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Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill is listed in
stable condition at a local hospital after suffering a seizure late
in the game against New Mexico State. It's the third time in his
coaching career that Kill has had a seizure on game day.


      Kill was taken from TCF Bank Stadium by ambulance Saturday night
after collapsing on the sidelines with seconds to go in the game, a
frightening scene that silenced the stadium and had players and
coaches from both teams kneeling on the field in prayer.


      "He was at no time under any risk in any way," team doctor Pat
Smith said.


      Smith said the 88-degree temperature coupled with dehydration
might have played a role in the seizure.


      With the Gophers down 28-21 and trying for the tying touchdown,
medical personnel suddenly surrounded Kill on the sideline. He was
rolling around on the turf, with his arms and legs flapping back
and forth at times as personnel tried to control him. Smith said
the Gophers were fully aware of Kill's history of seizures and gave
the coach medication to sedate him.


      After about 15 minutes, Kill was removed from the field on a
stretcher, and the crowd clapped and chanted "Jerry! Jerry!" as
he was rolled away. He was transported by ambulance to the
hospital, with his wife and daughter by his side.


      Smith said Kill was stable and awake, but medicated Saturday
night. He said Kill was talking with his wife, Rebecca, and will
undergo further testing as a precaution. Smith would not say when
Kill would return to the team.

      With the outcome in the balance, quarterback MarQueis Gray was
rushed and threw incomplete on the next down, and New Mexico State
ran out the clock to secure the win.


      By that time, all thoughts were with Kill.


      Kill twice had seizures late in games while coaching at Southern
Illinois, once in 2001 and again in 2005. He also collapsed and had
a seizure while taping a television show in 2006. Each time, he was
able to return to work without missing a game.


      Kill has been taking medication to control the seizures for
years, some of which doctors say stem from his treatment for kidney
cancer. He had one in the closing seconds of Southern Illinois'
61-35 home loss to Illinois State on Oct. 15, 2005 and another in
at the school November 2001.


      This was the second health-related scare for a coach in the Big
Ten in about a year. Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio had what
doctors called a mild heart attack after the Spartans beat Notre
Dame last September.


      Dantonio missed a game against Northern Colorado and then the
following one against Wisconsin after being hospitalized with a
blood clot in his left leg, but eventually returned to the Spartans
sideline to finish out the season.


      While Gophers players looked shocked and concerned to see their
coach go down on the sidelines, Kill's coaching staff remained
calm.


      Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys said previous experience with
Kill's seizures made Saturday's episode easier to handle.


      "It looks worse than what it is, for the most part," Claeys
said. "He's never missed a game. We just told our kids don't panic
with it. We'll keep them up to date."

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Dave Campbell, Associated Press

Author

Minnesota head football coach Jerry Kill will undergo more testing at a Twin Cities hospital after collapsing on the sidelines at TCF Bank Stadium late in Saturday's game against New Mexico State.

Kill to undergo more tests after seizure at football game

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