Jerry Kill made University of Minnesota officials aware of his seizures history during the interview process for the Gophers job last year. “He brought it up 30 minutes into a four hour interview,” Dave Mona told Sports Headliners.
Mona, then a consultant to the athletic department and directly involved with the search for a coach, said Kill characterized the seizures as something that wasn’t “serious” but he wanted University officials to be aware of them. Kill explained he quickly recovered from the seizures. He also disclosed details about his experience with kidney cancer in 2005, a disease now in remission.
Gophers team doctor Pat Smith said Kill experienced what he called a “reoccurrence of a seizure disorder” at Saturday’s home game against New Mexico State. Kill takes medications to prevent reoccurrence but it’s believed that Saturday’s heat and humidity caused him to be dehydrated, at least partially contributing to the seizure.
The Gophers didn’t play well on Saturday and eventually lost to one of the historically worst major college football programs in the country, 28-21. The stress of the game may have been a factor leading to Kill’s collapse, too. The coach suffered his seizure in the last minute of the fourth quarter.
“He was clearly agitated during the game,” Mona said. “I don’t know how many miles he walked (pacing the sidelines).”
Mona said Kill has an “unbelievable” work ethic and doesn’t believe the most recent seizure will impact Kill’s commitment to continue coaching the Gophers. “No. He’s waited too long and worked too hard (to get here),” Mona said. “He regards the seizures as a nuisance and not a major health issue.”
Kill, 50, has worked his way up the coaching ladder from places like Saginaw Valley State and Emporia State to become a Big Ten head coach. This is his first season at Minnesota after signing a five year Memorandum of Understanding to be the Gophers coach.
Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys said yesterday he would be “shocked” if Kill doesn’t coach the Gophers on Saturday against Miami of Ohio in TCF Bank Stadium.