Prominent icons and accomplishments line the wall of one particular office on the second floor of the Yordon Center.

A portrait of former Grambling State football coach Eddie Robinson hangs near the door. Next to that in a bookshelf is a picture, equipped with a personalized autograph, of Mike Ditka.

The brand new Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coach of the Year trophy sits on a table in the corner. On the wall a little over to the left, hangs a picture of a jubilant coach hoisting a championship trophy.

Behind the accomplishments and idols lies Jerry Kill.

In the beginning

But Kill wasn’t born a success. All of his accomplishments were the result of growing up in small country town of 2,000 people.

His roots can be traced back to Cheney, Kan., where he grew up the son of a industrious father and a supportive mother. His dad worked two jobs to keep food on the table for the family.

“They were old-school people that demanded a lot,” Kill said. “They taught me the work ethic and all of the things it takes to make ends meet.

“One of my dad’s famous sayings is, ‘a man hires you to do a job, you do it the best you can.’ That’s how I live life: with a hard-hat, lunch-pail mentality,” Kill said.

Kill describes that mentality as one that the common hard-working person would possess.

“I always say the real people of the world are the-hard hat, lunch-pail people,” Kill said. “I want our football team to represent the common person.”

Live strong

Kill is family-oriented and glowed as he spoke of his wife Rebecca and two daughters, Krystal, 20, and Tasha, 16. The happy home received a scare, however, two years ago in the midst of a season at Southern Illinois.

While preparing for a game, Kill received a phone call. A doctor on the phone informed him that he had contracted cancer. Kill said he finished the game plan, talked with the doctor some more and then told his wife the news.

The doctors let him continue the season and took care of the cancer in his kidney during the offseason. It was a success, as the cancer is now in remission.

“I had surgery during the holidays and then I was back out on the road recruiting. I never missed any work,” Kill said. “I think it was one of those things where the game of football was great for me, because it kept me busy and kept my mind off of it and I just kept trucking along.

“I read Lance Armstrong’s book and I just stayed positive. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have any bad days, but I stayed positive and a lot of great things have happened since then because of that situation.”

Surviving cancer and other past accomplishments isn’t the only thing Kill would want people to remember about him though. Touching the lives of young athletes is what means the most to this coach.

A player’s story

There are many stories of how coaches have changed the lives of players, but some fail to realize how the players actually play a vital role in coaches’ lives.

Kill has coached five first-team All-Americans and four Walter Payton Award finalists. Four of his former players, including N.Y. Giants running back Brandon Jacobs and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Bart Scott, are currently on NFL rosters.

“The greatest coaching experiences I’ve had in my lifetime is just being around the players,” Kill said. “I’ve had lots of moments where I’ve been a part of a national championship, but that’s not why I coach. Watching these young men come in at 18 and leaving at 22 and they’re successful; that’s what I love about coaching.”

Kill has been on the job for a little over a month and is now focusing on getting everything organized and getting to know the players.

He met with the team for the first time Sunday and is looking forward to building those strong relationships necessary for running a successful team.

“I don’t think the coach is bigger than the player and I don’t think the player is bigger than the coach; I think as human beings we make each other better,” Kill said. “I think the players have done just as much for Jerry Kill as Jerry Kill has done for the players.”