Coach Kill suffers another seizure

[Huskie]

Cheap shot from Souhan, no doubt about that. He certainly has the journalistic right to print it but, come on man. It should come down to if the program improves, coaching and big time athletics is a results type of thing.

[LightningBG]

I really have no problem with him staying if three conditions are met.

1. His doctors are alright with it.

2. Him and his family are alright with it.

3. If he can sufficiently do his job.

The question I have is, if he misses half of a game every year, due to a seizure, is it possible to sufficiently do his job? I understand "sick time" but this is almost expected at this point, and it seems to be triggered by the job itself. Also, is the distraction leading to players not playing up to par?

[swampman]

I don't know if he will get the job done here or not if he stays. I liked this guy from the start with his being upfront and not, I will tell you what you want to hear stuff that we have had around here for a long time by coaches.

I have a huge amount of respect for the guy having the condition he does and going on in a very public view not knowing when he could have a seziure, pretty sure I would'nt subject myself to it.

I think Souhans article was a cheap shot too but he is a opionion columnist and that's what he's paid to do. To here Kill's players talk it comes across that they have alot of respect for the guy and I am sure that his condition might turn some recruits away and to thats bad because I think this guy can coach and he has alot of good people around him.

[Big Dave2]

The good news for coach Kill is that he will only be here for a few more years anyway.

[ted4887]

Wow, I just heard that he had another seizure this morning. Gotta feel bad for the guy.

[LMITOUT]

It's time for him to step down.

[leechlake]

I feel for him but I'd also say if I was him I'd step up to the plate and go talk to the boss and resign. He's doing a disservice to his team. Kill seems like to have a fantastic value system so I have faith in him making the judgement that he believes is best for the Gopher team. It just occurs too often.

[skee0025]

It's time for him to step down.

Why? He has seizures, so what? The team is 4-1, so it does not appear to be affecting his ablilty negativley.

[jentz]

Who's coaching while he's not there?? Maybe that person should be given the chance.How many of those 4 wins has he been there? then figure his record.

[LMITOUT]

Why? He has seizures, so what? The team is 4-1, so it does not appear to be affecting his ablilty negativley.

He's not fulfilling his job as head coach. Pretty simple.

[jjz]

If he wins and gets the program past Mason's level, nobody will care about his health issues. Just not sure he can recruit well enough to do it. If he doesnt show more progress in the next couple years they need to find someone else. Maybe the NDSU staff could do it, if they dont go somewhere else by then.

[skee0025]

So the only time he does anything is on game day? Theres no prep work and planing that goes on prior to the team taking the field?..You learn something new everyday.

[hockeybc69]

I have to agree,,,,, he is not able to fulfill the job and its sad that he has to deal with the seizures.

I agree its not just about gameday, but of all the days during the week,,,, gameday is the most important day.

[vman11]

It's time for him to step down.

I agree. Nothing against the guy, but he has obvious health constraints. Face of a big ten fb program needs to be on the field.

[muskiemanAD]

Yep. Makes it hard to coach your team when your out of commission... there already in damage control down 7-0 on a terrible turnover.

[Snag]

Where can I get a Leidner jersey?

[Big Dave2]

Why? He has seizures, so what? The team is 4-1, so it does not appear to be affecting his ablilty negativley.

Get back to me when they beat a Big 10 team.

[Big Dave2]

Where can I get a Leidner jersey?

You can probably have the one he was wearing today after that last interception.

[Big Dave2]

There are 3 good reasons why Kill should step down.

1. For his own health. Obviously the pressure and stress of game day is causing him problems. Time to move on to something less stressful.

2. For the good of the program. His game day seizures will only make a hard recruiting job even harder.

3. He was more than likely going to fail and be replaced within the next 3-4 years anyway. He might as well go out with the mystique of not knowing for sure if he really would have been the only coach in the last 35 years to turn this program around. He can blame it on the seizures and go out with dignity, not how Brewster went out.

[zepman]

I think he'll be asked to assume another role within the program or athletics department and then have the two coordinators take over the program...Claeys, being the one to assume the head job.

Or which ever one assumes that responsibility when he's "out".

[LMITOUT]

I get the feeling that Kill would never use his medical issue as an excuse for his job performance, not publicly anyway.

Where is the line when his problem is or isn't acceptable? One seizure per season? Two per season? I think that it would be one thing if it happened during the week and didn't directly affect game day activities, but when they happen in-game or right before they are scheduled to leave as this one did then it is a problem that might have to be addressed more than 'we have protocols in place for when this happens', etc.

[YiGGiN4SLoBS]

I agree LMIT... I feel bad for the guy but i dont really know what else to say. If i were him i wouldnt want to coach a division 1 big ten football program, especially the gophers, for my own health and well being...

[Big Dave2]

I get the feeling that Kill would never use his medical issue as an excuse for his job performance, not publicly anyway.

I never meant to say that Kill would use his medical condition as an excuse for job performance, I meant it as he could use it as an excuse for leaving and end up with an "honorable discharge" rather than how every other coach has left the U since Lou Holtz.

[LMITOUT]

Same difference.

[Big Dave2]

Quote:

Some uncomfortable questions need to be asked regarding Jerry Kill

by Phil Mackey

1500ESPN.com

This is complicated.

The seizure Jerry Kill suffered at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday is now the fourth documented seizure he has suffered either during or shortly after a game during his 22 games as coach at Minnesota.

It feels like many topics in 2013 are left for black-and-white debate, thanks to the media culture we currently live in. Kill's seizures are anything but black-and-white.

Personally, I have enjoyed Kill as a person in our interactions, I like Kill as a coach to this point, and I think he has the program on the right track. His recent willingness to open up about his epilepsy and to help spread the word and raise money is noble and admirable.

I am, by no means, suggesting Jerry Kill should step down or be asked to stop coaching.

I am suggesting that Saturday's episode warrants further discussion. A lot of discussion. And some potentially uncomfortable questions.

Are Kill's seizures kind of life-threatening, not very life-threatening... or...? For the people who point out that epileptic seizures are not usually life-threatening, many others have countered with facts from EpilepsyFoundation.org that show anywhere between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 150 people with epilepsy can die unexpectedly. People in that 1-in-150 group, however, probably aren't under the supervision of one of the top doctors in the country - as Kill reportedly is. So, what are Kill's odds? 1 in 300? 1 in 900? At what point is the increased stress of coaching a Big 10 football game on the sidelines not worth the risk?

If Kill doesn't think the seizures are a problem, should his opinion trump all others'? To me, this is way bigger than, "Well, Jerry feels like the seizures aren't an issue, so let's all move on," which is sort of the message the U of M athletic department was pushing on Saturday. Kill is a highly-paid state employee, and his job is very public. He is the face of a Big 10 football program, and whether it's fair or not, his health -- and the perception of his health -- plays a huge role in recruiting, the day-to-day operations of the program, etc. Let's face it, when ESPN.com's top headline on Saturday afternoon is about Kill's seizure, it has become a national PR conversation. Not a "problem," necessarily (maybe yes, maybe no), but a conversation that warrants more depth. But right now, the Gophers are known more for the health issues of Kill than for anything they have accomplished on the field.

Are seizures preventing Kill from doing his job to the full capacity? Unfortunately, the evidence suggests yes - at least in the sense that he is missing large chunks of games, and perhaps practices. We don't have full details about whether or not he misses more time behind the scenes. Now, on the flip side of the argument, if Kill manages to push this program forward despite operating at less than full speed (due to seizures), does it become a non-issue?

If the ultimate goal is to get to a BCS Bowl, what happens if Kill suffers a seizure at the Rose Bowl? If the U of M's answer is, "We don't care. He's our guy," then so be it. If the answer is, "We don't want that to happen," then adjustments probably need to be made. Of course, this question is paradoxical because it suggests Kill will have built the Gophers into a Rose Bowl-caliber team -- thus validating the decision to grind through the health issues.

How do Kill's seizures affect recruiting? We'd be fools to think there aren't assistants at competing schools whispering about Kill's health issues to potential recruits. Mudslinging happens in recruiting, just like in politics. Hell, imagine if a state governor suffered epileptic seizures in public forums - say, in a televised debate. Even though the seizures might not be life-threatening, they could (and probably would) certainly affect voters' decisions. For what it's worth, U of M commit Gaelin Elmore tweeted Saturday, "Still love Coach Kill! Can't wait to play for him. Great coach. Even better person." Of course, it's unlikely any recruits would tweet anything negative.

Should Kill's role be adjusted? I think what I would propose is this (and I say "I think" because this is not a black-and-white issue): Have Kill coach from the booth. I'm certainly not a doctor, but common sense says the stress level would likely go down, as he wouldn't be stuck in the middle of all the hustle and bustle on the sideline. That seems like a fair proposition. If that doesn't work - and if the U of M still deems him the man they want running the program -- maybe there's a way he can oversee the football program while somebody else operates the game-day coaching duties (see: Joe Paterno).

[Big Dave2]

Same difference.

Not really.

[LMITOUT]

Yeah, it is.

If it goes down that way I'm sure some folks will use that as an excuse, but I don't think he will.

[zepman]

I don't think they'll let him go(fire him)...he and his staff have a strong history together...super strong as far as longevity goes in the college ranks. You just don't see a staff stay together this long anywhere...there's a reason for this.

His condition IS a problem...I just think they'll keep this "staff" together and keep building...at least for a few more years.

I don't know what roll Kill will have going forward but I can't see it as head coach anymore...

I feel for the guy...and his staff.

It's apparent, as he's aging, the seizures are coming more frequently...stress induced most likely. Take him out of that envirnment and put him in the box...make him an advisor to the newly named head coach from his own staff. He'd realize why the change needed to be made while still able to contribute almost as much as before.

Let him do these things:

-recruit

-game-plan

-fundraise

-player evaluation

Get him out of:

-sideline situations

-gameday decisions

-media functions

-total control of the team

Or...you could just fire the whole bunch and start all over again. I, for one, hope they don't.

[JBMasterAngler]

It's not fair for the players mentally, when right before you head for a big game you learn your coach just had a seizure. Or worse, during a game! Getting coached on game day by the assistants (no matter how good they are) puts you at a disadvantage! Kill needs to go!

[zepman]

I played college football for 5 years and was never once "coached" during a game by my "head coach". It's all about the coordinators and position coaches come game day.

A head coach will have complete control over game-time situations but it's likely we could all make those decisions given the opportunity.

The game plan has been set for days ahead of the actual game...the coordinators call the plays...the positional coaches "coach" the players and the head coach listens to it all on his head-sets.

Kill is motivational, at best, on gamedays. As is every head coach in the country who doesn't assume the play calling responsibilities come game time. To say that his "assistants" can't run the team on game day without him is just plain wrong.