Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Jerry Kill announced his retirement Wednesday morning due to medical concerns, according to ESPN's Mitch Sherman.
"This ain't no way to live," said Kill, via ESPN. "I don't want to be a liability. I don't want somebody to have to worry about if I'm going to drop on the field. I don't want to coach from the press box. I want to coach the way I coached my whole life."
Kill is 54 years old, and has dealt with the effects of epilepsy since 2005, according to Sherman. He suffered two seizures during two games in his first year as head coach in 2011, and a seizure suffered in 2013 caused him to take a leave of absence, in which he missed seven games.
The Minnesota head coach has had his share of adversity, as he overcame a battle with kidney cancer in 2005, according to Dan Wolken of USA Today Sports. Kill felt it was his time to step away, and stated that he feared he was headed toward a similar situation to the 2013 ordeal.
He said he has struggled to sleep this season and has not been able to follow medical advice.
"I don't have any more energy. None. I've left it all here in the great state of Minnesota. And have no regrets," said Kill, via ESPN. College football reporter Bruce Feldman wrote on his twitter account, that it is rare to see a coach applauded at a media presser, but that he walked off the "podium to a round of well-deserved applause."
Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys will take over as the interim head coach, but has experience. Claeys took over for Kill in 2013, and coached the Golden Gophers to a 4-3 record in those games. Minnesota has a huge Big 10 challenge this weekend with the Michigan Wolverines, but the players on the field will likely play their hearts out as their former head coach probably left them with an inspiring speech.
