Kill Signs Seven-Year Deal to Coach Gophers

Donate To GopherHole
EG#9 said:
Absolutely sick right now, this was yet ANOTHTER terrible decision by Joel Maturi. The deal was 5 years at $1.1 million and we have seen NOTHING, NOTHING from Jerry Kill that deserved two more years and $100K raise. Do you realize that he's now handcuffed the next A.D. with Jerry Kill? This will effect our A.D. search just like Joel's effected the head coach search. If the numbers in the StarTribune story are right, and the buyout is now $600K a year, we'd have to pay $3 million to get out of this contract if Kill puts up another 0 in the Big Ten next year which obviously the University cannot do. This University is so inept with its decision making, it is unbelievable.
Click to expand...

Problem with your theory. The president signed off on this and Kill won't be fired in the next 7 years.
 


An off the cuff survey (postseason expectations in next 7 years)

So with this contract extension, what are your expectations for the Gopher program within the B1G through the 2018 season (7 seasons after this one)? How many appearances do you realistically expect in the following games/bowls?

1. B1G Championship Game?

2. Lower-Tier Bowl (currently Texas, Ticket City, Little Caesars or at-large)?

3. Middle-Tier Bowl (Insight, Gator)?

4. Upper-Tier Bowl excluding Rose/BCS (Capital One & Outback)?

5. Rose Bowl or other BCS bowl?

My expectations. ...
1. 0
2. 4
3. 1 (I'll say Gophers max out at Gator Bowl)
4. 0
5. 0

The Gophers are in a brutal division, and their protected rival (Wisconsin) doesn't bode well, either. I would expect Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State & Nebraska all to have staying power within the Legends Division. That's a tough row to hoe for the Gophers (and Northwestern). Obviously, the dynamics will change a little bit when the B1G goes to the 9-game schedule.
 

SelectionSunday said:
So with this contract extension, what are your expectations for the Gopher program within the B1G through the 2018 season (7 seasons after this one)?
Click to expand...

After the past 4 seasons, I will admit to having fairly low standards/expectations. My expectation is that we will no longer be embarrasing. I would like to see us get back to where Mason had us (a 5-3 conference season) and I would love to see us get into the Gator Bowl or higher.
 



EG#9 said:
Absolutely sick right now, this was yet ANOTHTER terrible decision by Joel Maturi. The deal was 5 years at $1.1 million and we have seen NOTHING, NOTHING from Jerry Kill that deserved two more years and $100K raise. Do you realize that he's now handcuffed the next A.D. with Jerry Kill? This will effect our A.D. search just like Joel's effected the head coach search. If the numbers in the StarTribune story are right, and the buyout is now $600K a year, we'd have to pay $3 million to get out of this contract if Kill puts up another 0 in the Big Ten next year which obviously the University cannot do. This University is so inept with its decision making, it is unbelievable.
Click to expand...

This was all Kaler, Maturi had nothing to do with it.
 

Go Gophers Rah said:
After the past 4 seasons, I will admit to having fairly low standards/expectations. My expectation is that we will no longer be embarrasing. I would like to see us get back to where Mason had us (a 5-3 conference season) and I would love to see us get into the Gator Bowl or higher.
Click to expand...

You mean 3-5 right...that was Mason's average over his 10 years here...
 

EG#9 said:
Absolutely sick right now, this was yet ANOTHTER terrible decision by Joel Maturi. The deal was 5 years at $1.1 million and we have seen NOTHING, NOTHING from Jerry Kill that deserved two more years and $100K raise. Do you realize that he's now handcuffed the next A.D. with Jerry Kill? This will effect our A.D. search just like Joel's effected the head coach search. If the numbers in the StarTribune story are right, and the buyout is now $600K a year, we'd have to pay $3 million to get out of this contract if Kill puts up another 0 in the Big Ten next year which obviously the University cannot do. This University is so inept with its decision making, it is unbelievable.
Click to expand...

Because changing coaches every 2-4 years has brought great success on the field..

Get off your horse, clown.
 




My question would be why they didn't sign him to a 7 year deal in the first place?
 


justthefacts said:
My question would be why they didn't sign him to a 7 year deal in the first place?
Click to expand...

Maybe we're doing things differently under a new president.
 

SelectionSunday said:
So with this contract extension, what are your expectations for the Gopher program within the B1G through the 2018 season (7 seasons after this one)? How many appearances do you realistically expect in the following games/bowls?

1. B1G Championship Game?

2. Lower-Tier Bowl (currently Texas, Ticket City, Little Caesars or at-large)?

3. Middle-Tier Bowl (Insight, Gator)?

4. Upper-Tier Bowl excluding Rose/BCS (Capital One & Outback)?

5. Rose Bowl or other BCS bowl?
.
Click to expand...

I expect 2013 (Kill's third season) to be a watershed season, and one that might exceed expectations of most fans that are looking at the program right now. Not because it'll be the 3rd season in the system (learning curve should be ancient history) or that I think 3 years is plenty of time to turn things around.

I expect 2013 to be a highly successful season mostly because of the roster. Besides the fact that they lose very few impact seniors from THIS year's team, there also happen to be VERY few juniors on the team right now. After the 2012 season, the only notable departures will be Gray, Rallis, and Cooper (and to a slightly lesser extent, M. Carter, R. Grant, and Kyle Henderson).

If the QB situation for 2013 is anywhere above average, I would expect 7 wins, if not more. In 2013, there will be a LOT of 4th and 5th year seniors, and juniors who are multi-year starters. 2013 will be a fun year to watch, provided there aren't widespread, major defections/departures by that time. It's likely that not just the starters but the entire two-deep rosters for the Offensive and Defensive lines will be returning in 2013 from the previous season.

This season is a down payment on 2013 and beyond. And I'm fine with that.
 



MaxyJR1 said:
Problem with your theory. The president signed off on this and Kill won't be fired in the next 7 years.
Click to expand...
That's a pretty bold statement. The only people sold on Kill being the "right" guy so far are the same folks who thought Basement Brew was a good choice. I have no idea if Kill can turn us around, and I sure hope he does, but if his team looks like this one when we get tot he 2013 season, he'll be gone. Like any job, he will be expected to show improvement. Graduating kids would be a good start, but eventually it must lead to wins.
 

Saying "Basement Brew" is cool. You're cool. I want to be like you.
 

SelectionSunday said:
The Gophers are in a brutal division, and their protected rival (Wisconsin) doesn't bode well, either. I would expect Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State & Nebraska all to have staying power within the Legends Division. That's a tough row to hoe for the Gophers (and Northwestern). Obviously, the dynamics will change a little bit when the B1G goes to the 9-game schedule.
Click to expand...

True. The Gophers will have to be great because of the divisional draw. It can be done. OSU played MI and PSU as protected rivals in the old alignment and won 7 titles Ina row. If the Gophers ever get to the level of going 7-1 or 8-0 they will also be in the NC mix because of this schedule.
 

Funny sheet; "only true Gopher fans like this signing"

I'd say only a koolaid drinking, I don't care if we are losers and so what about a cool bowl fans(gopher) like this cotract. He's a bungling idiot, anyone with any *football IQ* can see that. Enjoy the mediocre guys, I guess I just have to be patient for the next hire again.
 

Good for him!

Now lets get some studs in here and start kicking some big fat booty.
 



Good for him to get a 7 year deal. security will mean a lot for recruits and for his staff. Hopefully he can turn it around by year 4
 

I am the exception to the trend of basement brew supporters being the same individuals who are fully behind Kill.

I made the correct call on the clownish, inept nature of basement brew very early. I am still very sold on Kill and think he will do relatively well here.

I like watching the current Wisconsin offense, and wish our Gary Patterson/TCU styled "multiple" offense did not look so much like the shotgun heavy Dunbar spread right now, but Kill still knows what it takes to win.

Kill will win here.
 

Couple of quotes from the Miller column in the Strib:

“…contract intended to demonstrate its faith that Kill will succeed and the Gophers will win -- eventually…”

“He's said for months that changing attitudes on his team before it can change results on the field is a project that will take four or five years. Fending off speculation about his job status after a couple of seasons, as Brewster was forced to do, could hinder his progress and turn off recruits…”

Fending off speculation could turn off recruits? I would think his consistent talk of how bad it is here and talk of how it's going to take a half-a-decade to turn the program around would hinder some progress, too? I don't care how great of a coach he is (for some reason I have more faith in him than I do his staff at this point), if you don't get talent success won't come. I'm not saying you need a team of 5-stars, but this isn't the MAC; if all your're getting are 2-star signings, you're not winning in the Big(whatever). What recruit wants to come here if he hears he likely won't have much, if any, success on the field during his time here? "Hey, I think I'll go to the U and work my ass off, and also get it kicked around a lot, and just hope to be mediocre!" It's tough enough competing for talent with the other schools when recruits aren't also hearing about how bad the current program is and how bad it's probably going to be for a considerable amount of time.

I understand the need to temper expectations, especially when we just had a blowhard in here talking Rose Bowls, but I wish he would have at least tried to capitalize on the enthusiasm, excitement and goodwill to lure kids here; instead, he talks about how dismal it is and how he won't have enough time to turn this thing around under his original contract. I just don't understand what you get by constantly running down the current (and future) state of the program, other than to lower expectations for fans and administration...recruits.

One Maturi quote I took from Miller's article: “Quite honestly, we can't afford the salary that some other institutions are able to afford.” Quite honestly, I have a one-word response to sum up that statement: Bull$hit.
 

counselor said:
Couple of quotes from the Miller column in the Strib:

“…contract intended to demonstrate its faith that Kill will succeed and the Gophers will win -- eventually…”

“He's said for months that changing attitudes on his team before it can change results on the field is a project that will take four or five years. Fending off speculation about his job status after a couple of seasons, as Brewster was forced to do, could hinder his progress and turn off recruits…”

Fending off speculation could turn off recruits? I would think his consistent talk of how bad it is here and talk of how it's going to take a half-a-decade to turn the program around would hinder some progress, too? I don't care how great of a coach he is (for some reason I have more faith in him than I do his staff at this point), if you don't get talent success won't come. I'm not saying you need a team of 5-stars, but this isn't the MAC; if all your're getting are 2-star signings, you're not winning in the Big(whatever). What recruit wants to come here if he hears he likely won't have much, if any, success on the field during his time here? "Hey, I think I'll go to the U and work my ass off, and also get it kicked around a lot, and just hope to be mediocre!" It's tough enough competing for talent with the other schools when recruits aren't also hearing about how bad the current program is and how bad it's probably going to be for a considerable amount of time.

I understand the need to temper expectations, especially when we just had a blowhard in here talking Rose Bowls, but I wish he would have at least tried to capitalize on the enthusiasm, excitement and goodwill to lure kids here; instead, he talks about how dismal it is and how he won't have enough time to turn this thing around under his original contract. I just don't understand what you get by constantly running down the current (and future) state of the program, other than to lower expectations for fans and administration...recruits.

One Maturi quote I took from Miller's article: “Quite honestly, we can't afford the salary that some other institutions are able to afford.” Quite honestly, I have a one-word response to sum up that statement: Bull$hit.
Click to expand...

This says it all. After all, WE ARE MINNESOTA!

Move aside Joel and make room for someone with an "I can do it" attitude.
 

counselor said:
I would think his consistent talk of how bad it is here and talk of how it's going to take a half-a-decade to turn the program around would hinder some progress, too?
Click to expand...
If you listen, his comments about how bad it is here when it comes to the program always relate to things like discipline, etc. There are some comments about lack of student involvement and gameday atmosphere, but any recruit with their eyes open would see that anyway. In the meantime, he's always talking about how great the school and the facilities are. The things that he says are wrong with the programs are the very things he's trying to recruit away from. In other words, if he's talking about how academics/attendance weren't stressed enough and that there is a culture shift to be made when it comes to expectations about winning he is going out and recruiting kids selling just that. The father of one of the Miami recruits made it clear that Kill and his staff and saying "we only want you if you are mentally tough, ready to work your tail off, and hit the books".

Now, will this approach work? I don't know. I like most am very hopeful it will. But anyone player who is turned off by Kill's public statements thus far isn't a kid Kill would likely be recruiting anyhow. That's my point, I guess.

counselor said:
What recruit wants to come here if he hears he likely won't have much, if any, success on the field during his time here? "Hey, I think I'll go to the U and work my ass off, and also get it kicked around a lot, and just hope to be mediocre!" It's tough enough competing for talent with the other schools when recruits aren't also hearing about how bad the current program is and how bad it's probably going to be for a considerable amount of time.
Click to expand...
That's why I think folks are misreading Kill's comments about being competitive in 4 years. They're assuming he means mediocre. Also, you're forgetting that a kid who signs in the 2012 class is going to be a senior or RS senior at the point which Kill says he wants things to be paying off. So I sincerely doubt Kill is going to them and saying "Boy, we're sure going to suck and maybe be just OK when you are a senior." I think it's much more likely that he's saying "We're trying to change the direction of this program, the culture of this program. To do that, we need tough, smart, talented guys like you to come and lead the turnaround. On your senior day, I want you to realize that all your hard work brought that change to Minnesota." Etc, etc.

I understand the concern, but if this is the truth of where we are would you prefer, well, snake oil?
 


GoAUpher said:
If you listen, his comments about how bad it is here when it comes to the program always relate to things like discipline, etc. There are some comments about lack of student involvement and gameday atmosphere, but any recruit with their eyes open would see that anyway. In the meantime, he's always talking about how great the school and the facilities are. The things that he says are wrong with the programs are the very things he's trying to recruit away from. In other words, if he's talking about how academics/attendance weren't stressed enough and that there is a culture shift to be made when it comes to expectations about winning he is going out and recruiting kids selling just that. The father of one of the Miami recruits made it clear that Kill and his staff and saying "we only want you if you are mentally tough, ready to work your tail off, and hit the books".

Now, will this approach work? I don't know. I like most am very hopeful it will. But anyone player who is turned off by Kill's public statements thus far isn't a kid Kill would likely be recruiting anyhow. That's my point, I guess.


That's why I think folks are misreading Kill's comments about being competitive in 4 years. They're assuming he means mediocre. Also, you're forgetting that a kid who signs in the 2012 class is going to be a senior or RS senior at the point which Kill says he wants things to be paying off. So I sincerely doubt Kill is going to them and saying "Boy, we're sure going to suck and maybe be just OK when you are a senior." I think it's much more likely that he's saying "We're trying to change the direction of this program, the culture of this program. To do that, we need tough, smart, talented guys like you to come and lead the turnaround. On your senior day, I want you to realize that all your hard work brought that change to Minnesota." Etc, etc.

I understand the concern, but if this is the truth of where we are would you prefer, well, snake oil?
Click to expand...

I still have some concerns, but this is a very good perspective/comment.
 

Tx_Gopher said:
I still have some concerns, but this is a very good perspective/comment.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I can understand people's concerns. 7 years is a long time and to being more comfortable with the decision requires some faith. Which given the struggles this season (and with U FB in general) can be hard. But unless someone thinks that Kill is a confidence man bilking the U for money or completely incompetent, then what he says and what he does are part of his plan. The former is obviously silly. The second is extremely unlikely given his history. And while his history may rule out incompetence, it doesn't guarantee success. Which brings you back to faith.

Personally, I'm willing to go on faith. Why? Well, what other choice do I have? It's too early to know one way or the other how things will turn out. And I'm not going to turn my back on my favorite team and home state school. And I don't like making myself into a miserable jerk. So I put some hope and faith on the line and see how things go. You could choose ambivalence or disengage/disinvest from the team (monetarily, emotionally, etc) until the outcome becomes more clear but that's not how I operate as a fan.
 

nasa35 said:
Funny sheet; "only true Gopher fans like this signing"

I'd say only a koolaid drinking, I don't care if we are losers and so what about a cool bowl fans(gopher) like this cotract. He's a bungling idiot, anyone with any *football IQ* can see that. Enjoy the mediocre guys, I guess I just have to be patient for the next hire again.
Click to expand...

Funny you bring up football IQ. Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.

You are an idiot for actually thinking the first 6 weeks in a guy's first year in a really really bad program is any sort of indication that he is going to fail.
 

Formo said:
Because changing coaches every 2-4 years has brought great success on the field..

Get off your horse, clown.
Click to expand...

Which school has made a habit of that? Not Minnesota. Holtz left on his own to go to Notre Dame. Aside from that:

Cal Stoll was here for seven years, and the program was basically the same throughout his tenure here. You could make a case for keeping him in hindsight, but remember, he was the first coach of the post-championship era, when fans really expected to be among the Big Ten elite, if not the national elite.

Salem got five years and left the program in much worse shape than he found it.

Gutey got six years and was fired after a one-win BT season (and he also had a zero-win BT season mixed in).

Wacker got five years and was fired after three consecutive one-win BT seasons.

Mason got 10 years. You could argue (and many do) that he should've had a chance to coach in the new stadium. He might be the exception in the bunch.

Brewster got 3.5 years, the only coach in the past 40 years to get fired within your exaggerated window. I'm assuming you're not saying we should've kept him.

The point is that we've gone thorugh a lot of coaches, to be sure. But they have all had reasonable opportunities to get the job done. We haven't been firing peole for the hell of it. We've been hiring (mostly) the wrong people and moving on when they have shown they can't get it done. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about giving Kill seven years, but we can't act as though giving a coach seven years in and of itself is the answer to 40 years of hell.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom