how would you grade the kill hire?

how would you grade the kill hire?

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I was going to say C, but then I did some digging on Kill's record at NIU. 2-12 against teams with winning records. Solid D for a grade. Terrible hire.
 


Gopher028 said:
SOLID C- very weak and cheap hire. If this is the best we could muster up, then why not give Horton a chance with Hammock at OC, hire a hot s*hit DC and roll with it...... This hire in the near future (1-3 years) achieves one thing, and that is to bore and scare off Gopher fans. That's it.
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Jerry Kill's resume looks like Bear Bryant's compared to Jeff Horton.
 

I give it a D+. It would have been higher had Maturi not been taken in by The Music Man four years ago. That emotional bruise is still tender. Kill has to break .500 next year, just assuage a majority of the fan base.
 

Gopher028 said:
SOLID C- very weak and cheap hire. If this is the best we could muster up, then why not give Horton a chance with Hammock at OC, hire a hot s*hit DC and roll with it...... This hire in the near future (1-3 years) achieves one thing, and that is to bore and scare off Gopher fans. That's it.
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Ummmmm.... did two different groups approach the Gophers about relocating to Los Angeles? :rolleyes:
 


B. I think many here are underestimating him. He's not exciting, but clearly, he knows how to coach a football team, which is about 1000 times more than could be said for Basement Brew.
 

Polls like this show me Minnesota sports fans are idiots. I think you need to take a step back for a moment and think. When the national media who sees where were at from a neutral view, is really approving this hire, there is something wrong with the meltdowners. He is perfect for the B10 like Bielema said. People think he is Glen Mason 2.0? Guess what!? were in a running conference, is it a huge shocker we got a coach with a proven track record to run the ball? Just because he happen to coach in the MAC, means he will be an exact mold of Mason. who you might not know, is actually a completely different person. Imagine that, 2 different people being 2 different people.
 

phipedes said:
B on the talent end F on the pr end. Telling the public it would be Tubby Smith like hire and then the tease about a candidate he couldn't believe was interested in the position had people believing we would have a top line hire. This isn't it. It is very middle of the road and that is what I expect from the Gophers from here on out, middle of the Big Ten in good years, fighting it out with Indiana for next to last place most others.
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Indiana, a far worse job than Minnesota, hired a coordinator from a BCS contender. Why we couldn't do the same or at least give the job to Mike Leach is beyond me.
 

AhliBobwa said:
Indiana, a far worse job than Minnesota, hired a coordinator from a BCS contender. Why we couldn't do the same or at least give the job to Mike Leach is beyond me.
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We have idiots running all aspects of the University? (It's just a hypothesis.) ;)
 



I get a kick out of some of these responses.

Right now? Absolute "F". We accomplished nothing with this hire but further divide an already volatile fan base.
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F. We need a coach from a bigger university with more than 3 years as a Division 1 FBS coach. Preferably one with a BCS conference. Like Mullen.
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Volatile fanbase? LMAO - the same fan base that can't show up to fill a brand new stadium in year two? It's a pathetic fanbase, so putting a grade on this hiring based on the fanbase's reaction is laughable.

Why did they need to hire a guy from a BCS conference? Tressel, Bielema and Ferentz had zero experience at the BCS level as head coaches...didn't seem to hurt them. Auburn hired Gene Chizik after he went 5-19 at Iowa State...people thought they were crazy. Chip Kelly had no head coaching experience at the BCS level - didn't seem to hurt him. Illinois and Michigan hired Ron Zook and Rich Rodriguez, respectively. Both had head coaching experience at the BCS level and both were successful at their previous jobs. Neither has transitioned well to the Big Ten.

In the end, it's a crap shoot. There's no magic formula. Kill has been successful everywhere he's been. There's no legitimate reason to believe he won't succeed at Minnesota. Give him time and we'll see how he does. There exists a coach who can succeed at Minnesota. I believe that Jerry Kill is that coach - for one simple reason. He's the new guy. You've got to believe that the new can can be the guy.
 

TheManfromtheSouth said:
I get a kick out of some of these responses.





(1) Volatile fanbase? LMAO - the same fan base that can't show up to fill a brand new stadium in year two? It's a pathetic fanbase, so putting a grade on this hiring based on the fanbase's reaction is laughable.

*snip*

(2) In the end, it's a crap shoot. There's no magic formula. Kill has been successful everywhere he's been. There's no legitimate reason to believe he won't succeed at Minnesota. Give him time and we'll see how he does. There exists a coach who can succeed at Minnesota. I believe that Jerry Kill is that coach - for one simple reason. He's the new guy. You've got to believe that the new can can be the guy.
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(1) Yes, I would say it is volatile, too. Not the traditional Fire and Brimstone volatile, but the most Passive-Aggressive fan base in the nation. The empty seats in a 2 year old stadium billed as a football palace is a prime example. If a team can not compete in all its' games, let alone win at least 50% of their games, why show up. If the people running the program don't care enough about doing their job (winning games), then why should the fans show up to cheer them on?

(2) No, there is no magic formula, but we have had so many false promises and teases at jumping back in to the upper ranks of D1 BCS football in the last 50 years, that unless it looks like a winner, smells like a winner and plays like a winner, we have no reason to rev up the optimism that has been the manipulated every time a change happens.

I can't think of a more jaded fan base than that of the University of Minnesota. We have six, going on seven, generations of fans who have only heard about the Golden Gophers being a football powerhouse. It seems foolish that every time someone promises to "improve" the football program we should just blindly believe them. The alumni and fans are in a "put up or shut up" mentality thanks to fifty years of mediocrity. Maturi's over promise, under deliver track record is like 30 grit sand paper on our chaffed egos. We can wait six to twelve months, not the twenty-four to thirty-six which is intuitive reaction to this hire.
 

I want to say something to you guys. Im the Vol fan who came here trying to tell you that Fulmer wouldnt be a bad idea and I got roasted for it. There were a lot of you who were convinced you could get the likes of Harbaugh and Gruden, and thought Fulmer was a laughable idea. I went through this coaching search nightmare two years in a row at Tennessee. We tried to get them all and couldnt and had to go the same route you guys did. Maturi told Fulmer thanks but no thanks early on from what I hear down here. I tried to warn you about going for the grand slam expectations wise because it was never going to happen. You blasted me for suggesting Fulmer and you got Jerry Kill. Dont get me wrong, I wish you guys the best, but I tried to tell you. We did the same thing. We tracked planes and speculated and staked out people's homes all hours of the night. And we all expected any day to hear that Jon Gruden was our new coach. We got disappointed two years in a row. Maybe Dooley will work out here as I hope Kill works out for you guys, but its a crapshoot. Sorry if I ruffled some feathers, but you would have been much better off with Fulmer. Good luck Gophers.
The hire is a solid F on all fronts by the way.
 

Hire: B, Process: D. Maturi is a clown whose inability to keep his yap shut really negatively impacted the perception of this hire. As for invigorating the fan base, I think wins will do that just fine. If Mike Leach had come to the U, he definitely would have packed the stadium for the first few games. Long term though, the Gophers need to win games. That could be accomplished by a big name or by someone like Jerry Kill. I like what I hear about his coaching style although the recruiting worries me a bit. I'm anxious to see what his staff is going to look like. I would expect to see Hammock stick around, but I hope Kill gets rid of the defensive staff lock, stock and barrel.
 



AhliBobwa said:
Indiana, a far worse job than Minnesota, hired a coordinator from a BCS contender. Why we couldn't do the same or at least give the job to Mike Leach is beyond me.
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I wanted a gritty winner and that's what we got! Screw this BCS and NFL coordinator talk...we've been down that road before. No matter the division, football is football.

I wonder if fans pissed and moaned when DIAA Youngstown State's Jim Tressel was hired at Ohio State? Don't fall for the name brands...

B
 

C because I like Kill, but the anti-Gopher crowd is going to have a blast with this in the media.
 

B. This wasn't a "homerun" A hire, but a solid hire. I never believed guys like Hoke, Mullen, Calhoun, etc. were ever going to come here. Kill always seemed the most likely guy and I was cool with that since he has a track record of turning around every program he has been with. Time will tell whether he can replicate that here, but his history leads one to believe that he might.
 

Kill as a coach- B+
Kill versus the expectations set and to give the program a kick start- D
Overall grade C

It's too bad. With a smarter process, meaning no Maturi, the fans could have been better prepared and happier with this hire. The way they did this was classic over promise -under deliver.
If you are not sure you can bring home the goods- keep your mouth shut. Kill may yet be a very good coach but the fans will be sharpening their axes early on. It will take patience.
 

I for one am very excited about this hire. He looks like he wants to be here and if you can win at N. Illinois you can win at Minnesota. I hope in a few years people will be making threads talking about what a steal we got. Also I would rather have a guy with regional recruiting ties. I bet a lot of high school recruits from the south could not even place minnesota on a map of the united states
 

way too early to grade the hire

On what basis can you fairly assess this hire? About the only thing you could base it on is how big the hype will get and whether the hire was popular with fans. On that basis I think it is fair to say that they didn't meet the bar they set for themselves.

Big deal.

Does that mean Colorado made a great hire when they hired Hawkins? Notre Dame must have the greatest program ever considering the hype following their last three head coach hires!

I don't care how excited fans get at the announcement of the hire, if you don't win it won't mean squat, and if you do win, everyone will forget how awful they thought this hire was.

Nobody has any idea how this hire will turn out - we'll just have to wait and see.

I will make one prediction though - the "fan" base will be so ready to make the case that this was a bad hire that anything less than a Rose Bowl in three years will be put forward as evidence that his hire was an "epic failure" and if only we would have hired Leach or Sumlin or fill-in-the-blank . . .
 

The hire itself C-. The PR, complete and total F.
 

PurplePride said:
Does "Fire Kill" sound as good as "Fire Brewster"?
This clown will be run out of town ASAP!
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This is why Gopher Football has little chance to ever succeed. The fanbase wants this guy out before he even has a chance to fart in his office chair. Is it even possiblethat he is a great coach who has yet to make his move to the big time?
 

Pointless to assign a letter grade to a coach that hasn't even had a game here, yet. However, I am going to guess and give it an "A" to help offset the people who can see the future and the people who were expecting Jesus himself.
 

gopherluv said:
I wanted a gritty winner and that's what we got! Screw this BCS and NFL coordinator talk...we've been down that road before. No matter the division, football is football.

I wonder if fans pissed and moaned when DIAA Youngstown State's Jim Tressel was hired at Ohio State? Don't fall for the name brands...

B
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At least READ the post if you're gonna comment. I never wanted an NFL coordinator. I wanted a top notch coordinator from a BCS contender (like Gus Malzahn). Guys like that will take just about any BCS conference head gig.

And here's the thing about Tressel. He doesn't have to be a good recruiter. Ohio State recruits itself. He just has to coach. Kill may be a great coach, but if he can't recruit at a high level than he will be no better than Glen Mason.
 

stocker08 said:
Pointless to assign a letter grade to a coach that hasn't even had a game here, yet. However, I am going to guess and give it an "A" to help offset the people who can see the future and the people who were expecting Jesus himself.
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Kinda like NFL draft grades. Yet every sports website does it.
 



D+...the same grade I gave Brewster when he was hired. Kill is the anti Brewster. Brewster could somewhat recruit but he couldn't coach. Kill probably is a good coach but he wont be able to recruit. We needed someone who could do both in order to win. Also, there is no buzz with this. People are going to get rid of their season tickets in droves. By the way, I give Maturi an F and think he should be fired for not getting a better hire and saying stupid things that led us to believe that we would get someone better. Kill will bring us to .500 eventually. I can't wait to start the fire Maturi chant at the next Gopher hockey game.
 

loki said:
D+...the same grade I gave Brewster when he was hired. Kill is the anti Brewster. Brewster could somewhat recruit but he couldn't coach. Kill probably is a good coach but he wont be able to recruit. We needed someone who could do both in order to win. Also, there is no buzz with this. People are going to get rid of their season tickets in droves. By the way, I give Maturi an F and think he should be fired for not getting a better hire and saying stupid things that led us to believe that we would get someone better. Kill will bring us to .500 eventually. I can't wait to start the fire Maturi chant at the next Gopher hockey game.
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And Brewster was the anti Mason. Why can't Joel learn.
 

After watching the press conference, I think my grade is now a B+.

He's wants to stop the run and play good defense. Seems like he wants an athletic QB and pound the ball on the ground.

I particularly like that he said the kids will play like it's a privelage to play here. Also saying that having a stable coaching staff is important. Recruiting speed.
 

C

Head coaching experience - B (upgrade)
Name recognition for recruiting - D- (even)
Coordinator experience - B+ (Kill's been an OC and a DC - got to be an upgrade)
Clear Offensive and defensive philosophy - B+ (upgrade)
Recruiting network in key states = D+ (probable loss - ?)
Bowl experience - B / Bowl wins - D (upgrade/even)
Ability to relate to a diverse group of young men (including the composition/diversity of his current staff) - C- (even at best - ?)
Direct tie to Minnesota - D (even)
"Tubby-like" - D- (neither was Brewster - even)
Ability to win - B (upgrade)
Making an immediate connection with key team leaders (Marqueis) - A (we shall see)
Role Model - B (upgrade)
Academic balance - A- (probable upgrade)
Understanding the importance of team/skill position speed - A (upgrade)
Teeth - F (LOL)

It will be interesting to see how his southern good ol' boy charm plays this far north.
 

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