Ad Disclosure
Seizures and health concerns forced Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill to retire on Wednesday.
The 54-year-old Kill was a college head coach for 22 years, but had battled seizures since 2010, not to mention other health issues. He also survived cancer in 2005. He retired with a 152-99 career record.
Kill may be leaving college football, but he’s walking away with a lot of respect from his fellow coaches. Including a few from the SEC.
Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema faced Kill multiple times when Bielema was the head coach at Wisconsin. On Wednesday, he talked about Kill during the SEC coaches teleconference.
Bret Bielema sends thoughts to Jerry Kill in his opening statement on the SEC Coaches Teleconference, calls him a great coach and great man.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) October 28, 2015
Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel said that Kill had done a lot for the game he coached and the players he mentored.
Thinking of friend and colleague Jerry Kill this morning. Thank you for all you’ve done for student-athletes and the game of football. GP
— Coach Gary Pinkel (@GaryPinkel) October 28, 2015
Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze said that Kill was a friend, a great coach and an even better man.
Jerry Kill is one of the best coaches to ever step on the sideline. He’s even a better man! I am honored to call him my friend. Hurt 4 him!
— Hugh Freeze (@CoachHughFreeze) October 28, 2015
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy played for Kill at Midwest City (Okla.) High School in the early 1980s, and developed a tremendous amount of respect for him.
Jerry Kill was one of my high school coaches … Our profession lost one of the finest men in the game with Coach Kill.
— Mike Gundy (@CoachGundy) October 28, 2015
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer is another coach who has dealt with health concerns. Meyer was hospitalized for chest pains and dehydration in 2009, and left Florida after the 2010 season to attend to his health. He has known Kill for two decades, considers him a good friend and wished him the best in this video.
#OSU #GoBucks https://t.co/rHXmpwfINQ Urban Meyer speaks about Jerry Kill’s retirement pic.twitter.com/pwh1LKJ5Qj
— Buckeyes #1! (@BUCKEYESNO1) October 28, 2015
Members of the media also chimed in on the Minnesota coach’s retirement. When the press conference was over, those in attendance applauded him.
Rare to see media applaud anything at a presser. (Often seen as bad form)..Jerry Kill walks off podium to a round of well-deserved applause.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) October 28, 2015
Jerry Kill is a reminder of what college football can & should be https://t.co/BA8r9vIbUM pic.twitter.com/v6CjwRe3nf
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 28, 2015
Jerry Kill is college football. A heartbreaking day all around.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) October 28, 2015
Jerry Kill resigns due to health concerns. Some things are way more important than football. Get healthy coach!
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) October 28, 2015
Head coach Jerry Kill of @GopherFootball has resigned due to health reasons. I hope the time away serves him well.
— Desmond Howard (@DesmondHoward) October 28, 2015
It is sad to see Jerry Kill step aside for @GopherFootball. The guy was one of the best coaches I had ever been around.
— Tom Dienhart (@BTNTomDienhart) October 28, 2015
According to ESPN’s Joe Schad, Kill was interested in more than just winning football games. He wanted to make sure his players were prepared for life after football.
Jerry Kill told his players “Make sure you figure out what you’re going to do because (football) doesn’t last forever.”
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 28, 2015
