Just two days after receiving a one-year contract extension and a nearly $1 million raise, Minnesota Golden Gophers football head coach Jerry Kill says he’s “getting paid way too much,” the Star Tribune reports.
The University of Minnesota gave Kill an extension that will keep him under contract through the 2018-19 season. He’ll also see his annual salary increase from $1.2 million to $2.1 million.
Kill said he wouldn’t have accepted the extension unless the combination of his assistant coaches salary pool ranked in the top six of Big Ten football programs. In essence, he’s still the same selfless guy that grew up without a lot.
“I’m the same guy I’ve been my whole life,” Kill said, according to KFAN’s A.J. Mansour. “I’m the same guy that lived in a trailer house, I believe for five years and made $250 a month. I was very appreciative then, very appreciative. If I had to go back to doing that, I’d be alright.”
Kill, who until recently couldn’t drive a vehicle because of his epilepsy, said he has two goals. One was to drive, which he’s already accomplished and the other was making fans proud of Gopher football.
“I think we’ve moved forward on that,” he said.
Other incentives in Kill's contract: $125,000 for winning the Big Ten Championship, $150,000 for winning a national title. #Gophers
— Tyler Mason (@tylermason21) February 24, 2014
ASSISTANT LEAVING FOR FLORIDA STATE
In related news, Coach Kill confirmed that linebackers coach Billy Miller is leaving the University of Minnesota for the same job at Florida State. The Seminoles are the defending National Champions.
“He served what we needed to have over the course of three years,” Kill said of Miller, via the Pioneer Press. “He’s helped us in some areas of expertise that we needed at that particular time. Billy, where he’s at in his life, a chance to win a national championship a year from now means something.”
Miller’s coaching career dates back 35 years, including stops with the Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes, where he coached former Ravens star linebacker Ray Lewis.
