Jerry Kill's head coaching career abruptly ended in the middle of the 2015 season, ending a string of 22 consecutive seasons in which Kill served as a head coach spread across five schools, due to Kill's ongoing battle with epilepsy.
He spent the 2016 season as an associate AD at Kansas State and attempted a coaching comeback last year, returning as the offensive coordinator at Rutgers before retiring a second time due to health concerns. Kill returned to Southern Illinois earlier this year -- he was 55-32 as SIU's head coach from 2001-07 -- as a special assistant to the chancellor.
On Thursday, Southern Illinois announced AD Tommy Bell's contract would not be renewed upon its May 31 expiration, and that Kill is now taking over the AD's duties.
However, that does not mean he is SIU's new AD. SIU did not announce him as its new AD, simply that Kill will "assume responsibility for SIU Carbondale athletics program."
Here's how the press release opens:
Former SIU football coach Jerry Kill, who serves as special assistant to Southern Illinois University Carbondale Chancellor Carlo Montemagno, will take over responsibilities for the SIU athletics program beginning Thursday, April 26.
The chancellor announced Kill's new role after deciding not to renew the contract of Athletic Director Tommy Bell, who has served as athletics director since May 2015. Bell's contract expires May 31, 2018.
"It's time for us to make a change in leadership that will help the program fulfill its potential," Montemagno said. "I am deeply grateful for Tommy's service and wish him well for the future."
The Daily Egyptianconfirmed through SIU spokeswoman Rae Goldsmith that Kill will not receive additional payment for taking on his new acting AD role. He netted a $140,000 salary in his ambassadorship role; Bell earned $185,000 as SIU's full-time AD.