Rutgers offensive coordinator Jerry Kill is retiring from football, citing health issues, as first reported by NJ.com. Rutgers has confirmed the report.
Kill's retirement ends his 34-year coaching career, which began at Pittsburg State and ended with Rutgers in 2017.
"I hope that through my 34 years of coaching that I was able to be a positive influence on young people because that is truly why I coach," Kill said in a statement. "I want to thank all the players for what they have done for me. I appreciate and love all of the people that are part of my family. I don’t have any regrets and I’ve had a blessed career.
"I love this game and all the coaches that I’ve worked with. They have all made Jerry Kill a better man. I know that I did it the right way and I did it my way. I gave everything I had to the game, I just ran out of juice.”
Kill has had health issues since 2005, when he was coach at Southern Illinois. Kill first weathered a series of seizures, including on the sideline, during that 2005 season. He was later diagnosed with kidney cancer, which he beat. Kill underwent several more seizures from 2010-13, eventually retiring from Minnesota in October of 2015, also citing health issues.
Though no longer a head coach, Kill finishes his coaching career with a 152–99 combined record at Saginaw Valley State, Emporia State, Southern Illinois, Northern Illinois and Minnesota. In 2017, Rutgers — which went 4-8 — finished 129th nationally in yards per game (263) and 121st in points per game (18.0). With his retirement, Rutgers will search for its ninth offensive coordinator in as many seasons.
