Kill, U of M finalize 7-year contract

Jerry Kill
Minnesota coach Jerry Kill, seen here in a file photo, signed a seven-year contract on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011.
AP Photo/Paul Battaglia

Minnesota coach Jerry Kill has finally signed his contract, a seven-year deal that runs through the 2017 season.

The contract was finalized Tuesday.

Kill was working since his hire last December under the terms of a five-year agreement for $1.1 million annually plus bonuses. The two sides were still working on legal language over the last few months, and two years were added to the deal.

The Gophers are 1-6 in Kill's first season. They've lost their first three Big Ten games by an average margin of 38 points.

Kill has also dealt with a series of seizures that kept him away from the team for several days. He collapsed on the sideline at the end of the home opener Sept. 10 and spent five days in the hospital.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)