Comment on Minnesota coach Jerry Kill retires after battling epilepsy

Minnesota coach Jerry Kill retires after battling epilepsy

Perhaps hoping he could still mesh his demanding, pressure-filled job as Minnesota's head football coach with his epilepsy, Kill guided the Gophers through one more practice on Tuesday. Millions of people with epilepsy lead healthy, normal lives, but coaching major college football is not healthy, normal living. Kill missed at least a portion of five games in his first three seasons at Minnesota due to seizures, including one that occurred on the field against New Mexico State in the 2011 home opener. Kill's ability to give his all to the job was tested again in 2013, when a recurrence of seizures forced him to take a leave of absence and see a specialist. Medication sometimes left him foggy, though, and Kill said Wednesday he stopped taking one of his drugs before games against his doctor's advice so he could coach with a clearer mind. Tracy Claeys, Kill's longtime defensive coordinator, will be the interim coach after going 4-3 in 2013 during Kill's absence from the sideline. University President Eric Kaler and interim athletic director Beth Goetz will soon discuss a search process for a permanent replacement, though Kill naturally expressed confidence in Claeys to be his successor. Earlier this year, Kill and his wife partnered with the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota on a new "Chasing Dreams" fund geared toward helping children with the disease. Kill can remain a university employee at an "agreed upon position" for $200,000 annually, and the athletics department would surely welcome his presence as a fundraiser.

 

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