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  • New Minnesota Gophers football coach Jerry Kill takes time to autograph a football for 9-year-old Sander Ludeman Thursday before addressing a crowd of 125 people at the City Center Hotel in Mankato. Pat Christman

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May 19, 2011

Gophers football coach offers fans some straight talk

Jerry Kill visits Minnesota football fans in Mankato

By Jim Rueda Free Press Sports Editor

MANKATO — The Kool-Aid that former Minnesota Gophers football coach Tim Brewster was hawking ran out awhile ago.

His unfounded optimism has been replaced by the down-to-earth approach of new coach Jerry Kill. Gophers fans from the south-central Minnesota area got to see Kill up close Thursday as the coach swept through Hutchinson, Willmar and Mankato during a leg of his out-state tour.

Unlike Brewster, Kill promised very little to his audience at the City Center Hotel, other than his goal of getting his players to do things the right way and to give it their all on the football.

“I think he’s very realistic,” retired construction management worker Tony Ulmen said. “I think he’ll be good for the program. They basically need to start from scratch, and he seems like a guy that can do that.”

Kill met with about 125 people from the community  and surrounding area. He didn’t sugarcoat the situation the Minnesota football program is in nor did he deny that he had a big challenge ahead.

“The one thing I can promise is that I’m going to work my guts out for you,” Kill said. “I’m a workaholic, and me and my staff are going to do everything we can to turn this program around.”

Born and raised in Kansas, Kill has had head coaching stops Saginaw Valley State, Emporia State, Southern Illinois and Northern Illinois. Northern Illinois was 23-16 during his tenure, going to bowls in all three seasons. One of his wins was a 34-23 triumph over the Gophers last season.

Kill, who brought 90 percent of his staff with him from Northern Illinois, said he four basic rules he wants his players to follow:

1. Be on time.

2. Act right.

3. Go to class.

4. Play hard on Saturday.

He believes one of the byproducts of following those rules will be winning games. Success in recruiting will also need to be a building block for the new foundation.

Mankato West coach Mark Esch was in attendance Thursday, and he likes what he’s seen of Kill.

“Actually I was up in his office visiting with him during (West quarterback) Phillip Nelson’s recruiting visit,” Esch said. “He’s a straight shooter. He doesn’t try to put positive spin on everything, he just tells you the way it is. I think he’s going to do a good job.”

When asked what his ultimate goal is for the program, Kill was ready with his answer.

“I want to come back here to Mankato someday, and I want you to look me in the eye. I want to you shake my hand and say ‘Coach Kill, I am proud to be a Gopher football fan.’”

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