Coach Jerry Kill appeared on the Sports Huddle during the show’s second half-hour segment. His appearance was delayed because he was traveling. Coach Kill and his assistants will be attending the annual National Coaches Convention
1) Sid asked Kill for his thoughts on this year’s FBS College Football Playoffs: “I think it’s been great for college football,” Kill said.
As to speculation or talk about expanding the playoffs to eight teams, Kill was emphatic in his opposition: “Coaches (are) nervous about eight-team playoffs . . . Right where it should be.” He said they should focus on what’s best for the players. Kill said coaches are afraid of the physical toll on the players with the extra games, which would be a large negative and an important reason against expanding the number of teams eligible for the playoffs.
2) Sid asked what the coaches are doing now that bowl season has ended: Kill said they’re (coaches) catching planes for the National Coaches Convention. They’ll attend meetings for two to three days and then the “dead period” in recruiting will end: “We’ll be on planes recruiting for two weeks.” He emphasized that the remaining two weeks before the National Signing Day (Letter of Intent) is the critical period in recruiting – retaining their commitments and filling out their allotment of recruits.
Kill also said the hiring of Jim Harbaugh at Michigan has affected the recruiting process, but he didn’t elaborate on his comment.
3) Sid, once again, asked what redshirts will help the team next season: Kill quickly responded, “There’s a lot of kids on the offensive side . . . Backfield will be loaded (Names that Kill mentioned: Rod Smith, Jeff Jones and returning lettermen Berkley Edwards and Roderick Williams.) . . . Receiving corps (is) another group we’re excited about: Desmond Gant, Isaiah Gentry, Melvin Holland, Duke Anyanwu (returning from his season-ending knee injury at the start of fall drills last season) and Jerry Gibson.” Anyanwu and Gibson are tight ends.
“Defensively we had to play a lot of freshmen.”
Kill ended the question in excited terms. He said overall team speed – but especially on offense - will be the best that they’ve had at Minnesota since their arrival.
4) Sid then asked about injured players that will be back in their pads for spring drills: “Scott Ekpe won’t be doing anything in the spring,” Kill answered. (They want to make sure that he is fully recovered from his injury and ready for the 2015 season.) Duke Anyanwu and several other injured players will be back for spring practices; however, he quickly added that they’ll be cautious with the returning injured players in the spring drills.
5) Dave Mona asked about the four recruits that will in school for the second semester and a status report on linebacker Cody Poock: Kill sounded excited with the return of Poock: “Cody Poock is a very good player.” (As was mentioned last week, Cody Poock has three years eligibility remaining.)
Kill then said that a junior college safety and three high school recruits are in school, however, he didn’t give any names because of NCAA regulations until after National Signing Day.
Kill said they hope to sign 23 players in this year’s recruiting class. The four recruits that are in school for the second semester and available for spring drills will be counted with last year’s recruiting class.
6) Sid asked how things have been going since the Citrus Bowl: Kill acknowledged that he was “depressed” following the loss to Missouri in Orlando but he’s over it and is focusing on building and improving the Gopher football team with heightened recruiting efforts in the next two weeks: “Have to outwork people . . . work extra hard to take the next step.”
Kill’s final comments were fan-related. He thanked the fans for their support and that they’ll strive to strengthen and improve the team (via recruiting) for the state and its loyal fans.
Sid closed the segment with a comment that was directed to Coach Kill about the many fans that were in attendance for the Citrus Bowl. According to Sid, Citrus Bowl officials were happy with the Gopher crowd – 20,000 Gopher fans were at the game between Missouri and Minnesota.
Go Gophers!!
1) Sid asked Kill for his thoughts on this year’s FBS College Football Playoffs: “I think it’s been great for college football,” Kill said.
As to speculation or talk about expanding the playoffs to eight teams, Kill was emphatic in his opposition: “Coaches (are) nervous about eight-team playoffs . . . Right where it should be.” He said they should focus on what’s best for the players. Kill said coaches are afraid of the physical toll on the players with the extra games, which would be a large negative and an important reason against expanding the number of teams eligible for the playoffs.
2) Sid asked what the coaches are doing now that bowl season has ended: Kill said they’re (coaches) catching planes for the National Coaches Convention. They’ll attend meetings for two to three days and then the “dead period” in recruiting will end: “We’ll be on planes recruiting for two weeks.” He emphasized that the remaining two weeks before the National Signing Day (Letter of Intent) is the critical period in recruiting – retaining their commitments and filling out their allotment of recruits.
Kill also said the hiring of Jim Harbaugh at Michigan has affected the recruiting process, but he didn’t elaborate on his comment.
3) Sid, once again, asked what redshirts will help the team next season: Kill quickly responded, “There’s a lot of kids on the offensive side . . . Backfield will be loaded (Names that Kill mentioned: Rod Smith, Jeff Jones and returning lettermen Berkley Edwards and Roderick Williams.) . . . Receiving corps (is) another group we’re excited about: Desmond Gant, Isaiah Gentry, Melvin Holland, Duke Anyanwu (returning from his season-ending knee injury at the start of fall drills last season) and Jerry Gibson.” Anyanwu and Gibson are tight ends.
“Defensively we had to play a lot of freshmen.”
Kill ended the question in excited terms. He said overall team speed – but especially on offense - will be the best that they’ve had at Minnesota since their arrival.
4) Sid then asked about injured players that will be back in their pads for spring drills: “Scott Ekpe won’t be doing anything in the spring,” Kill answered. (They want to make sure that he is fully recovered from his injury and ready for the 2015 season.) Duke Anyanwu and several other injured players will be back for spring practices; however, he quickly added that they’ll be cautious with the returning injured players in the spring drills.
5) Dave Mona asked about the four recruits that will in school for the second semester and a status report on linebacker Cody Poock: Kill sounded excited with the return of Poock: “Cody Poock is a very good player.” (As was mentioned last week, Cody Poock has three years eligibility remaining.)
Kill then said that a junior college safety and three high school recruits are in school, however, he didn’t give any names because of NCAA regulations until after National Signing Day.
Kill said they hope to sign 23 players in this year’s recruiting class. The four recruits that are in school for the second semester and available for spring drills will be counted with last year’s recruiting class.
6) Sid asked how things have been going since the Citrus Bowl: Kill acknowledged that he was “depressed” following the loss to Missouri in Orlando but he’s over it and is focusing on building and improving the Gopher football team with heightened recruiting efforts in the next two weeks: “Have to outwork people . . . work extra hard to take the next step.”
Kill’s final comments were fan-related. He thanked the fans for their support and that they’ll strive to strengthen and improve the team (via recruiting) for the state and its loyal fans.
Sid closed the segment with a comment that was directed to Coach Kill about the many fans that were in attendance for the Citrus Bowl. According to Sid, Citrus Bowl officials were happy with the Gopher crowd – 20,000 Gopher fans were at the game between Missouri and Minnesota.
Go Gophers!!
