online story by the Red Wing Republican Eagle.
Vikings Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton is 74 today.
After losing to Northwestern 55-54 on Saturday, the Gophers are now 1-2 without Andre Hollins, their leading scorer and star guard who has an injured left ankle. When will Hollins return? “Hoping for Purdue (game on Wednesday) but highly doubt it,” Gophers coach Richard Pitino said on Saturday.
The Gophers locker room was filled with disappointed players after the Northwestern game and a loss that left Minnesota 4-5 in the Big Ten. Center Mo Walker sat with his face covered, hiding tears and unwilling to answer questions.
Walker had an opportunity to rebound a shot attempt and score the winning basket as time expired but may have been fouled. Pitino said “no comment” when asked about the play.
Dan Kornbaum, the Augsburg center who after transferring from UMD has become one of the MIAC’s best scorers, rebounders and shot blockers, is the grandson of former Gophers All-American center Ron Johnson. Kornbaum’s mother, Jenni, ranks fifth in total career points for women at South Dakota State. The Timberwolves’ Robbie Hummel is a first cousin of Kornbaum.
The Wild has home games against the Lightning and Predators tomorrow and Thursday evenings. Then the NHL takes a schedule break because of the Winter Olympics with the Wild not playing again until February 27.
Zach Parise and Ryan Suter from the Wild will play for the U.S. Olympic team. Mikael Granlund will represent Finland and Mikko Koivu, too, if he is recovered from right ankle surgery. Nino Niederreiter will play for Switzerland. Parise, who is an alternate captain for the Wild, will be captain of the U.S. team. Suter is an alternate captain for the U.S. team.