Kill a great coach, but a remarkable man

Two years ago, Gophers football coach Jerry Kill was seriously ill, resting in a hospital after suffering an epileptic seizure and unconscious for two days. He missed the Michigan game, and it appeared his career might be over.

But he found a doctor named Brian Smith in Grand Rapids, Mich., who solved Kill's problems at the time. Until recently, he had been seizure-free and able to coach without any problems.

Now, with Michigan coming to Minneapolis to play for the Little Brown Jug on Saturday, Kill's problems developed again with two recent seizures. He didn't believe he could coach in his present condition. He consulted with his doctor, who warned there might be serious consequences if he continued to coach and remain under the stress of the job.

After consulting with his wife, Rebecca, and other members of the family, he decided to retire after coaching football for 32 years.

The Gophers lost a coach who had put the program in better shape than any recent coach except for Glen Mason. Kill led the team to back-to-back eight-win seasons in 2013 and '14, but they are — in part because of a number of injuries — only 4-3 this season.

Fortunately, the Gophers have a staff that has been together forever and a great leader and football brain in associate head coach/defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys, who will become interim head coach and do a great job as he did two years ago when Kill was ill. Claeys faces a huge challenge in the coming weeks with games against Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa and Wisconsin.

However, it is going to be tough to fill the shoes of Kill, who has charmed fans across the state and whose popularity was beyond belief. As a close personal friend, I had great access to the football program, and in 71 years of covering the Gophers, I have never seen anybody accomplish what this man did after inheriting the worst program of my writing days.

In a one-on-one conversation we had for an hour Wednesday, Kill made it clear he didn't want to ever steal from the university by not being able to perform the duties for which he was being paid.

"I've had things happen over the last couple of days, I've had some seizures and my wife … it's been tough," he said. "I've been coaching for 32 years, and that's all I know. I gave everything I could to the state of Minnesota but like you said, I've never listened to a doctor all my life, but I listened to the one that's been helping me with my seizure situation and I just don't have any more left. It's not fair to the university or anybody else if I can't give 100 percent.

"Well, I took the pills, I did what I was supposed to do and everything I was asked to do. I did some things during game day to help my mind be clear during game day and tried that so I could do a better job. I put in a lot of hours and a lot of time and you know me, I work [hard] and I just don't have anything left. I'm starting to spin back to where I was two years ago, and my wife has to sit in a chair and watch and hope I don't have something happen."

Kill said the decision to quit coaching was the hardest choice he has ever made.

"I've cried all [Wednesday] morning," he said. "… I don't know what I'm going to do. I have no idea. I've done pretty good. … I was tired a lot, but I'd been seizure-free for a couple of years but as the doctor said, 'You got to pick your family or football,' and I picked my family."

Kill elaborated on his discussion with Dr. Smith.

"Well, he told me it would be in my best interest [to retire] because of the situation I was in," Kill said. "He told me you need to do what is more important to you, your family or football, because sooner or later if this keeps going the way it's going, it ain't going to be good. So I felt like what I'm doing is what is best for my family.

"I walked off the practice day [Tuesday] and part of me died. That's how much I love it. But at the same time, I got to do what I'm told for once, because I never have listened to a doctor and then second, Rebecca is a pretty important gal and my two kids, and they deserve to see me around."

Kill said he thinks he is leaving the Gophers program in good shape.

"I think we've come a long way, you know that," he said. "We got good kids. They are doing the right things in the classroom and we got good coaches. Tracy Claeys, you know there's no question he should be the head coach and keep all our guys together and it's going to keep moving forward and that's important for recruiting.

Is Claeys ready for the job?

"Absolutely," Kill said. "I think he proved that two years ago. He's smart and levelheaded. We're different type of people. He's a very intelligent football coach and why would you change something that's been so good? I would never understand that. Why would you change? First of all, you'd hurt recruiting for a year and you don't want to do that. And like right now, we have a great recruiting class and we have 10 really good recruits coming in on Saturday. You'll lose great recruits if you don't get something done.

"I hope [university officials] understand that. Football's a different game than most. You get there and you name your coach and get going right now and you won't lose those recruits, because people want to know who that head coach is going to be and Tracy is a part of that recruiting class, a good part of it. And again, that's my opinion."

Kill made it clear that being the head coach isn't an easy job, but keeping Claeys as his successor would be the least disruptive way to keep building the program.

"Why would you not keep people that understand this place and Coach Claeys?" Kill said. "I've been together with him a long time, and everybody sees what he's done with the defensive side of the ball. But I just think continuity is very important, and we got kids that love these coaches and then all of the sudden, you bring a coach in and there's transfers and everything else and you go back to square one. You don't want to do that."