If any SEC football program needs a coach who isn’t afraid of losing his mind in a postgame press conference, it’s Vanderbilt.
So it is that the announcement that former New Mexico State coach Jerry Kill has joined the Commodores’ staff chief consultant to the head coach and offensive advisor makes you wonder if somebody on the Nashville campus might be taking football more seriously.
In case you don’t remember, Kill went on an epic rant after the New Mexico Bowl, a 37-10 loss by his team to San Jose State, because New Mexico athletic director Eddie Nuñez didn’t want Kill’s team to use the indoor practice facility.
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“When (Nuñez) doesn’t let us practice in the indoor facility, when he doesn’t want us to do this, do that, that’s chickenshit,” Kill said in the postgame presser. “I don’t care, that’s my opinion. If I get in trouble, I don’t give a shit, either. I can go down to Mexico tomorrow, drink margaritas and let y’all enjoy your life, because I’ll be enjoying mine.”
This doesn’t sound like Vanderbilt behavior. OK, it sounds like something a Commodores fan might say after another SEC loss, but not from one of the coaches.
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Jerry Kill is more than a man who went on a rant, he is actually a good coach
The reason Nuñez was reluctant to let the Aggies use the facilities was because their quarterback Diego Pavia, had been caught urinating on that indoor field in September. Kill and the school disciplined Pavia and thought the matter was settled.
“We disciplined the young man,” Kill said. “He (Pavia) doesn’t get to do any interviews and stuff like that. If you want to take a toothbrush and clean toilets all the time, that ain’t a lot of fun and do community service. Well, guess what? I hope the AD here gets the same damn discipline with the people around this state that Diego got, because he deserves it.”
Oh boy! Imagine what Kill might say after a Tennessee game.
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Kill is more than talk. He’s a proven coach with a pretty impressive resume. He quickly turned about that New Mexico State team, which was one of the worst in college football after a 2-10 season in 2021.
His Aggies knocked off SEC school Auburn 31-10 the week before the Tigers almost beat Alabama in a thrilling Iron Bowl.
He led New Mexico State to a 7-6 record and a Quick Lane Bowl victory in 2022, and the Aggies finished with a 10-5 record and a trip to that New Mexico Bowl last season. He has an overall coaching record of 175-115 with stops at Minnesota, Northern Illinois and TCU.
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