Gophers’ athletic director Joel Maturi told Sports Headliners that new football coach Jerry Kill has presented him with a “written vision” for the football program at Minnesota.
Maturi declined to offer many specifics about the contents of the “two to three pages” planning document. “It ranges from academics to support for facilities,” Maturi said.
It’s most certain that salaries for assistant coaches are included, too. Kill brought most of his staff with him from Northern Illinois after being hired in December and although compensation is significantly more at Minnesota, it’s known that the Gophers’ salaries for assistants rank near the bottom in the Big Ten.
Maturi said compensation for coaches is affected by revenues and the Gophers football income ranks below most conference programs. That doesn’t mean, though, that football revenues and other funding for the program can’t grow and provide a larger operating budget, including for salaries.
The salaries for assistant coaches are important to Kill who is loyal to staff members who work for him. He told Sports Headliners earlier this summer that if necessary he would accept less compensation for himself to pay his staff the salaries he believes his assistants deserve.
It’s Maturi’s job to manage budgets and Kill’s responsibility to outline what he needs for success. The coach’s message will undoubtedly be delivered to new president Eric Kaler, and perhaps it has already. The two have had at least one meeting and certainly could have more.
Sources tell Sports Headliners that Kaler will live up to his reputation for being supportive of intercollegiate sports, including making football important. If the president wants football success to be a priority at Minnesota, that will go a long way to ensuring that the Gophers become winners because Kill has been a turnaround specialist other places he’s coached.
Maturi is upbeat about both Kaler and Kill. “How can you not like Jerry and Dr. Kaler?” he asked.