Gophers, Michigan deal with different types of painful losses

Jerry Kill and Jim Harbaugh were two of the last coaches to leave Big Ten media days in Chicago three months ago.

During an idle moment between interviews, Harbaugh made a point to introduce Kill to his wife, Sarah. That morning at his news conference, Harbaugh had told the assembled media, "My dad has always said that Jerry Kill is one of the best coaches that he's ever coached against."

Kill said, "That means a lot coming from him and his dad."

Jack Harbaugh's Western Kentucky team defeated Kill's Southern Illinois squad in 2001 and 2002. Western Kentucky won the 2002 Division I-AA national title before Jack Harbaugh moved on, and Kill's Salukis defeated the Hilltoppers each of the next three years.

Now, in 12 days, Kill will get his first coaching matchup with Jim Harbaugh when the Gophers play host to Michigan on Halloween night at TCF Bank Stadium.

Both teams have a bye this week, and anybody who followed Saturday's action knows Kill and Harbaugh have big coaching jobs to do. For different reasons, each team's psyche took a major hit.

The Wolverines (5-2, 2-1 Big Ten) were 10 seconds from beating Michigan State and entering the College Football Playoff discussion before a game-ending punt attempt turned into one of the most stunning endings in the sport's history.

With Michigan leading 23-21, Wolverines senior punter Blake O'Neill bobbled a low snap, spun and tried kicking the ball while swarmed by an 11-man rush. The ball popped loose, right to the Spartans' Jalen Watts-Jackson, who carried the miracle 38 yards into the end zone.

A crowd of 111,740 at the Big House stood in quiet disbelief as the Wolverines disappeared into the tunnel.

"They played their guts out," Harbaugh said. "They played winning football and love the game so much. We have to have resolve, steel in our spine, and move forward."

Kill couldn't have said it better, knowing what his team needs to do now: handle its own disappointment from Saturday's 48-25 face plant against Nebraska.

The Gophers (4-3, 1-2) play No. 15 Michigan, then at No. 1 Ohio State and at No. 12 Iowa, before finishing with Illinois and Wisconsin at home. Minnesota had Big Ten West title aspirations entering the season, and those have all but vanished.

"I knew we were going to have a tough schedule," Kill said. "We have high expectations, and there are a lot of things that are out of our control. But the year is not over, and we get some pieces of the puzzle back, and we will go back to work. College football is a strange game."

Kill didn't know it at the time, but he made that comment at almost the exact same moment as the Muffed Punt Heard 'Round Michigan. Strange game, indeed.

The fifth-year Gophers coach gave the team Sunday off with a plan to break down film Monday, followed by light practices on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The goal will be getting as close to healthy as possible, though Kill sounded pessimistic about injuries Sunday on his weekly appearance on WCCO radio (830-AM).

Kill indicated middle linebacker Cody Poock (unspecified injury) is probable for the Michigan game, with several others doubtful: defensive ends Theiren Cockran (foot) and Alex Keith (broken hand), defensive backs Damarius Travis (hamstring) and Craig James (broken leg), and offensive linemen Josh Campion (unspecified) and Brian Bobek (unspecified).

Kill also told the radio station that tight end Brandon Lingen "got banged up pretty good" against Nebraska.

"That's the problem, we're not getting anybody back, and we're adding to the list," Kill said. "But that's part of it. Kids are playing hard, giving us everything they have, and that's all you can ask at the end of the day."

That and some steel in their spines would do wonders, as they get ready to face Harbaugh's Wolverines.

Joe Christensen jchrisensen@startribune.com