Gopher The Roses

Official Press Release: Jerry Kill Named Golden Gopher Football Head Coach

Jerry Kill has been named head coach of the University of Minnesota football program. Minnesota Director of Athletics Joel Maturi announced the signing of Kill to a five-year contract Sunday night.

Kill comes to Minnesota after spending the last three seasons on the sidelines at Northern Illinois University. Kill has led the Huskies to three consecutive bowl games during his tenure. He also coached NIU to a berth the Mid-American Conference Championship game this season. Kill put together a 23-16 record in his three seasons with the Huskies.

“I am so excited to have the opportunity to be the head coach at the University of Minnesota,” Kill said. “It is a tremendous opportunity and -- I think -- great timing. I can promise all the people at the University of Minnesota and throughout the entire state that I am going to give them every single ounce that I can give them. I have done that on every job that I have taken. I was raised the old-school way by my father and mother to do my job to the very best of my ability. You go full speed at it and you don’t let anyone out-work you. I have lived by that motto my entire life and that is what I intend to do at the University of Minnesota.”

In three seasons, Kill coached two winners of the Mid-American Conference Vern Smith Leadership Award, given annually to the conference’s top football player. Defensive end Larry English won the award in 2008, Kill’s first season with the Huskies. Running back Chad Spann was honored as the conference’s top player this season. English went on to be the No. 16 overall choice in the 2009 NFL Draft and currently plays for the San Diego Chargers. Spann currently ranks No. 12 in the nation in scoring and No. 20 in rushing.

University Of Minnesota Gopher Football Coach 2010 Search Names

I quickly posted this earlier today on Minnesota Headhunter:

If the rumors of the past 24 hours are correct sometime today we will get word about who the next Head Coach is at the University of Minnesota.

I have been on Twitter a lot with my @Gophers account and have had TweetDeck fired up with a column dedicated to this by searching “gopher OR gophers” for about 3 weeks now.

Hats Off to Interim Head Coach Jeff Horton, the staff and the players for staying strong and finishing the year with two wins including bring the pig, Floyd Of Rosedale back to Minneapolis where he belongs.

See this blog post for my photos and video from the Iowa game --> Minnesota Golden Gophers Vs Iowa Hawkeyes 2010 Photos And Video

While we wait I am taking a stroll down memory lane (about 60 days now, has it been longer?) since Tim Brewster was relieved of his duties and the search for his replacement was started.

Below are some of the names that have been mentioned during this process. I am not going to sit here and tell you who was a legit candidate, who was interviewed or who was not.