From my notes:
Coach Kill's opening remarks: Appreciates the opportunity and challenge of coaching in the Big 10. "It's been a long journey since last December."
Coaching staff has been together a long time . . . in the top six in the country in longevity of staffs being together, which is important in turning a program around.
The players, during spring ball, have tried to do what the coaches expect them to do. In turning around a program there are a lot of things you initially can't control, i.e., deph, injuries, etc.
Questions from the media:
1) Recruitment and late signing of Foreman at QB: Looking to create competition at the QB position and all positions. Every team must have at least two quarterbacks. You always worry about injuries and must have a quallity QB ready to jump in.
2) Marqueis Gray at wide receiver: "We'll keep him at QB!" "He'd be scary if he had the reps (at qb)." It's up to the coaching staff how we best utilize his athletic talents at the QB position.
3) Strength and conditioning: Strength coach has been with coach Kill for about 17 years. "We'll know a lot more about the players off-season conditioning come two-a-days." Strength and conditioning training helps your team stay healthy, which is the purpose of strength training. Staying healthy during two-a-days is paramount; a lot of information and work to be done during the fall camp and can't afford to be sidelined by injuries, if they're to make progress and start turning the program around.
4) Success of NIU against Big 10 teams: At a mid-major it's easy to get up one or two times against the big boys, which is a big deal for the mid-major schools. In conference play it's a week in and week out proposition. Can't worry about the other teams, you need to take care of your own. What's great about Big 10 teams is that you can beat the team you're facing and they can beat you . . . competition is a good thing.
5 Eskridge leaving: Always concerned about depth; however, "We feel good at the tailback position."
6) Big 10 Legends and Leaders Divisions and Wisconsin being in the opposite division but on the yearly schedule: You don't control those things (conference play), "You play who you're supposed to play." Coaches have some control in the out-of-conference scheduling.
7) BCS play: Pretty much the same at previous stops . . . certain things you want to do better . . . fix the problems. "I have a vision where and what to do."
8) Recruiting (type of athlete big, speed?) "What fits the state of Minnesota." Academics to athletics . . . getting players that want to be at Minnesota. Wants to increase APR, just as he did at NIU. Then talked about his friend Gary Patterson at TCU. They have similar coaching philosophy having come from the same coaching tree - Dennis Franchione.
9) Defensive improvement: Can't speak to the past only the present, "We need to get the right players in the right places." Players understanding the schemes is key, "Take what you have and give them a chance to win." "You can't win without a defense." Coaches a team philosophy and players need to have buy-in.
10) Another first-year coach in the conference said he doesn't want to look at last year's film. Coach Kill's response to question: We saw a lot of previous Minnesota film in preparation for last year's game. Since his arrival, however, he's gone over film back to the 1960s and has talked to previous coaches at Minnesota including Mason, Brewster, Holtz.
Go Gophers!!
Coach Kill's opening remarks: Appreciates the opportunity and challenge of coaching in the Big 10. "It's been a long journey since last December."
Coaching staff has been together a long time . . . in the top six in the country in longevity of staffs being together, which is important in turning a program around.
The players, during spring ball, have tried to do what the coaches expect them to do. In turning around a program there are a lot of things you initially can't control, i.e., deph, injuries, etc.
Questions from the media:
1) Recruitment and late signing of Foreman at QB: Looking to create competition at the QB position and all positions. Every team must have at least two quarterbacks. You always worry about injuries and must have a quallity QB ready to jump in.
2) Marqueis Gray at wide receiver: "We'll keep him at QB!" "He'd be scary if he had the reps (at qb)." It's up to the coaching staff how we best utilize his athletic talents at the QB position.
3) Strength and conditioning: Strength coach has been with coach Kill for about 17 years. "We'll know a lot more about the players off-season conditioning come two-a-days." Strength and conditioning training helps your team stay healthy, which is the purpose of strength training. Staying healthy during two-a-days is paramount; a lot of information and work to be done during the fall camp and can't afford to be sidelined by injuries, if they're to make progress and start turning the program around.
4) Success of NIU against Big 10 teams: At a mid-major it's easy to get up one or two times against the big boys, which is a big deal for the mid-major schools. In conference play it's a week in and week out proposition. Can't worry about the other teams, you need to take care of your own. What's great about Big 10 teams is that you can beat the team you're facing and they can beat you . . . competition is a good thing.
5 Eskridge leaving: Always concerned about depth; however, "We feel good at the tailback position."
6) Big 10 Legends and Leaders Divisions and Wisconsin being in the opposite division but on the yearly schedule: You don't control those things (conference play), "You play who you're supposed to play." Coaches have some control in the out-of-conference scheduling.
7) BCS play: Pretty much the same at previous stops . . . certain things you want to do better . . . fix the problems. "I have a vision where and what to do."
8) Recruiting (type of athlete big, speed?) "What fits the state of Minnesota." Academics to athletics . . . getting players that want to be at Minnesota. Wants to increase APR, just as he did at NIU. Then talked about his friend Gary Patterson at TCU. They have similar coaching philosophy having come from the same coaching tree - Dennis Franchione.
9) Defensive improvement: Can't speak to the past only the present, "We need to get the right players in the right places." Players understanding the schemes is key, "Take what you have and give them a chance to win." "You can't win without a defense." Coaches a team philosophy and players need to have buy-in.
10) Another first-year coach in the conference said he doesn't want to look at last year's film. Coach Kill's response to question: We saw a lot of previous Minnesota film in preparation for last year's game. Since his arrival, however, he's gone over film back to the 1960s and has talked to previous coaches at Minnesota including Mason, Brewster, Holtz.
Go Gophers!!
