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University of Minnesota Athletics
Coach Kill: "This Is Our Football Team"
12/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Newly appointed University of Minnesota head football coach Jerry Kill stood confidently on the stage Monday afternoon as he was introduced to the Twin Cities media.
Kill wanted several key points about his coaching philosophy to be immediately known, including how he feels that the Gophers' football team is not his, but rather it exists as part of a much larger football community in the State of Minnesota
"It is not Jerry Kill's football team," Kill said. "This is our football team. This is the State of Minnesota's football team. This is the Twin Cities' football team. I need the high school coaches to be a part of this football team. We need everybody, because I know we have passionate fans here. I've seen that already."
Another point that Coach Kill reiterated several times in the press conference is that he does not allow shortcuts on his team and that a winning program will be built through a dedication to hard work.
"My motto is: We're going to outwork people," Kill said. "I'm going to outwork people, our players are going to outwork people, and we're going to take it day by day and get better every day."
Through hard work, Kill also wants to build a team centered around aggressiveness and speed. He will be building a team that will be fast in all aspects of the game and be quick to get to the ball.
"I want a fast team," Kill said. "If you look at TCU, they can run, and we're going to run here. We're going to recruit speed. That's important to me. If it's a little bit less size and more speed, we'll do that."
Coach Kill also exclaimed the excitement he has for both TCF Bank Stadium and the rich tradition that surrounds the Gophers football team.
"I woke up and, you know, I get on the phone and I look at the people that went to school here," Kill said. "I'm thinking abut Bud Grant, Tony Dungy, and I'm sitting there going, Jiminy Christmas, you got to be kidding me. I'm getting to be a part of this?"
Director of Athletics Joel Maturi -- who introduced Kill as head coach -- reiterated how excited he is to be bringing Kill in to lead the Gophers and how much he stood out during the hiring process.
"We wanted to make certain that we explored every viable candidate interested in the Minnesota job who fit our criteria," Maturi said. "During that process, one name kept coming up during my efforts. That name was Jerry Kill."
Kill knows he will have to work hard to help restore the Gophers following a 3-9 season, but stresses that his methods have worked everywhere he has been. He believes winning can be a big part Minnesota Football in the not-too-distant future.
"If it takes a little bit, that's okay. But we're going to do it right," Kill said. "I think if we do it right we'll see success sooner. That's just the way I feel."
-By Athletic Communications Assistant Keith Beise
