Responses and comments by Coach Jerry Kill to questions by Sid Hartman and Dave Mona on today’s Sports Huddle:
1) Dave Mona opened the segment saying that Kill had been meeting with the family of a recruit just before the segment began. Sid asked Kill if he was sweating it out with Signing Day this Wednesday: “This time of the year we’re off the road (dead period) . . . You sweat; you’re in competition with many schools . . . (I) love competition . . . (this year’s class is) shaping up nicely,” replied Kill.
2) Sid asked how Kill was able to get kids from Alabama and Virginia: Kill quickly responded, “I will tell you, you try to get many from the Midwest, it’s a priority . . . then you look for a niche (he mentioned southern Illinois area) . . . Life’s about relationships . . . I’ve spoken all over the country.” He then credited his relationships with the high school coaches that he has developed.
3) Sid asked about walk-ons: “Trying to do our best . . . We’ve got some good kids . . . (walk-on recruiting is) niche for us,” Kill answered. He went onto say, “Getting them in school is not an easy process.” However, he proudly mentioned the team’s GPA and “We have a good track record” in walk-on recruiting.
4) Sid asked how many scholarships he expects to hand out this year: Kill said, “21-23 . . . see how it falls out . . . football is a game of numbers . . . would like to sign 30 a year (scholarships and walk-ons) . . . They’re all scholarships.” (He looks at the recruits the same, whether they’re a scholarship player or a walk-on, and, again, he mentioned that many of the walk-ons (track record) earn scholarships through dedicated, hard work.)
5) Sid asked about the weather and the impact it has on recruiting: (Laughing) “It’s not easy . . . (it’s) cold all over the country . . . lost a couple visits (because of transportation problems due to weather-related conditions in other parts of the nation),” Kill replied.
6) Dave Mona asked if they’re recruiting for need or best athletes available: Kill quickly said, “Need – receivers and playmakers . . . increasing depth in the offensive line. . . running backs . . . defensive side – linebackers and defensive line . . . want to create great competition . . . third year of recruiting – critical.” Kill stressed the importance of having depth and competition. He referenced the competition that Pete Carroll enjoyed at USC saying practice was game day every day.
7) Mona asked if we can expect Signing Day surprises, as we did last year (De’Vondre Campbell): (Laughing) “We’ll see,” Kill answered. (IMO, it sounded as though there are some players that they’re recruiting that the recruiting services are not aware of.)
Discussion then turned to the changing landscape of recruiting because of social media. Kill mentioned he found out that a recruit had announced his commitment via social media shortly after leaving his office, “Part of the new world . . . social media part of it.”
8) Mona asked about this year’s recruiting class: “We all get excited (coaches) . . . people change their minds on Tuesday,” replied Kill. He stressed you never know until the commitments have signed their Letters of Intent. Nevertheless, Kill sounded excited about this year’s class when describing the recruiting process.
9) Mona concluded the segment by offering Kill his congratulations on being inducted into the Southern Illinois University Hall of Fame; Kill replied, “Very Humbling . . . everything to do with our coaching staff and administrators.” Coach Kill said all of the administrators at SIU when he was their coach had left the institution; however, they returned for his induction.
Go Gophers!!
1) Dave Mona opened the segment saying that Kill had been meeting with the family of a recruit just before the segment began. Sid asked Kill if he was sweating it out with Signing Day this Wednesday: “This time of the year we’re off the road (dead period) . . . You sweat; you’re in competition with many schools . . . (I) love competition . . . (this year’s class is) shaping up nicely,” replied Kill.
2) Sid asked how Kill was able to get kids from Alabama and Virginia: Kill quickly responded, “I will tell you, you try to get many from the Midwest, it’s a priority . . . then you look for a niche (he mentioned southern Illinois area) . . . Life’s about relationships . . . I’ve spoken all over the country.” He then credited his relationships with the high school coaches that he has developed.
3) Sid asked about walk-ons: “Trying to do our best . . . We’ve got some good kids . . . (walk-on recruiting is) niche for us,” Kill answered. He went onto say, “Getting them in school is not an easy process.” However, he proudly mentioned the team’s GPA and “We have a good track record” in walk-on recruiting.
4) Sid asked how many scholarships he expects to hand out this year: Kill said, “21-23 . . . see how it falls out . . . football is a game of numbers . . . would like to sign 30 a year (scholarships and walk-ons) . . . They’re all scholarships.” (He looks at the recruits the same, whether they’re a scholarship player or a walk-on, and, again, he mentioned that many of the walk-ons (track record) earn scholarships through dedicated, hard work.)
5) Sid asked about the weather and the impact it has on recruiting: (Laughing) “It’s not easy . . . (it’s) cold all over the country . . . lost a couple visits (because of transportation problems due to weather-related conditions in other parts of the nation),” Kill replied.
6) Dave Mona asked if they’re recruiting for need or best athletes available: Kill quickly said, “Need – receivers and playmakers . . . increasing depth in the offensive line. . . running backs . . . defensive side – linebackers and defensive line . . . want to create great competition . . . third year of recruiting – critical.” Kill stressed the importance of having depth and competition. He referenced the competition that Pete Carroll enjoyed at USC saying practice was game day every day.
7) Mona asked if we can expect Signing Day surprises, as we did last year (De’Vondre Campbell): (Laughing) “We’ll see,” Kill answered. (IMO, it sounded as though there are some players that they’re recruiting that the recruiting services are not aware of.)
Discussion then turned to the changing landscape of recruiting because of social media. Kill mentioned he found out that a recruit had announced his commitment via social media shortly after leaving his office, “Part of the new world . . . social media part of it.”
8) Mona asked about this year’s recruiting class: “We all get excited (coaches) . . . people change their minds on Tuesday,” replied Kill. He stressed you never know until the commitments have signed their Letters of Intent. Nevertheless, Kill sounded excited about this year’s class when describing the recruiting process.
9) Mona concluded the segment by offering Kill his congratulations on being inducted into the Southern Illinois University Hall of Fame; Kill replied, “Very Humbling . . . everything to do with our coaching staff and administrators.” Coach Kill said all of the administrators at SIU when he was their coach had left the institution; however, they returned for his induction.
Go Gophers!!
