What grade would you give the Jerry Kill Era at Minnesota?

[cjbfbp]

How quickly people forget....

How you can think back to the New Mexico State, NDSU, South Dakota (Brewster's final year, I know), and the 2011 Michigan game, then compare to now (just four years later), and not rate this an "A" is beyond me.

Easily. The Brewster era would be rated a C- (or something like that). Brewster had two lousy seasons (1.5 actually) and two mediocre seasons. Kill had 1 lousy season (and possibly another before this one is through), one mediocre season, and two good ones. The performance of Kill's teams rate a B compared to Brewster's C- but not an A.

If you want to be sentimental and empathetic about coach Kill, that's understandable but that doesn't have to lead to grade inflation.

 

[cjbfbp]

This is the only post that counts! This is the saddest day I have had in a long, long time.

If that really is true, then your life must be pretty happy overall. Either that or you give college football a little too much emphasis relative to other things in your life.

 

[Okie]

Easily. The Brewster era would be rated a C- (or something like that). Brewster had two lousy seasons (1.5 actually) and two mediocre seasons. Kill had 1 lousy season (and possibly another before this one is through), one mediocre season, and two good ones. The performance of Kill's teams rate a B compared to Brewster's C- but not an A.

If you want to be sentimental and empathetic about coach Kill, that's understandable but that doesn't have to lead to grade inflation.

I'm saying that grading should be relative based on the situation and how long this turnaround should have been. I'd argue that Brewster left us in a worse state than we've ever been in, with players that couldn't even compete with FCS teams. You can't possibly expect much a much better result in just a four-year turnaround, all things considered (crappy facilities, a state with little homegrown talent available, little-to-no success as a program for the past 50 years, average fan support).

Sure, we still have our issues and shortcomings, but what more could he possibly have realistically achieved?

 

[EG#9]

I'm saying that grading should be relative based on the situation and how long this turnaround should have been. I'd argue that Brewster left us in a worse state than we've ever been in, with players that couldn't even compete with FCS teams. You can't possibly expect much a much better result in just a four-year turnaround, all things considered (crappy facilities, a state with little homegrown talent available, little-to-no success as a program for the past 50 years, average fan support).

Sure, we still have our issues and shortcomings, but what more could he possibly have realistically achieved?

More players from Brewster's tenure were playing for Kill in the past couple of years than leftover Mason guys were playing for Brewster. I did a bunch of work on this and posted two deeps in year 3 or 4 from both tenures. Brewster did not have a good tenure but he wasn't the disaster that so many fan bizarrely want to make him out to be. Even his last team won 2 B1G games under Horton. Probably the best thing Brewster did in his tenure was to start landing some of the most coveted Minneosta kids after years of them going elsewhere (Starting with Sam Maresh, then Rahede, Tommy Olson, etc, etc).

 

[scher215]

More players from Brewster's tenure were playing for Kill in the past couple of years than leftover Mason guys were playing for Brewster. I did a bunch of work on this and posted two deeps in year 3 or 4 from both tenures. Brewster did not have a good tenure but he wasn't the disaster that so many fan bizarrely want to make him out to be. Even his last team won 2 B1G games under Horton. Probably the best thing Brewster did in his tenure was to start landing some of the most coveted Minneosta kids after years of them going elsewhere (Starting with Sam Maresh, then Rahede, Tommy Olson, etc, etc).

Exactly. Brewster was a bad coach (likely due to his consistent coordinator turnover) but he did recruit some talent here. I think Kill proved that when he was able to get results with them. Kill is a much better "coach" than Brew.

 

[WindyCityGopher]

I was going to give him a B, but upgraded to an A simply because of the $hitstorm of a situation he inherited from Brew. He got us to a New Year's Day bowl in 4 years, something I've never seen in my lifetime, beat Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska and Penn State, and started to make Minnesota football relevant again. At a school where football hasn't gotten traction for a half century, that's pretty damn remarkable. He will definitely be missed.

 

[Killjoy]

Sadly, very sadly an "Incomplete".

You were the only one to give the correct answer. How do I know that? It was the only one that resulted in several tears.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

I agree with Iceland on "incomplete". Can't give an A without a win over Wisconsin.

As Minnesota sports fan, we have taken more than our share of shots to the gut, but I can't ever remember having the wind sucked out of my sales this badly.

 

[Big Ten Mind]

Kill returned the program to being competitive and hard nosed. However he went 0-3 in bowl games and never finished in the AP Top 25. Would he have this year? No, but the schedule appears to get easier (never know how good certain B10 programs will be in any given year) and maybe 2016 he'd make the Top 25 by seasons end.
Offensive and defensive lines have never been talented/developed enough to win at a high level. Most people point to the QB position which for the most part has been lacking, however both lines are just as important.
All the best to Coach Kill going forward.

 

[hungan1]

Jerry Kill the man definitely deserves an A rating. My reasoning is that you have to consider his whole body of work on and off the playing over his five-year tenure.

Yes, he did remarkably well with the program turn around despite all the obstacles he inherited. He created a new culture around the football program. He is the visionary for the successful push to built the athletic village although he won't taake full credit for it. There is now an emphasis in the student athlete in caring for their well-being after college not just football. He truly created a caring Gopher family.

He sold the State of Minnesota on the Gopher Football program, and not to mention the numerous charity work and other requests that he and Rebecca gave time and effort tirelessly to.

He is a once in a lifetime individual we are privileged to have the last five years.

 

[BilldGopher]

A.

In Kill We Trusted.

 

[John Galt]

More players from Brewster's tenure were playing for Kill in the past couple of years than leftover Mason guys were playing for Brewster. I did a bunch of work on this and posted two deeps in year 3 or 4 from both tenures. Brewster did not have a good tenure but he wasn't the disaster that so many fan bizarrely want to make him out to be. Even his last team won 2 B1G games under Horton. Probably the best thing Brewster did in his tenure was to start landing some of the most coveted Minneosta kids after years of them going elsewhere (Starting with Sam Maresh, then Rahede, Tommy Olson, etc, etc).

Still going with the Brewster wasn't that bad bit, huh?

 

[John Galt]

Kill gets an A because I grade on a curve. He inherited a dumpster fire and made us good. Not great, but good.

 

[dpodoll68]

Still going with the Brewster wasn't that bad bit, huh?

Because he wasn't. I've posted before the long, long, long list of coaches with worse records than Brewster. I can do so again if you'd like.

Nobody's saying he was great, good, or even average. He was pretty clearly a bad coach. But not anywhere near the dumpster fire that people like to pretend. He wasn't even the worst Gopher coach in the last 20 years.

Btw, I gave Kill a B. He needed a win over Wisconsin and/or a division title to get an A from me.

 

[saintpaulguy]

Because he wasn't. I've posted before the long, long, long list of coaches with worse records than Brewster. I can do so again if you'd like.

Nobody's saying he was great, good, or even average. He was pretty clearly a bad coach. But not anywhere near the dumpster fire that people like to pretend. He wasn't even the worst Gopher coach in the last 20 years.

Btw, I gave Kill a B. He needed a win over Wisconsin and/or a division title to get an A from me.

excellent post

 

[John Galt]

Because he wasn't. I've posted before the long, long, long list of coaches with worse records than Brewster. I can do so again if you'd like.

Nobody's saying he was great, good, or even average. He was pretty clearly a bad coach. But not anywhere near the dumpster fire that people like to pretend. He wasn't even the worst Gopher coach in the last 20 years.

Btw, I gave Kill a B. He needed a win over Wisconsin and/or a division title to get an A from me.

The only coach in the history of Gopher football with a worse winning percentage is Wacker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Golden_Gophers_football

If that's not a dumpster fire, I don't know what is.

 

[dpodoll68]

The only coach in the history of Gopher football with a worse winning percentage is Wacker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Golden_Gophers_football

If that's not a dumpster fire, I don't know what is.

Right, so he's not the worst coach in Gopher history nor even in recent Gopher history. There are also many, many coaches from other schools with worse records. He had a winning season (two at .500 or better) and went to two bowl games, ffs. Not a dumpster fire.

 

[Ski U Mah 55]

Because he wasn't. I've posted before the long, long, long list of coaches with worse records than Brewster. I can do so again if you'd like.

Nobody's saying he was great, good, or even average. He was pretty clearly a bad coach. But not anywhere near the dumpster fire that people like to pretend. He wasn't even the worst Gopher coach in the last 20 years.

Btw, I gave Kill a B. He needed a win over Wisconsin and/or a division title to get an A from me.

His biggest faults were overhyping the program with nothing to back it up and having no academic supervision. In a W/L metric he might not be as bad as Gutey, but the academic failures and opportunity that was lost to really get the program going moving into the new stadium puts him ahead as worst coach in Gopher history. It's not all Brewster's fault though, he was who he was when he got hired and Maturi just did a poor job. I think Brew did as well as he was capable, he just isn't head coach material.

 

[John Galt]

Right, so he's not the worst coach in Gopher history nor even in recent Gopher history. There are also many, many coaches from other schools with worse records. He had a winning season (two at .500 or better) and went to two bowl games, ffs. Not a dumpster fire.

Why would I compare him to head coaches at other schools? There are a million variables from one school to another (facilities, $, high school talent, etc etc). Someone who is considered a bad coach at Alabama might have been considered okay as a Gopher coach in the last 40 years.

Let me say it again: Brewster had the 2nd worst winning percentage of any coach in the 130+ year history of Minnesota football. And that's a history that hasn't been great (or even particularly good) by any standard over the last 40 years. That's not even close to average or okay.

Dumpster. Fire. /end

 

[Nate]

I would have liked to see him win a bowl game. B from me.

 

[dpodoll68]

Why would I compare him to head coaches at other schools? There are a million variables from one school to another (facilities, $, high school talent, etc etc). Someone who is considered a bad coach at Alabama might have been considered okay as a Gopher coach in the last 40 years.

There are a million variables from one game to the next. There are a million variables from Minnesota in 2010 compared to Minnesota in 1887 or even in 1995. By that standard, you can't compare anyone to anyone.

That's not even close to average or okay.

And, once again - exactly no one is saying either of those things.

 

[cjbfbp]

Why would I compare him to head coaches at other schools? There are a million variables from one school to another (facilities, $, high school talent, etc etc). Someone who is considered a bad coach at Alabama might have been considered okay as a Gopher coach in the last 40 years.


Dumpster. Fire. /end

Because that is the way that coaches are evaluated in the long run. There is some relativity, of course. No one expects Minnesota to become Alabama, but a coaching performance like Dantonio has had at Michigan State (clearly an "A" grade) shouldn't be considered out of reach for a program like Minnesota. Michigan State's football history hasn't been consistently very good until recently.

Mason averaged 7.6 wins per season (2 of those seasons were only 12 games long) over his last five years. That's the best five year stretch in recent Minnesota history, but he was fired anyway.