“One person isn’t going to turn this thing around,” new Gophers coach Jerry Kill told Sports Headliners.
Kill sat in his office on Friday and talked for more than one hour about what’s needed to make Gopher football special again. The program hasn’t been to the Rose Bowl since 1962, was 3-9 last season, and is a landslide favorite to finish at the bottom of the Legends Division standings in the Big Ten this year.
Long suffering Gophers fans often look east to Wisconsin for hope. Years ago Badger football was awful until Wisconsin president Donna Shalala and coach Barry Alvarez arrived. Camp Randall Stadium went from half empty to full and in Alvarez’s fourth season the Badgers were in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1963.
Minnesota president Eric Kaler started on the job July 1 and has a reputation for being positive about big time college athletics including football. Asked by Sports Headliners whether a president is important to a college football program, Kill never blinked and said: “Absolutely important. Uno important.”
Why? Because in Kill’s view, results in football, business and life are all about emphasis and priority. “If the boss at the top wants it important, it’s going to be important,” he said.
Kill hasn’t met with Kaler yet but will soon along with athletic director Joel Maturi. The two will present a “vision” of what they believe Gophers football should be.
Asked specifically what that vision includes and how the school’s administration can help, Kill said the football program must have continuity with its people. He said Minnesota has had 10 different defensive coordinators in the last 20 years and changed offensive systems each of the past three seasons. But the revolving door of changes extends beyond coaches to support personnel in areas like academics and strength training.
“When you can’t keep your continuity, it’s hard to win,” Kill said. “It’s no different than (with) your top companies. Usually those top companies are going to keep their key players (employees).”
Kill said “we need to do whatever it takes to keep” coaches and other personnel in the football department regardless of whether that requires money, providing security, showing patience or appreciating their work. Kill has had winning teams at his previous coaching stops including Northern Illinois and it’s remarkable in the job-hopping world of college football to see the longevity of relationships between him and his assistants.
“I have taken care of our coaches where we’ve been,” he said. “I will take a cut in pay to keep our coaches. I want to win. I know one thing. We will not win here without stability in those areas.”
Kill’s encounters with Kaler have been minimal so far including a five minute telephone conversation before Kill accepted the Minnesota job late last year. Still, he’s been impressed with the new University boss who has succeeded Bob Bruininks. “My first impression is that we’re very fortunate to have Dr. Kaler,” Kill said.
“…I would not have come here if I didn’t feel like we could get it done (turning Minnesota into a winner). Why would I? I could have stayed at Northern. We would have won forever.”
Kill left an 11-3 team at Northern Illinois after three seasons in DeKalb. The Huskies are No. 34 in the country in Sporting News Magazine’s preseason college football rankings and Kill thinks Northern could be a top 25 team this fall. The Gophers are ranked No. 77 by Sporting News.