ChosenChildren
Well-Known Member
A great, great coach but an even better man.....I hope he lives a long life
Jerry Kill retiring immediately for health reasons
- Thread starter spliff45
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homes
Well-Known Member
Good coach. Everything I've read, he's a good guy. It sounds like he's really struggling on what to do next, as football has been his whole life. The Gophers are a rival, that doesn't change, but I hope he finds good health and a new passion going forward. This must be a first for Iowa in terms of the number of schools on their schedules that made head coaching changes during the season (I include Illinois in this since they were a week away from starting). Who knows, there may be more yet to come.
Biggusblockus
Well-Known Member
The B1G is a lesser place with Coach Kill gone. Class guy, great coach, and the kind of competitor you have to respect. Hope he gets his health where he wants and needs it to be.
MoseSchrute
Well-Known Member
Seems like bad things happen to good people too often in this world.
judzeehawk
Well-Known Member
Oh my that was very hard to watch today. So very sorry Jerry Kill you have to make a decision like that.........but it's for the best and get well. I'll be praying for you and your family.
AreWeThereYet
Well-Known Member
Thinking ahead a bit on this. I hope the University of Minnesota gives coach Kill's staff a shot at running the team. They have had some experience stepping in due to coach Kill's ongoing health problems. The only thing they have too lose is the current staff which would likely be on the way out with a new coach anyway. If worse came to worse, the football program would be back to where they started. Time to see what they already have on staff before they go shopping for a coach.
Hunz
Well-Known Member
Sean Foster was not offered by Iowa but he has always been a Hawkeye fan and his dad played for Iowa. He has also said he always wanted to go to Iowa.Dont know why we didn't offer but the coaches must have saw something negative in him.
Billso
Well-Known Member
That was a heartbreaking press conference. He was choking back tears. Some key moments via a press article:
He confirmed he has suffered a number of recent seizures, including two shortly before a practice this week as the Gophers prepare for Michigan.
"I don't want to be a liability," he told reporters. "I don't want somebody to have to worry that I'll drop on the field. I don't want to coach from the press box. I want to coach the way I've coached for my whole life. And I still want to coach."
Kill says his wife, his children and hopefully future grandchildren will need him in the future more than football does. The decision is clearly a heart-wrenching one for the coach, who is struggling with the questions that are coming.
"I know somebody will ask, 'Coach, what are you going to do?' I don't know," Kill said, choking back tears. "I ain't done anything else. That's the scary part. ... Last night, when I walked off the practice field, I feel like a part of me died."
Even as he faced this announcement, Kill said he was wrestling with the decision.
"I was at practice yesterday after having two seizures. I probably wasn't supposed to go there," he said. "I made my decision but I said, 'Maybe not. Let me go out here and give it one last shot.'"
Ultimately, he felt he needed to listen to his doctor -- a person Kill admits he fought against for far too long -- and take care of his health so he can be there for his family. He also said he wanted to be fair to the team.
"I've never listened to a doctor. Ever," he said. "When I had cancer, I was cut open and I was out on the road recruiting in five days. But I'm going to listen this time. Cause that gal, my two kids, my brother and my mom ... need me more."
"I don't have any energy left. None. I've left it all right here in the great state of Minnesota and I have no regrets."
The coach spoke of not being able to think right due to the stress of his job and physical struggles. He told reporters that during a recent night his wife stayed up with him all night, as he managed just one hour of sleep -- a scenario that's become commonplace in their household.
"Probably the most sleep I've gotten over the last three weeks is three hours or less," he said. "She stays there, sits in a chair and watches me. That's what she did last night. Hell, that ain't no way to live. I've taken years off my life and hers. But we both say we'd do it again, wouldn't we? Damn right."
His doctor said if he continued down that road, it would do irreversible damage.
"If I can give anybody any advice: Count on your health, instead of your wealth," he said. "Count on God, instead of yourself. At the end of the day, if you don't have your health and you don't have God, you ain't gonna make it."
The news of his retirement comes just over two months after Kill signed a contract extension that raised his salary to $2.5 million a year.
"I've never stole from anybody and I'm not going to steal now," Kill said. "I'm walking away from a lot of money."
He confirmed he has suffered a number of recent seizures, including two shortly before a practice this week as the Gophers prepare for Michigan.
"I don't want to be a liability," he told reporters. "I don't want somebody to have to worry that I'll drop on the field. I don't want to coach from the press box. I want to coach the way I've coached for my whole life. And I still want to coach."
Kill says his wife, his children and hopefully future grandchildren will need him in the future more than football does. The decision is clearly a heart-wrenching one for the coach, who is struggling with the questions that are coming.
"I know somebody will ask, 'Coach, what are you going to do?' I don't know," Kill said, choking back tears. "I ain't done anything else. That's the scary part. ... Last night, when I walked off the practice field, I feel like a part of me died."
Even as he faced this announcement, Kill said he was wrestling with the decision.
"I was at practice yesterday after having two seizures. I probably wasn't supposed to go there," he said. "I made my decision but I said, 'Maybe not. Let me go out here and give it one last shot.'"
Ultimately, he felt he needed to listen to his doctor -- a person Kill admits he fought against for far too long -- and take care of his health so he can be there for his family. He also said he wanted to be fair to the team.
"I've never listened to a doctor. Ever," he said. "When I had cancer, I was cut open and I was out on the road recruiting in five days. But I'm going to listen this time. Cause that gal, my two kids, my brother and my mom ... need me more."
"I don't have any energy left. None. I've left it all right here in the great state of Minnesota and I have no regrets."
The coach spoke of not being able to think right due to the stress of his job and physical struggles. He told reporters that during a recent night his wife stayed up with him all night, as he managed just one hour of sleep -- a scenario that's become commonplace in their household.
"Probably the most sleep I've gotten over the last three weeks is three hours or less," he said. "She stays there, sits in a chair and watches me. That's what she did last night. Hell, that ain't no way to live. I've taken years off my life and hers. But we both say we'd do it again, wouldn't we? Damn right."
His doctor said if he continued down that road, it would do irreversible damage.
"If I can give anybody any advice: Count on your health, instead of your wealth," he said. "Count on God, instead of yourself. At the end of the day, if you don't have your health and you don't have God, you ain't gonna make it."
The news of his retirement comes just over two months after Kill signed a contract extension that raised his salary to $2.5 million a year.
"I've never stole from anybody and I'm not going to steal now," Kill said. "I'm walking away from a lot of money."
hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
That kind of honesty, integrity and character is increasingly rare. I hope Coach Kill will find a way to share what he's got... a lot of young men could benefit from it.
ColoradoHAWKEYE
Well-Known Member
Just watched presser...tough thing to have to do in any career...step away for health or personal reasons. He was a good coach and good mentor to his players...Minny will miss him, but he is doing the right thing for himself and family. Good luck to him and to Minny as well (except Nov 14th).
imported_ankle23
Well-Known Member
coaching needs more guys like Coach Kill. certainly a great coach and a better person - good luck to him in his future endeavors!
docholihawk
Well-Known Member
After going through several coaches who were unable to find success at Minnesota they hired Jerry Kill. He's been a class act in every way and Minny has had back to back 8 win seasons. It's unfortunate that he's had to give up something he's dedicated his life to but his own health and relationship with his family is so much more important. As someone who had to stop working because of a disease that has no cure I can somewhat identify with what Kill is going through. It will be tough at first but I hope his family, friends and faith will bring him through this and he can find the contentment in his life like I have in mine. Prayers go out to Coach Kill and his family.
