EDWARDSVILLE – Jerry Kill, former interim athletic director and assistant to the chancellor, has been approved to take the helm as SIU’s permanent Director of Intercollegiate Athletics while continuing to serve as a special assistant to the chancellor.

The SIU Board of Trustees approved the change to Kill’s job title during today’s board meeting in Edwardsville.

Kill has served as a special assistant to the chancellor since February of 2018 and will be paid $215,000 a year, according to his contract.

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The duties of acting athletic director for Saluki Athletics were added in April, after former athletic director Tommy Bell was terminated.

“We are grateful for Coach Kill’s strong leadership and effective management of Intercollegiate Athletics and his continued role in working on enrollment and outreach for the SIU Carbondale campus,” said John M. Dunn, interim chancellor. “I have received considerable positive feedback from a wide range of campus constituents regarding Coach Kill’s stewardship and I am excited about his continued service to our campus.”

Kill previously served as Southern’s head football coach from 2001 to 2007, leading the Salukis to five-straight appearances in the Football Championship Subdivision and winning three-straight Gateway Football Conference Championships. He went on to make successful coaching stops at Northern Illinois and Minnesota and was a three-time national Coach-of-the Year before retiring from coaching after the 2017 season.

“I spent some great years here in the coaching profession, and if it wasn’t for Southern Illinois University taking a chance on me, I wouldn’t have had the same opportunities in my career,” Kill said. “I didn’t know for sure what I wanted to do when I returned to SIU a year ago, but I’ve talked it over with my wife, Rebecca, and I think I can help this university move forward and try to get us back where we need to be.”

After assuming responsibilities as athletic director nearly a year ago, Kill hired SIU’s first-ever women’s soccer head coach in Grant Williams, track & field head coach Rosalind Joseph, volleyball head coach Ed Allen and women’s golf head coach Danielle Kaufman.

He also reorganized the department’s administrative structure, adding Senior Woman Administrator Liz Jarnigan and Associate Athletic Director Jeff Jones to help oversee day-to-day affairs.

“I think we have made great strides in the short time I’ve been here, and we have a lot more to make,” Kill said. “It’s a tough challenge and I see it as a 3-to-5 year project. I said the same thing about Saluki Football when I first arrived and we did it in three. I faced difficult situations throughout my coaching career, and this isn’t any different.”

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