Jerry Kill to be new NIU head coach

[Killsback]

Kill will be announced at a news conference this morning in Dekalb and again later this afternoon in Chicago. Kill will have been a head dcoach at every level of college football and just recently took the Salukis to the FCS Semi-finals. The Salukis are second only to Montana for current consecutive playoff appearances with 5. The Salukis have been ranked for the last 65 weeks in the FCS polls.

His package will make him the highest paid coach in the MAC.

[unicat87]

We will miss Coach Kill in the Gateway, but I wish him well at NIU. -unicat87

[89Hen]

Best of luck to Coach Kill. xthumbsupx

[AmsterBison]

He's a very good coach... I think his style of play will tear up the MAC - that conference just seems kind of soft.

Also, Coach Kill has beaten NDSU twice - once at Emporia State and then at SIU so I can't say that I'm not a little relieved to see him go since he sure seems to have NDSU's number (then again, I'm hoping for a rematch in DeKalb someday).

[Thunderstruck84]

I had heard that Grand Valley State's Chuck Martin was going to be the choice, but it seemed a stretch for a DII coach to move to FBS, Kill is a more logical choice.

[henfan]

A huge loss for the FCS community. Jerry's a fantastic coach and an even better man.

[asu7]

Good luck to him!

[unicat87]

I had heard that Grand Valley State's Chuck Martin was going to be the choice, but it seemed a stretch for a DII coach to move to FBS, Kill is a more logical choice.

Chuck Martin might just get his FBS position yet. Let's wait and see on that one. :) -unicat87

[TheValleyRaider]

Good luck Coach Kill xthumbsupx

Any word on who's replacing him at SIU?

[Killsback]

My guess is Tom Matukewicz the linebackers coach under Kill.

[McNeese_beat]

Kill will be announced at a news conference this morning in Dekalb and again later this afternoon in Chicago. Kill will have been a head dcoach at every level of college football and just recently took the Salukis to the FCS Semi-finals. The Salukis are second only to Montana for current consecutive playoff appearances with 5. The Salukis have been ranked for the last 65 weeks in the FCS polls.

His package will make him the highest paid coach in the MAC.

Does this mean we'll have a MAC school coming down here stealing our Louisiana players?

He got pretty good mileage out of Louisiana guys like Jacobs and Brandin Jordan (whose father is one of McNeese's all-time greats).

[ASUMountaineer]

I had heard that Grand Valley State's Chuck Martin was going to be the choice, but it seemed a stretch for a DII coach to move to FBS, Kill is a more logical choice.

It wouldn't be unprecedented as Brian Kelly went from Grand Valley State to Central Michigan (he's now at Cincinnati, and could be a possible candidate at Michigan).

[lizrdgizrd]

Good luck Coach Kill! xthumbsupx

[HIU 93]

Kill will be announced at a news conference this morning in Dekalb and again later this afternoon in Chicago. Kill will have been a head dcoach at every level of college football and just recently took the Salukis to the FCS Semi-finals. The Salukis are second only to Montana for current consecutive playoff appearances with 5. The Salukis have been ranked for the last 65 weeks in the FCS polls.

His package will make him the highest paid coach in the MAC.

Does he keep Chris Beatty as OC?

[brownbear]

Wouldn't this be considered a move down since SIU beat NIU?

[JayJ79]

His package will make him the highest paid coach in the MAC.

Yeah, well my package makes me the highest paid adult film actor....

xsmiley_wix

haha, sorry. couldn't resist when I saw that phrasing.

[spelunker64]

Wouldn't this be considered a move down since SIU beat NIU?

:D

I'd say the MAC is one of the weakest FBS conferences...

[skinny_uncle]

Good-bye Coach Kill.
I guess I need a new signature.
:(

[TCisMYhero]

I feel for the SIU fans. When McDermott left UNI for Iowa State, I thought life was over. Our team has slid a bit, but we have our big gun playmaker coming back this weekend from a broken foot.
On a side note, when will salukitalk.net take down the sticky for "Vote Kill for COY"?

[LacesOut]

NIU is just another stepping stone in his coaching career.

Good luck.

[blukeys]

He has been a classy guy and a coach who has improved his team every year. I'm not sure that NIU is currently a step up but Kill took a down and out SIU program and turned it into a consistent winner. This is not easy to do at any level. If he does the same at NIU, look out!!!!!! He will be getting coaching offers out the WAZOO!!!!xthumbsupx

[PantherRob82]

NIU cares about football 10000% more than SIU. It's a step up.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

I agree that NIU is a waystation on the way to bigger and better for coach Kill.

Hopefully SIU will continue to support football the way they have with Kill at the helm.

Being in the Chicago market could be a nice boost for the Coach Kills Cancer Fund too.

[smallcollegefbfan]

Hate to see him go! He was a good one. I wish him the best of luck in the FBS!

[douglasdmb]

NIU cares about football 10000% more than SIU. It's a step up.

Bingo. I think SIU's support from the administration and the community has changed completely thanks to Coach Kill, though. I'd imagine that the next coach will be able to build on what Kill's done so far.

[Ronin]

Good luck to coach Kill.

Wonder who will be replacing him at SIU? We've had some great games with SIU in the past.

[skinny_uncle]

I feel for the SIU fans. When McDermott left UNI for Iowa State, I thought life was over. Our team has slid a bit, but we have our big gun playmaker coming back this weekend from a broken foot.
On a side note, when will salukitalk.net take down the sticky for "Vote Kill for COY"?

Since the sticky is and election based on this year's performance, I'm sure it will remain up until after the voting stops. Most of our fans are not that bitter or vengeful. We hate to see him go, but he did a good job while he was here. If someone offered me a raise similar to what he is getting, I would probably take it, too.

[R.A.]

Does he keep Chris Beatty as OC?

If he doesn't Hampton better put in its bid to get him back. Pay Beatty!!

[skinny_uncle]

Good luck to coach Kill.

Wonder who will be replacing him at SIU? We've had some great games with SIU in the past.

We don't know who his replacement will be. I'd say we should know by Christmas. SuperMario (AD) is not one to sit and twiddle his thumbs.

[TexasTerror]

Kill is taking his old staff with him, that's what he announced today. He is very happy to be keeping the "gang" together...

New NIU coach brings his old staff from SIU to DeKalb

By John Mullin | Tribune staff reporter
12:01 PM CST, January 7, 2008

New Northern Illinois football coach Jerry Kill will start his new job with the help of virtually the same Salukis staff that helped him to five straight playoff berths in Carbondale.

Kill, voted the Football Championship Subdivision coach of the year for guiding Southern Illinois to a semifinal finish in the 2007 playoffs, announced Monday that eight members of his Southern Illinois staff will join him in DeKalb, including offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover and defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys. Claeys, Limegrover and linebackers coach Tom Matukewicz also were on Kill's staff at Emporia State (Kans.) from 1999-2000.

"It is unique to have a group stay together as long as we have," Kill said, "but continuity is a big reason we have been so successful. I tell each coach that he is the head coach of his position and they have all done an outstanding job through the years.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-080107northernillinoiscoachingstaff,1,5377908.stor y

[ngineer]

Nice move for Coach Kill, tough loss for Salukis, though. Will he be taking people with him? Always a concern.