Is Kill the right man for the job?

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(1) I think Kill is the kind of coach that our program needs. I think he's the kind of coach that could make us consistently competitive, which is the goal that all adult Gopher fans have.

(2) Kill is having his first truly disappointing season in his career.. The big question is, "What will he learn? How will he adapt and change?" I am open to the possibility that the answer should be "Re-assigning or letting go Coach Limegrover." Yes, I said it.
 

Studwell55 said:
(1) I think Kill is the kind of coach that our program needs. I think he's the kind of coach that could make us competitive, which is the goal that all adult Gopher fans have.

(2) Kill is having his first truly disappointing season. The big question is, "What will he learn? How will he adapt and change?"
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I agree on 2.

What happens next year, etc, is way more interesting to me. Bummer of a year, now can he take the team and bounce back?
 

I say we bring Nick Saban in with Dantonio and Urban Meyer as assistant head coaches.
 


The question is Jerry Kill the right coach for the job? Can he be replaced with a better, more notable coach?

I don't think there is a clear answer to either question. We are in season 5 with Coach Kill. A friend of mine suggested Coach Kill is a good educator and that is what you want in a coach at the U. Since my friend is a coach at the U in a different sport, it does not surprise me that he said this. So, if being an educator at the U is a value of the school and all athletic coaches at the U, the question of replacement becomes even more difficult. Who then, is better than Jerry Kill as a football coach and as an educator? Not sure that we can get better as an educator considering how much progress our coach/educator has made in these past 5 years. For this alone, I am a very big Jerry Kill fan and supporter. At the same time, I wish he had gotten out of the gate faster in terms of offensive line recruits, as those injuries are acute right now and we could have used even more depth at the position with upperclassmen.

My bottom line is we should not replace Coach Jerry Kill or any of his staff, no matter how frustrating it is to regress in year 5 (due to injuries to multiple/multiplying team members). I think my support will continue well beyond this year.
 




Can we wait for more than half of a crappy season before having this discussion? Yeah, they've played like garbage through 7 games. At the same time, we still have a good shot of getting to 6-6 and making a bowl game (which would turn it into a bad but not horrible season), we could do even better, and all three trophies we play for this year are still in play. If we overperform through the next five as much as we underperformed through the first seven, this could end up being a solid season.

Even if this turns out to be a full bad year, I'd at least wait til next to see if this is a bump in the road or the start of a new trend.
 

I cannot believe this post even exists. Kill and his team are absolutely and without question the right people for Golden Gopher football. This is a program that has been in the sh*tter since I was 17 years old and that was a hell of a long time ago.

You don't resurrect Mesabi (a sleeping giant) in three or four years. Not if you do it right. Kill et al are doing it right. Hell, I'm as disappointed as anyone over NW & Neb, but I am as proud as can be of a program that is doing the right things in the right way.

Our new facilities will keep the recruiting improving and that is what will make the difference. Chill out all and enjoy the trip. Enjoy even if the road has bumps and even a few potholes. Thank you Jerry Kill and staff!
 



Not sure. The win at Nebraska last year felt like the biggest win the program has had in a long time (and another thread seems to back that up), but things have been pretty awful since that win. Was last year an aberration where a number of close games went the Gophers way (and they still lost to Illinois) or was it a sign of things to come?

My biggest concern is with the offense as there is still is not a quarterback nor is there a fully developed passing game. Strangely, this team hasn't shown itself to be anywhere near a dominant running team either. There has not been a season yet where you could say the Gophers were "really good" at any aspect of offensive football.

I guess my answer depends largely on what happens this off season as something drastic needs to happen in the way this staff approaches offensive football. Coach Kill's friend Patterson made some big changes at TCU and completely jump started his program...is Coach Kill willing/able to make such adjustments? I think the answer to that question will go a long way to answering the original question.
 

Great Plains Gopher said:
I always believed in giving a new coach five years - and now they are firing them in year two. But this is the fifth year, as with Wacker, Salem. Kill is way ahead of them, but hasn't had a team as good as Mason's '99 team (third year), which went 8-3 before its bowl game and just missed a B10 championship tie. Offense has been a problem all five years, along with QB. Also, by this time recruiting should have provided more depth in the o-line, at QB, DE, etc. Lots of teams (FL, BYU, e.g.) have had to go with very good second string QBs because of injuries to starters, but for us it would be a disaster. The Gophers have been able to run in only one half of one game this year - the working parts are not there. Recruiting is a worry, as is offensive imagination, coaching, play-calling - though Mitch and receivers did a great job Saturday.
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Would you have fired Mason after going backwards in year 4-5? He was 4-7 in year five.


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It is a disappointing season for sure but has anybody looked at the injuries we have had?? It's brutal and definitely plays a roll in this. Kill is having his best recruiting class yet and I think we need to give this thing a good 2-4 years before we decide he isn't the one. I think he needs to salvage this year by beating Wisconsin and winning a bowl game. It will keep some momentum going with the program.
 

scools12 said:
Always love this one. Adding mythical wins to the record to make things look better. Funny stuff.
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Hey, if you want to go back to the Brewster or Mason era so be it. Hopefully Coach Kill will be able to live up to those standards. Although, we've had a lot of good coaches over the last 40 years. Oh, and most of them have stayed, especially Holtz. I can see why you expect so much. What is that saying, wish again Michigan?


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ncgo4 said:
I cannot believe this post even exists. Kill and his team are absolutely and without question the right people for Golden Gopher football. This is a program that has been in the sh*tter since I was 17 years old and that was a hell of a long time ago.

You don't resurrect Mesabi (a sleeping giant) in three or four years. Not if you do it right. Kill et al are doing it right. Hell, I'm as disappointed as anyone over NW & Neb, but I am as proud as can be of a program that is doing the right things in the right way.

Our new facilities will keep the recruiting improving and that is what will make the difference. Chill out all and enjoy the trip. Enjoy even if the road has bumps and even a few potholes. Thank you Jerry Kill and staff!
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You are dead wrong my friend
 

GophersInIowa said:
The problem is his is statement was false. We never had a 4th and 1 situation in Nebraska territory. We punted once in their territory on 4th and 10 from their 47 and went for it on a 4th and 3 at their 48 (converted).

At times he has been aggressive. Against NW we went for it on 4th and 7 at the NW 31 on the second drive of the game (failed) and also went for it on 4th and 2 and the NW 31 on the first drive of the second half (failed also). Overall Kill is pretty conservative, but its not like he never goes for it or takes a chance. I think we sometimes only remember what we want to remember.

As for if Kill is the right man for the job, I'm still optimistic he is but it is still too early to tell. We'll know more over the next few years.
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Huh. I thought we did have a 4th and short in Nebraska territory, but after looking at the box score again, I appear to be mistaken. Thanks for pointing that out.
 

Studwell55 said:
(1) I think Kill is the kind of coach that our program needs. I think he's the kind of coach that could make us consistently competitive, which is the goal that all adult Gopher fans have.

(2) Kill is having his first truly disappointing season in his career.. The big question is, "What will he learn? How will he adapt and change?" I am open to the possibility that the answer should be "Re-assigning or letting go Coach Limegrover." Yes, I said it.
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Terrific comment. Will Kill pull a Ferentz?
 

Some Day...Is Coming! said:
Hey, if you want to go back to the Brewster or Mason era so be it. Hopefully Coach Kill will be able to live up to those standards. Although, we've had a lot of good coaches over the last 40 years. Oh, and most of them have stayed, especially Holtz. I can see why you expect so much. What is that saying, wish again Michigan?


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No one is saying go back to the Mason or Brewster era. You want to defend Kill by pointing out the schedule is tougher. The schedule is always tough. The school is in the B1G Conference. It's not going to get easier as no more FCS teams and probably going to 9 conference games at some point. If the schedule is jus too tough for Jerry Kill and his staff they might as well move back to the MAC.
 

Studwell55 said:
(1) I think Kill is the kind of coach that our program needs. I think he's the kind of coach that could make us consistently competitive, which is the goal that all adult Gopher fans have.

(2) Kill is having his first truly disappointing season in his career.. The big question is, "What will he learn? How will he adapt and change?" I am open to the possibility that the answer should be "Re-assigning or letting go Coach Limegrover." Yes, I said it.
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I agree Limey needs to relocate but I doubt Kill pulls that trigger unless Limey goes to Jerry and takes a step down, stays on as a consultant
 

TEQB

DoubleB said:
I agree Limey needs to relocate but I doubt Kill pulls that trigger unless Limey goes to Jerry and takes a step down, stays on as a consultant
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Cripes~!

This staff had almost every ounce of QB talent walk out the door on em- They still coached a TEQB led team to a Jan 1 bowl game and you guys are blaming the staff for what? a 1-2 record in the BT. Yes, we still have TEQB - but couple that with injuries.
 

scools12 said:
You want to defend Kill by pointing out the schedule is tougher. The schedule is always tough. The school is in the B1G Conference. It's not going to get easier as no more FCS teams and probably going to 9 conference games at some point.
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A) The Gophers play an FCS team next year; B) 9 conference games begin next year; C) the schedule is easier next year.
 

Kill's recruiting has been on an upswing the last couple of years, especially next year's class, schedule and injuries are taking a toll, I would expect the team to rebound from this and continue to improve. If recruiting had taken a dive I might have some serious reservations.
 


jovs said:
Kill's recruiting has been on an upswing the last couple of years, especially next year's class, schedule and injuries are taking a toll, I would expect the team to rebound from this and continue to improve. If recruiting had taken a dive I might have some serious reservations.
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I expect recruiting will get better now that the new practice facility is approved, and soon to be built (because that's what we've been told). With this will come even higher expectations for the football program, right?
 

Maximus said:
A) The Gophers play an FCS team next year; B) 9 conference games begin next year; C) the schedule is easier next year.
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It was my understanding the B1G Commissioner had said no more FCS teams other than games already scheduled which was more to my point. I could be wrong about the scheduling of FCS teams in the future.

Regardless Jerry Kill shouldn't just get a pass on how the coaching staff and team is evaluated based on the strength of the schedule during any given season.
 

scools12 said:
It was my understanding the B1G Commissioner had said no more FCS teams other than games already scheduled which was more to my point. I could be wrong about the scheduling of FCS teams in the future.
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Currently contracted games will be played out, but you can't schedule/contract any more.
 

Is Kill the right man for the job?

Given the current circumstances, I'm not sure. We'll all know more at the end of next season.

I do think this coaching staff needs to be more flexible and more prepared for, and open to, alternative strategies and plays (especially on offense) when their plans aren't working. Perhaps then we would waste fewer possessions trying to get the running game going when the opposing defense is obviously focused on stopping the run. They also need to start taking some chances to try to extend drives and possession times. They have little to lose over the next two or three games. The conservative approach may have worked with last year's team but it's not working with this one.
 

It would be stupid to bail on a coach who just last year was B1G Coach of the Year! Plus he has some good recruiting classes he is building on which could provide the depth needed to overcome all these injuries we've had this year. Add in the new facilities and this program could spike a drastic upward improvement with Michigan and Ohio State off the schedule.
 

Otis said:
It would be stupid to bail on a coach who just last year was B1G Coach of the Year! Plus he has some good recruiting classes he is building on which could provide the depth needed to overcome all these injuries we've had this year. Add in the new facilities and this program could spike a drastic upward improvement with Michigan and Ohio State off the schedule.
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I almost don't believe there is anyone out there that really wants Kill gone. No one can be that dumb can they?
 

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