There is suddenly a shake-up at the top of the SIU Saluki Athletics Department.
Director of Athletics Jerry Kill announced Monday he is leaving his position at SIU to accept a job on the football coaching staff at Virginia Tech, effective immediately. Kill will serve as special assistant to Hokies' head coach Justin Fuente.
During his weekly news conference Monday, Saluki head coach Nick Hill said he wasn't surprised Kill is getting back into coaching.
"When you're a football coach, you coach. I guarantee you if there are any coaches out there that are AD's now, or in a different line of work, they wish they were coaching."
Kill led the Saluki football program to five consecutive NCAA playoff appearances from 2003-2007. He returned in February 2018 as a special assistant to the chancellor, and two months later took over as A.D.
During his 16 months on the job, Kill replaced seven of the department's 11 head coaches and restructured the department's administration.
Hill said he doesn't feel betrayed by Kill's sudden departure because he worked his butt off as the AD.
"(He) would have a cancer treatment and be back in the building when he's not supposed to be. When you have a recruit, and he's not supposed to be out in the sun, and he's got a towel wrapped around his head coming into Buffalo Wild Wings on his way home, just so he could see the recruit. I mean this is a guy who cares about every single thing that goes on."
According to the Roanoke Times, Kill spent time with Tech's coaching staff during fall camp and both sides expressed interest in expanding the relationship.
Liz Jarnigan will replace Kill. She joined the athletics staff in July 2018 as associate director of athletics, overseeing all aspects of the program's internal operations.
Hill said Jarnigan is a good fit.
"It'll be a seamless transition because I think we all see how they worked well together. I think there's nothing that's going on here where she's got to get caught up to speed. She's in on every decision and she knows this place really well. So, I'm excited for her."
Before coming to SIU, Jarnigan served for two years as senior women administrator for the Air Force Academy's athletics program. Prior to that, she worked for eight years at San Jose State University, starting as the director for student-athlete success before being promoted to senior woman administrator.
Kill calls her much more qualified to be an athletic director than he was.
