STrib: Claeys tells WCCO that Kill's epilepsy is not affecting Gophers recruiting

BleedGopher

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per Joe:

Asked if Kill's seizures are affecting recruiting, Claeys again said no. He said the staff is open and honest with recruits about Kill's epilepsy, adding that a player has never told them that he's going to another school because of the situation.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/226656831.html

Go Gophers!!
 


I agree with the Sports Realist. There isn't really anything else Claeys can say. To say anything different than that would put his job in jeopardy.
 

One would have to be in dream world to say that there is no affect on recruiting. Players are looking for who they will play for over their college careers. They may love Kill, but there is no certainty how long his health will hold out. Sad part is- I think this guy could get the job done if he could get a good recruiting class or two and retain his health. There is only so much improvement you can get by coaching up the 12th ranked recruiting classes year after year in the Big Ten. Kill needs to catch a break in recruiting, on the field and with his health for success to happen. The odds of all that happening are beginning to look long.
 

One would have to be in dream world to say that there is no affect on recruiting.
Agree, the extent of the impact is debatable, but to say there is no impact of recruiting is foolish.
 


I agree with the Sports Realist. There isn't really anything else Claeys can say. To say anything different than that would put his job in jeopardy.

The more important response is what Claeys says to Teague and Kaler when they pose the same question.
 

You bring in a top recruit and they go for dinner. Jerry has a seizure right there during dinner. That wouldn't affect a recruit? Let's get real and think about the future of this program. Jerry is a wonderful guy with loyal assistants. The North Carolina team he ducked has lost 4 straight. He started Nelson over Leidner. We need to move on. Texas Tech is undefeated. We have not improved since that Tech game. They have with a NEW coach.
 

You bring in a top recruit and they go for dinner. Jerry has a seizure right there during dinner. That wouldn't affect a recruit? Let's get real and think about the future of this program. Jerry is a wonderful guy with loyal assistants. The North Carolina team he ducked has lost 4 straight. He started Nelson over Leidner. We need to move on. Texas Tech is undefeated. We have not improved since that Tech game. They have with a NEW coach.

Ok, your next coach will be Tracey Claeys. TCF Bank on it.
 

What is a kid who goes somewhere else going to say? I'm not saying the situation destroys our recruiting, but my guess is it is very difficult to gauge any adverse effects Kill's illness might have.
 



What else is he going to say? They are joined at the hip.
 

Like someone earlier said, it's not like a kid is going to come out and say it's Kill's health issues so it's easy for Claeys to say that it has no effect on recruiting because he'll never be proven wrong. The simple fact is that if we continue to be the bottom of the barrel in the Big Ten in recruiting, every excuse (think big ticket items...practice facilities, weight rooms, stuff that requires a lot of fundraising) will be used BEFORE Coach Kill's health.
 

Bottom line, it is winning that will say more recruits. IF the Gophers can start a string of wins to be credible in the B1G, we won't be fixated on Kill's health.

We've got sixty years of losing, the fans and our optimist sports aficionados can easily turn negative on a dime.
 

Bottom line, it is winning that will say more recruits. IF the Gophers can start a string of wins to be credible in the B1G, we won't be fixated on Kill's health.

We've got sixty years of losing, the fans and our optimist sports aficionados can easily turn negative on a dime.

Fifty...its only 50 years. Not that long.
 



For those of you in denial that it doesn't affect
recruiting put yourself in the mindset of a 17-18 kid; especially one with several BCS offers. Just saying....
 

Bottom line, it is winning that will say more recruits. IF the Gophers can start a string of wins to be credible in the B1G, we won't be fixated on Kill's health.

We've got sixty years of losing, the fans and our optimist sports aficionados can easily turn negative on a dime.

Dontanio suffered a heart attack and then blood clots and missed three games in 2010. I wonder how that affected MSU's recruiting? Last time I checked, it didn't and MSU seems to be doing just fine.

How about Urban Meyer who resigned from Florida stating health issues?

No question that Coach Kill's health doesn't help recruiting. But if the Gophers could somehow start winning and Coach Kill continued to struggle with his health, top recruits would come to Minnesota. Winning solves many problems and top rated recruits gravitate to the successful programs. As GopherDiehard... said, recruits have lots of reasons why they shun Minnesota.
 

For those of you in denial that it doesn't affect
recruiting put yourself in the mindset of a 17-18 kid; especially one with several BCS offers. Just saying....

OK - I will put myself in the mindset of Briean Boddy, Jamel Harbison, Isaac Hayes, Jordan Hinojosa, Roland Johnson, Andre McDonald, Jonah Pirsig, Yoshoub Timms, Rodrick Williams, De'Vondre Campbell, Eric Carter, Rayfield Dixon, Berkley Edwards, Hendrick Ekpe, Donovahn Jones, De'Niro Laster, Alex Mayes, Demaris Peppers, Damien Wilson, Drew Wolitarsky, Nate Wozniak, Gaelin Elmore, Jeff Jones, Connor Mayes, Dimonic McKinzy, and Andrew Stelter.

I will be attending the University of Minnesota.
 

OK - I will put myself in the mindset of Briean Boddy, Jamel Harbison, Isaac Hayes, Jordan Hinojosa, Roland Johnson, Andre McDonald, Jonah Pirsig, Yoshoub Timms, Rodrick Williams, De'Vondre Campbell, Eric Carter, Rayfield Dixon, Berkley Edwards, Hendrick Ekpe, Donovahn Jones, De'Niro Laster, Alex Mayes, Demaris Peppers, Damien Wilson, Drew Wolitarsky, Nate Wozniak, Gaelin Elmore, Jeff Jones, Connor Mayes, Dimonic McKinzy, and Andrew Stelter.

I will be attending the University of Minnesota.

And he has since had several seizures over that time span of the recruits you mentioned. The problem is our media and the national media still consider it news worthy. A 17-18 year old kid keeps seeing these blips scrolled across ESPN the WTF starts creeping in. I'm pulling hard for Coach Kill, but
to say we are on an evening playing field recruiting is ridiculous.
 

And he has since had several seizures over that time span of the recruits you mentioned.

He had several before any of them committed.

but
to say we are on an evening playing field recruiting is ridiculous

Who said that we were? This is the University of Minnesota. We are extremely unlikely to ever be on an even playing field. Rival recruiters don't need Jerry Kill's seizures in order to recruit successfully against Minnesota.
 

These recruiting decisions are many times a FAMILY decision, not just the 17 or 18 year old youngster. I'm not so sure that Jerry Kill and what he stands for is a negative. As a matter of fact, I kind of think parents really respect a guy like Coach Kill and they may be inclined to go to Minnesota BECAUSE of him. After all, it is their child and they probably want the best for them.
 

The timing is ripe for a recruit to announce his verbal to the Gophers. That could help to soften the critics. Question though, is there anyone close to making a decision to go with Minnesota?
 




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