Coach Kill did not appear on the Sports Huddle until the final few minutes of the half-hour segment. Kill was busy visiting with recruits and their families at TCF Bank Stadium. Initially it was reported the delay would be only a few minutes; however, Tubby Smith was available and was interviewed for the main portion of the slotted time period and coach Kill was on for approximately six minutes (not including commercial time).
1) Sid opened by asking what recruiting rules they're presently operating under: Kill said this is the busy time and will be for the next three weeks. He was in California Friday making an in-home visit (coaches can make one in-home visit). They're also busy with campus visits with recruits and parents on weekends. Recruits attended the Gopher hockey games this weekend and future visits will include Gopher basketball games. They're also conducting intensive recruiting efforts toward the 2014 recruiting period . . . junior recruits and their parents are also visiting the campus at this time.
He concluded the question by saying this year has been the most aggressive they've been in recruiting since they arrived at Minnesota.
2) Sid asked how they could be known recruiting-wise in California: Kill responded saying they have players on the current team, i.e., Brock Vereen, Cedric Thompson. He stressed the importance of building and maintaining relationships. He then spent some time talking about the merits of Minnesota and the university. He said when he meets with recruits he's surprised how many people know of family members, acquaintances that reside in the Twin Cities because of the Fortune 500 companies and the vibrant business community located in Minnesota and the Twin Cities.
3) Sid asked if coach Kill was surprised about Minnesota's assets (business community): Kill admitted he's still learning about the state and the Twin Cities and its many assets (business and quality of life). He also said it takes a couple years to learn about the school and the surrounding features that make a vibrant community/area. He concluded by saying Minnesotans and the 'U' need to trumpet the many assets that they're blessed with. (The point is driven home when he visits other states and compares them with what Minnesota has to offer.)
4) Sid, again, asked about recruits coming in for the spring semester: Kill said there's a lot that has yet to take place: academic/administrative paper work and continuous recruiting of the verbaled players. He said the late coaching changes (Tennessee, Arkansas, Wisconsin, etc.) has changed the recruiting landscape - recruiting openings and reopenings.
5) Sid then acknowledged Kill couldn't name names, but Minnesota has a recruit that Alabama wants (Sid's words): Kill responded by laughing and saying Sid is always trying to get him in trouble with the NCAA by asking recruiting questions that he can't comment on. He then talked about the great job Nick Saban has been doing and has going at Alabama, "I'd like to look like Alabama some day." (He talked about the talent and, of course, Saban's big paycheck.)
6) Dave Mona asked GopherHoler Killjoy's question about spring practice: Kill said spring practice will take place much like it did last year. He anticipates it'll start at the end of March. Weather will be a factor as to the start and when the drills are conducted. (No specific dates given. It also sounded as though the drills will be run as they were last year with many of the practices opened to the public (that's my take.))
7) Mona's second question had been submitted by gophergrad: Last year, Minnesota coaches visited TCU, Mississippi State and West Virginia to observe their offensive and defensive practices. Gophergrad wanted to know if they planned off-campus visits and/or if they hoped to have visiting coaches on the Minnesota campus this year. Kill said they plan to have some high profile coaches (no names given) visit this year (those in town for coaches clinics) to conduct some private instruction/clinics. (It didn't sound as though the Minnesota coaches will be visiting other schools this year.)
Coach Kill only had a couple minutes in which to answer and elaborate on the submitted questions by Killjoy and gophergrad. He did a good job, however, answering the GopherHole queries. It's also good to see that Dave Mona considered the submitted questions of GopherHolers. I personally believe if he had had more time, Dave probably would have used additional GopherHole questions.
Go Gophers!!
1) Sid opened by asking what recruiting rules they're presently operating under: Kill said this is the busy time and will be for the next three weeks. He was in California Friday making an in-home visit (coaches can make one in-home visit). They're also busy with campus visits with recruits and parents on weekends. Recruits attended the Gopher hockey games this weekend and future visits will include Gopher basketball games. They're also conducting intensive recruiting efforts toward the 2014 recruiting period . . . junior recruits and their parents are also visiting the campus at this time.
He concluded the question by saying this year has been the most aggressive they've been in recruiting since they arrived at Minnesota.
2) Sid asked how they could be known recruiting-wise in California: Kill responded saying they have players on the current team, i.e., Brock Vereen, Cedric Thompson. He stressed the importance of building and maintaining relationships. He then spent some time talking about the merits of Minnesota and the university. He said when he meets with recruits he's surprised how many people know of family members, acquaintances that reside in the Twin Cities because of the Fortune 500 companies and the vibrant business community located in Minnesota and the Twin Cities.
3) Sid asked if coach Kill was surprised about Minnesota's assets (business community): Kill admitted he's still learning about the state and the Twin Cities and its many assets (business and quality of life). He also said it takes a couple years to learn about the school and the surrounding features that make a vibrant community/area. He concluded by saying Minnesotans and the 'U' need to trumpet the many assets that they're blessed with. (The point is driven home when he visits other states and compares them with what Minnesota has to offer.)
4) Sid, again, asked about recruits coming in for the spring semester: Kill said there's a lot that has yet to take place: academic/administrative paper work and continuous recruiting of the verbaled players. He said the late coaching changes (Tennessee, Arkansas, Wisconsin, etc.) has changed the recruiting landscape - recruiting openings and reopenings.
5) Sid then acknowledged Kill couldn't name names, but Minnesota has a recruit that Alabama wants (Sid's words): Kill responded by laughing and saying Sid is always trying to get him in trouble with the NCAA by asking recruiting questions that he can't comment on. He then talked about the great job Nick Saban has been doing and has going at Alabama, "I'd like to look like Alabama some day." (He talked about the talent and, of course, Saban's big paycheck.)
6) Dave Mona asked GopherHoler Killjoy's question about spring practice: Kill said spring practice will take place much like it did last year. He anticipates it'll start at the end of March. Weather will be a factor as to the start and when the drills are conducted. (No specific dates given. It also sounded as though the drills will be run as they were last year with many of the practices opened to the public (that's my take.))
7) Mona's second question had been submitted by gophergrad: Last year, Minnesota coaches visited TCU, Mississippi State and West Virginia to observe their offensive and defensive practices. Gophergrad wanted to know if they planned off-campus visits and/or if they hoped to have visiting coaches on the Minnesota campus this year. Kill said they plan to have some high profile coaches (no names given) visit this year (those in town for coaches clinics) to conduct some private instruction/clinics. (It didn't sound as though the Minnesota coaches will be visiting other schools this year.)
Coach Kill only had a couple minutes in which to answer and elaborate on the submitted questions by Killjoy and gophergrad. He did a good job, however, answering the GopherHole queries. It's also good to see that Dave Mona considered the submitted questions of GopherHolers. I personally believe if he had had more time, Dave probably would have used additional GopherHole questions.
Go Gophers!!
