Pioneer Press QA with Kill

[MaxyJR1]

Q: Are your practices as tough and strenuous as people say they are? What can players expect at Minnesota?

A: We try to keep people on the move, keep people going. We just try to rep every player for depth purposes. But you've got to have numbers to do that. Right now at the University of Minnesota, we're down on numbers. I don't know if we'll be able to practice the way we want to. It might take us a couple years. It took us actually three years at Northern Illinois; we were able to practice the way I want to practice (this year). The only way I know how to do it is you practice hard and practice fast because I want the game to be easy. When they get to the game, I want them to know the game speed and be able to handle it. If you don't assess that in practice, and practice at that pace, then how do you expect to play at that pace?

I found this part very interesting. This speaks to the big sales pitch and recruiting that will need to be done. This first class is possibly going to have a lot of lesser stars and more blue collar players. This will also be a great pitch to potential walk-ons.

LINK

 

[FrothyGopher]

Love it.

Glad I can enjoy the thought of those practices from behind the comfort of my computer and bourbon. I've thrown up enough, thanks.

 

[GRGOPHER]

Loved his comment that Gray was going to be a QB and definitely not going to be a wide receiver. No way. "He'll play at the next level".

 

[Sumtimegophs]

This first class is possibly going to have a lot of lesser stars and more blue collar players. This will also be a great pitch to potential walk-ons.

You're kidding me, right? Brewster's last class had like 7-9 guys who were offered by no one else other than UMN or were offered by only IAA or non-BCS schools. It was ranked deep into the 50s by Rivals and Scout. I doubt very much that Kill's first class will be ranked that low.

But hey, regardless of the recruiting class ranking, at least Kill can coach. Look at what he inherited at both NIU and SIU before he arrived and what he did with the talent immediately. We are not talking about a used car salesman from Denver here trying to figure out who to hire, what kind of offense he wants or trying to figure out how to be a head coach. Kill is a head coach and a damn good one.

 

[Silvio]

You're kidding me, right? Brewster's last class had like 7-9 guys who were offered by no one else other than UMN or were offered by only IAA or non-BCS schools. It was ranked deep into the 50s by Rivals and Scout. I doubt very much that Kill's first class will be ranked that low.

But hey, regardless of the recruiting class ranking, at least Kill can coach. Look at what he inherited at both NIU and SIU before he arrived and what he did with the talent immediately. We are not talking about a used car salesman from Denver here trying to figure out who to hire, what kind of offense he wants or trying to figure out how to be a head coach. Kill is a head coach and a damn good one.

So by Brew's first class you mean what he inherited from Mason and by Kill's first class you mean what he inherited from Brew?

I know that is a general comparison by remeber Kill has a lot more time before signing day than Brewster did to fill out his class.

Kill is a good coach, but If you look at NIU that was a one year blip before he took over. He took over an average NIU team and improved it, but their was talent in the program.

Plus this is the BigTen. Isn't enough to just recruit athletes or just coach up local talent. You have to coach up athletes. Sure proper coacing is probably more important than recruiting but they are both necessary.

 

[Sumtimegophs]

So by Brew's first class you mean what he inherited from Mason and by Kill's first class you mean what he inherited from Brew?

I know that is a general comparison by remeber Kill has a lot more time before signing day than Brewster did to fill out his class.

Kill is a good coach, but If you look at NIU that was a one year blip before he took over. He took over an average NIU team and improved it, but their was talent in the program.

Plus this is the BigTen. Isn't enough to just recruit athletes or just coach up local talent. You have to coach up athletes. Sure proper coacing is probably more important than recruiting but they are both necessary.

I never said Brew's first class, I said his last class, it's pretty clear if you read the post, but just in case you don't have time, I refer to the 2010 class. Not a good class and very unimpressive. By Kill's first class I mean the 2011. He "inherited" some verbals, yes, but until they sign that is meaningless.

NIUs record had been in decline for three years after Garrett left and the cupboard, while not completely bare, wasn't impressive. Not 11-1 in the MAC impressive anyway. Kill has shown he can be an effective recruiter, commensurate with the level of the league he is coaching in. I am not concerned. He will also get more out of the players he coaches because they will be "coached up".

 

[dpodoll68]

I doubt very much that Kill's first class will be ranked that low.

Based on what? In terms of recruiting rankings, we were very spoiled by Brewster. His worst finish was 6th in conference, whereas outside of Mason's one anomalous season in 2003 (which finished 4th, and was actually a damn good class buoyed rankings-wise by Maroney and Paris Hamilton), he finished 9th or worse in recruiting every season. We far out-recruited our actual on-field performance every year Brewster was here, and it's not reasonable to expect that to continue. No one does that consistently except Notre Dame. We are ranked 6th so far this year, and that's because all of the players but one were recruited by Brewster. We are far better off as a program with Kill as the coach, but you cannot expect him to recruit like Brewster unless we start winning 9-10 games per year. If he can squeeze the talent out of the current roster like most of us think we can, he can return to Brewster-era standards in 2013 or so, but the next couple years will be at or perhaps slightly above Mason-era recruiting.

Also, "that low"? You act like finishing around 55-60 is terrible for a program that's right around that area in terms of its on-field product.

 

[Silvio]

I am not concerned. He will also get more out of the players he coaches because they will be "coached up".

I agree that Kill will be able to "coach up" his players, but this is the BigTen. Bilemia and Ferentz can "coach up" their players too. Mason could "coach up" his players and was only able to crack that top half of the league twice in a decade. Coaching them up isn't enough. To have a long term success Kill will probably have to recruit at Brew's level and coach them up.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Based on what? In terms of recruiting rankings, we were very spoiled by Brewster. His worst finish was 6th in conference, whereas outside of Mason's one anomalous season in 2003 (which finished 4th, and was actually a damn good class buoyed rankings-wise by Maroney and Paris Hamilton), he finished 9th or worse in recruiting every season. We far out-recruited our actual on-field performance every year Brewster was here, and it's not reasonable to expect that to continue. No one does that consistently except Notre Dame. We are ranked 6th so far this year, and that's because all of the players but one were recruited by Brewster. We are far better off as a program with Kill as the coach, but you cannot expect him to recruit like Brewster unless we start winning 9-10 games per year. If he can squeeze the talent out of the current roster like most of us think we can, he can return to Brewster-era standards in 2013 or so, but the next couple years will be at or perhaps slightly above Mason-era recruiting.

Also, "that low"? You act like finishing around 55-60 is terrible for a program that's right around that area in terms of its on-field product.

+1

I am glad you typed this because I was going to reply and I wouldn't have worded it as well.

 

[MaxyJR1]

You're kidding me, right? Brewster's last class had like 7-9 guys who were offered by no one else other than UMN or were offered by only IAA or non-BCS schools. It was ranked deep into the 50s by Rivals and Scout. I doubt very much that Kill's first class will be ranked that low.

But hey, regardless of the recruiting class ranking, at least Kill can coach. Look at what he inherited at both NIU and SIU before he arrived and what he did with the talent immediately. We are not talking about a used car salesman from Denver here trying to figure out who to hire, what kind of offense he wants or trying to figure out how to be a head coach. Kill is a head coach and a damn good one.

It was not meant as a negative toward Kill at all. It had more to do with his comment that they need bodies.

 

[GoAUpher]

Based on what? In terms of recruiting rankings, we were very spoiled by Brewster. His worst finish was 6th in conference, whereas outside of Mason's one anomalous season in 2003 (which finished 4th, and was actually a damn good class buoyed rankings-wise by Maroney and Paris Hamilton), he finished 9th or worse in recruiting every season. We far out-recruited our actual on-field performance every year Brewster was here, and it's not reasonable to expect that to continue. No one does that consistently except Notre Dame. We are ranked 6th so far this year, and that's because all of the players but one were recruited by Brewster. We are far better off as a program with Kill as the coach, but you cannot expect him to recruit like Brewster unless we start winning 9-10 games per year. If he can squeeze the talent out of the current roster like most of us think we can, he can return to Brewster-era standards in 2013 or so, but the next couple years will be at or perhaps slightly above Mason-era recruiting.

Also, "that low"? You act like finishing around 55-60 is terrible for a program that's right around that area in terms of its on-field product.

I think your overall logic makes sense but you're making an assumption too. You're assuming Kill won't continue to finish midway in the conference without any real proof just like anyone assuming he will is also doing so without proof. Kill hasn't recruited at a BCS level before. Logically that means you're more likely to be right but in the end your assumption is still an assumption.

 

[Go4Broke]

The Killer's recruiting up to this point has been handicapped by the schools and cities where he has been coaching. I will be surprised if his recruiting for the Gophers isn't every bid as good as Brewster's. And if he starts winning Big 10 games it won't be long before it will be even better.