First year Gophers football coach Jerry Kill is encouraged by his relationship with new University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler. Kill told Sports Headliners Kaler wants a winning program and is willing to make football a priority at Minnesota.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that he wants to win, and he wants to have a good program,” Kill said. “He wants it done the right way. He doesn’t want shortcuts. He wants to be proud of the football program. He knows that we have some limitations right now. He knows we have some issues. It’s my job to work with him and Joel (Maturi) to get those issues solved.”
After decades of mismanagement by University administrators and coaches, the Gophers football program is perhaps the worst in the Big Ten. Kill’s first team is 1-5 so far and 0-2 in the Big Ten where the Gophers have been outscored 103-17.
Kill inherited minimal talent and academic problems. The coaching staff has questioned the toughness and commitment of players. The program looks like it’s headed toward a second consecutive season of three wins or fewer. “This ain’t gonna change over in two years,” Kill said.
Is Kaler embarrassed by the team? “He didn’t come out and say that to me but I think we all are,” Kill said. “I can’t speak for him. We certainly are not performing or doing the things we need to do to represent our university. But I think he also understands that there is an investment that has to take place. It’s (the program) got to be important and it’s gotta be important to the president. …You’re only as good as the top and he wants a successful football program. There’s no bones about that.”
To improve results, Kill preaches that planning, work and performance start with himself and his assistants, but help is required also from the offices of the athletic director (Maturi) and president. Assistance, too, is needed from supportive fans and special interest groups like the Minnesota high school football coaches and boosters willing to provide financial resources.
The Gophers program can’t realize its potential for the school without Kaler’s blessing. “We need to be a better ‘front porch’ (for the University) and I think he understands that, and realizes that there needs to be a change,” Kill said. “He wants to be a part of that. …”
Kill said he and Maturi need to outline for Kaler what the first set of priorities are, then the next priorities and so on. Right now, for example, Kill speaks about improving the academics of his players and adding strength and weight coaches to the staff.
Years ago Kansas State football was the punch line of jokes about college football. After coach Barry Alvarez took over the dismal program at Wisconsin in 1990 he talked about the streets leading to the stadium being so empty on game days a “cannon” could be fired without hitting anyone. Those two schools were stuck deep in the muck of awful football but pulled themselves out not only with great coaches but supportive academic leaders.
Kill was asked if Kaler can do what president Jon Wefald did at Kansas State and chancellor Donna Shalala accomplished at Wisconsin? “Absolutely,” he said.