But, Kill announced Wednesday that he is retiring as Minnesota’s head coach, effective immediately, due to health concerns.
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“I walked in to see the coaches this morning”, Kill said during his emotional retirement press conference Wednesday morning.
“I want to coach the way I want to coach”, he said. I don’t want somebody to have to worry if I’m going to drop on the field. He gave details about just how much he had ignored his doctors at times, said the seizures have returned, and gave us a glimpse into the fact that, even if he had been completely healthy, he wasn’t leading a healthy life. He fights epilepsy, which led to two game-day seizures in 2011, another one in 2012 and one more that led to a seven-game leave of absence in 2013.
“I know somebody will ask, ‘Coach, what are you going to do?'” Kill said. “That’s the scary part”.
The Michigan football coach knew it was painful but saw his players respond well in subsequent practices and through the bye week, preparing for Saturday’s game at Minnesota (7 p.m., ESPN).
And while dozens of fake Harbaughs roam around the state this weekend, the real Harbaugh will be in Minnesota as his No. 15 Michigan team will take on the Golden Gophers.
At Saginaw Valley State, Kill’s Cardinals won nine games in a season for the second and third times in their history. Kill is himself is sure to stay busy with the Chasing Dreams Fund he and his wife Rebecca founded to support opportunities for children with epilepsy and greater awareness of the condition. The progress earned Kill the Big Ten’s coach of the year award. “I probably wasn’t supposed to be there”, he said. “I think that’s how he would want it and how those guys play”.
After a 3-9 season in his first year, Jerry Kill was able to get Minnesota back to a bowl game in year two for the first time since 2009. The Gophers went 4-3 when Claeys was acting coach two years ago, filling in while Kill was dealing with seizures. The Gophers’ defensive coordinator, Tracy Claeys, will take over as interim head coach.
“It’s unfortunate, but for someone who’s spent his whole life doing everything for everyone around him, I guess I’m happy he gets to do what’s best for him and am very thankful for everything he’s given to the University”.
Kill also said that he hadn’t slept more than three hours in a night in the last three weeks, saying, “Hell, that ain’t no way to live”. Claeys Wednesday after practice that Kill told him of his decision Tuesday afternoon.
“I feel like I’ve been trained well from the last situation”.
January 1, 2015: Coaches the Gophers in a January 1 bowl (a 33-17 loss to Missouri in the Citrus Bowl), their first New Year’s Day bowl since 1962.
Claeys said he was going to spend Wednesday night calling recruits and telling them he wanted to become the permanent head coach. When those expectations weren’t being met, Kill’s job got tougher.
“It’s an empty feeling”, said Kill, who signed a contract extension in August that raised his pay to $2.5 million per season. “I’ve never stole from anybody, and I’m not gonna steal now”.
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In the college football coaching fraternity, there’s an unspoken understanding of the job’s rigors.
