Saluki_Kill_Fan
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- Mar 1, 2011
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I don't mean to get ahead of myself here and not enjoy what is currently going on THIS season. It's been amazing to watch this 4-0 start, but there is still a long way to go before things really start to come to fruition. There are some very winnable games to start out B1G play, but no gimmes. 7-5 (3-5) seems very reasonable at this point, and 8-4 (4-4) doesn't sound as crazy as it did before the season started. But anyone who knows coach Kill knows that no loss is acceptable, and it makes me all that much more excited for next season.
It is usually Jerry Kill's 3rd year where you see the biggest improvement (he has never had less than 9 wins in his 3rd season). Looking at the schedule next year, things look very favorable as far as the B1G schedule is concerned. Instead of @Illinois and vs. Purdue this year, you get @Indiana and vs. Penn State next year. Also this years away games @Iowa and @Wisconsin will be home games next year. It will be interesting to see how the game @Michigan goes since Denard Robinson will have graduated. Your Offensive Line won't lose a single starter, and should be deeper once the red shirts from this year get into the depth chart. This could really open things up for Kirkwood to have a monster Junior season. Yes losing Gray will hurt, but Shortell has been getting a decent amount of time behind center to ease the transition. Wilhite will graduate, but hopefully Hagemen stays around for another year.
The best thing though is that this is just the beginning. Even after the 3rd year, Kill's teams get better. His first 2 years in the FCS playoffs (years 3 and 4), SIU got knocked out 1st round. The next 2, they got knocked out 2nd round. His last year at SIU, they got knocked out in the 3rd round (semi-finals) against a Joe Flacco led Delaware team. We lost 20-17 and could have won that game. I remember a touchdown being called back for an ineligible receiver down field...ugh.
In summation, I'm very excited with the progress that has already been made, and it reinforces the fact that Kill should be able to once again turn an ailing program around by doing things the right way.
It is usually Jerry Kill's 3rd year where you see the biggest improvement (he has never had less than 9 wins in his 3rd season). Looking at the schedule next year, things look very favorable as far as the B1G schedule is concerned. Instead of @Illinois and vs. Purdue this year, you get @Indiana and vs. Penn State next year. Also this years away games @Iowa and @Wisconsin will be home games next year. It will be interesting to see how the game @Michigan goes since Denard Robinson will have graduated. Your Offensive Line won't lose a single starter, and should be deeper once the red shirts from this year get into the depth chart. This could really open things up for Kirkwood to have a monster Junior season. Yes losing Gray will hurt, but Shortell has been getting a decent amount of time behind center to ease the transition. Wilhite will graduate, but hopefully Hagemen stays around for another year.
The best thing though is that this is just the beginning. Even after the 3rd year, Kill's teams get better. His first 2 years in the FCS playoffs (years 3 and 4), SIU got knocked out 1st round. The next 2, they got knocked out 2nd round. His last year at SIU, they got knocked out in the 3rd round (semi-finals) against a Joe Flacco led Delaware team. We lost 20-17 and could have won that game. I remember a touchdown being called back for an ineligible receiver down field...ugh.
In summation, I'm very excited with the progress that has already been made, and it reinforces the fact that Kill should be able to once again turn an ailing program around by doing things the right way.
