Mulling the Kill hire

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calminnfan

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1. I think Coach K is a good nickname for him.
2. He seems like a good coach at the levels he has coached at.
3. My intention is to fully support him and the team, but first I need to get a few thoughts off my chest.

I am not someone that was anti-taking time to find the right coach, nor was I against the secrecy employed. I understood the need for both.

And I am also not trying to say Coach K cannot get this done, but given all that seems to be rising to the surface from this whole process and hire, these are the thoughts running through my head.

4. It is that it is hard to envision him developing the team to the level of competing with OS, Neb, the rest of the BT and the BCS. I did not want just a good coach, I wanted one who I believe can lead them to championship football. I want a HC that, when the Gophers play the likes of OS, Neb, and even USC, they will prove they belong on the same field with them and win some. I want to feel that they actually do have a legitimate chance to win and not have to make my self believe they can win. Other then the occasional match against BT opponents, I have no idea if he has a lot of exposure to BCS level competition.
5. Concerned his recruiting will be at the level of NIU and not Big Ten or BCS. He will need to step up his expectations on the players he is going after. Looks a lot like 2 stars and a lot more baloney that the stars do not mean anything all over again.
6. the UofM job is not appealing enough for the bigger name coaches, even the B level names. I have lived in California since 88, but that is still a hard one to accept. I do not believe the problems started with Maturi. It actually started back in the 60s. The problem is nothing has happened since then to change the situation and it sounds like most of the better name coaches think there are better jobs available. UofM not considered good enough!!! SOMEONE AT THE UOFM NEEDS TO SERIOUSLY LISTEN TO THAT!!!
7. Maturi said something to the effect that everything kept pointing to Kill...I have trouble believing Maturi as well. It very much looked like he had to settle for Kill. Maybe it is actually a money issue. Maybe they did in public say 2.5 mill, but in private tried to shortchange the coaches...No idea. This whole process ending like this just seemed to reveal that the UofM has serious problems and if they want to enjoy the benefits a successful football program will bring it, they have to clean it up. It will not matter who is HC if they do not.
8. Truth is, even if Maturi did not do the hire and/or they replaced Maturi, no one else would want to enter into that as well. Until all the whatever it is at the U is cleaned up, it is going to continued to have a problem.
9. People blame Maturi, but given the anti-football culture at the U has been there long before Maturi even got there, I suspect something is suppressing the football program there. The School and the athletic department could truly use the promotion and income a successful football program would bring it.
 

*hands calminnfan and empty kegger cup*
 

Truly sorry if this sounds anti-Kill...not intending that. Like most, just very frustrated. From this point forward, Coach K is the man and he has my support.
 

calminnfan said:
Truly sorry if this sounds anti-Kill...not intending that. Like most, just very frustrated. From this point forward, Coach K is the man and he has my support.
Click to expand...

*looks in calminnfans cup*
*decided somebody forgot to put the everclear in the rocket fuel.*
 



We'll likely never get the truth from Maturi about the search. I might be giving the U too much credit but I think Kill was the backup plan.
 

Solid post, calminnfan. I'm also out in CA these days (only since '03, however). I like points 4 and 5. If Kill rocks it out and we win then I'm the biggest a-hole for suggesting otherwise and I'm fully on board. However, I just don't see the variables that suggest he'll be able to have any decent level of success at the U. I don't know about you but I'm up at Stanford, which is where I work, and we are the beneficiaries of Jim Harbaugh's incredible leadership. This is the type of transformative leadership the U is going to need in order to right the ship. I suppose it's quite fortuitous that JH grew up in Palo Alto but it can't just be that because Bill Walsh was another transformative leader from Stanford who went onto even greater successes. Anyway, I think we can ascertain quite easily that Maturi doesn't possess this (that said, few do) and that we are going to need a bit of luck in finding the football leader that can combine leadership (Tubby), recruiting (Brewster (at least more so than some previous Goofer coaches)), and coaching (Kill, theoretically).
 





I thought this thread was Mullen, the killer hire.

But yeah, a guy named Coach Kill does not need a nickname.
 

Wait and see mode

I'm Ok with hiring Kill - but just Ok at this point. The decision has been made and I'm going to support my university as I always have. I haven't read all the posts, but I'll try and bring out a few points that I have yet to see:

1) Kill took over NIU in 2008 inhereting a 2-10 team that was quickly becoming a MAC cellar dwellar. His first year he went 6-7, then 7-6, and finally 10-3. They've won games they should have and played to the end on most other games.

2) Hiring a big name coach does not guarantee success. It works out less than 1/2 the time and one look at the state of the Colorado Buffs, you'll have to agree that they wish they could have done it all over again. Hawkins was great at Boise, really sucked at Colorado.

3) Speaking of Colorado: They're hiring a positional coach from Denver. This could be the football example of insanity - doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Perhaps they'll have to wait for Ralphie 10 to have a winning season.

4) Minnesota had deeper issues than just Brewster being a terrible coach. Maturi needs to be put out to pasture. His useful employment life is over. Unfortunately, it was over several years ago and he's stymied right now.

5) Back to Kill - His assistant coaches love him and are very loyal. Perhaps this is more telling than anything. The man is genuine.

6) For the U of M to be successful, it's going to take a team effort at all levels. Not only giving Maturi his walking papers, but marketing. Come on....my daughter graduated in marketing at the UofM. There are some bright minds in that department and they're not being used (at least to promote football).

7) If Kill can win, the general population will jump on the bandwagon. Brewster was all hype and no substance. Kill is low hype, but big upside as far as substance. He's a student of the game and could very well be what we need.

I'll reluctantly climb aboard the bandwagon and reserve my judgement of the Kill era until I see his performance on the field.

Rescooter: Forever loyal fan of the Golden Gophers
 

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