It will come as no surprise to Gophers fans that Jerry Kill has been named the Big Ten Coach of the Year by both the coaches and the media.
Kill becomes just the second Gophers coach to win the award; Glen Mason was the first to win it in 1999.
Kill, in his fourth year at Minnesota, led the Gophers to an 8-4 record including a 5-3 finish in the Big Ten. Minnesota finished one game away from playing for a Big Ten championship.
He also led Minnesota to an 8-5 record last season. The school says it’s only the fifth time since 1906 the Gophers have won eight games in back-to-back seasons.
The Star Tribune notes that Kill was selected as the coach of the year over Urban Meyer, whose Ohio State Buckeyes finished 8-0 in the Big Ten despite losing quarterback Braxton Miller before the season and then losing J.T. Barrett against Michigan.
The announcement from the conference comes just a day after five Gophers were named All-Big Ten First Team.
Kill appears to be a hot commodity right now. He has been rumored to be a top candidate for the Nebraska job after Bo Pelini was fired over the weekend. But Kill brushed off some of the talk Tuesday.
Jerry Kill on BTN, on hearing his name in coaching rumors: "No one has called me. So I'll stay focused in what I'm doing." #Gophers
— Tyler Mason (@tylermason21) December 3, 2014
Minnesota will play in a bowl game, but won’t find out until Dec. 7 which bowl it is, and who the opponent is.
