Minnesota WR A.J. Barker quits team, writes open letter to Jerry Kill

Dan · Nov 18, 2012, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Well, its official. I am done playing football for the University of Minnesota and I will be looking to transfer next season for my final yr

For anyone who wants to read the exact letter I sent Jerry Kill, hear why, check out my blog post on my new tumblr: AJBarker82

http://twitter.com/A_Barker_82

Quote:

My Letter to Jerry Kill, why I quit.

There's nothing special about me?

I’m a dime a dozen?

You don’t know what “!!!!ed up things happened to me to screw me up so much as a person”?

My stock fell as a person since I got injured?

You had 5 of me at Northern Illinois?

You say I’ll never earn a scholarship under you? That I don’t deserve one?

http://ajbarker82.tumblr.com/post/36...ill-why-i-quit

Redbirds33333 · Nov 18, 2012, 04:12 PM

Wow.

quhawks12 · Nov 18, 2012, 04:19 PM

Dude went ALL IN on that!

Groundhogday · Nov 18, 2012, 04:21 PM

Sounds like a Brewster holdover who thought very highly of himself. Perhaps too highly.

Good luck at your FCS school next year AJ.

Sure Shot · Nov 18, 2012, 04:22 PM

Sounds like they'll be better off without him.

trevdv · Nov 18, 2012, 04:25 PM

Wow. He might consider a career in creative writing...

NicelyDone · Nov 18, 2012, 04:40 PM

Smart players are a real challenge for most coaches...............

quhawks12 · Nov 18, 2012, 04:42 PM

I got this kids back...not sure if any of you have played for a guy that he describes Kill to be but it sucks...and it's the worst feeling/situation ever. So I'm with this kid and glad he wrote this.

Illinimedic · Nov 18, 2012, 06:18 PM

Pretty much described a coach I played for and a situation I was in. Know exactly how he feels.

jackman404 · Nov 18, 2012, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

Sounds like a Brewster holdover who thought very highly of himself. Perhaps too highly.

Good luck at your FCS school next year AJ.

Despite his injuries, this guy is far and away their leading receiver. I give the guy credit for sticking up for himself.

illiniguy09 · Nov 18, 2012, 08:38 PM

My mom says I'm the BEST football player!

trevdv · Nov 18, 2012, 08:40 PM

:laugh:

classof2016 · Nov 18, 2012, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illiniguy09

My mom says I'm the BEST football player!

That was the only problem I had with the letter. No one cares what his mom's friend thinks. Other than that, sounds like he had some valid points when calling out Coach Kill.

Loadmaster05 · Nov 18, 2012, 09:14 PM

We need receivers!! He has a year left!

cmore · Nov 18, 2012, 09:15 PM

#team vulture

IlliniKat91 · Nov 18, 2012, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loadmaster05

We need receivers!! He has a year left!

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmore

#team vulture

:laugh:

PotatoesPotatoesX2 · Nov 19, 2012, 01:52 AM

Instead of the little quips and complaints that make all these posters say he's a momma's boy and all that, hows about posting the part of the letter where Kill called him a faggot in front of the rest of the team for being an atheist/agnostic?

Rich · Nov 19, 2012, 07:38 AM

Let's not jump on this kid (yes its a kid still) because he took such a public approach. While I don't fully agree with the way he decided to make his exit, I think he brought up some valid points.

1) He is their leading receiver and a productive one, yet he doesn't have a scholarship and Jerry Kill has held that over him.

2) He is hurt, but had to go through some hoops (some of it his fault) to get an MRI and the coaches didn't seem to honor the fact he is hurt.

3) He was belittled in front of his teammates, just to have Jerry Kill apologize to him 5 minutes later in private. In his letter, he seems to mention this as a repeated problem.

Honestly, if I'm hurt and the coaches are not looking out for my health, I'd probably be looking at my options too. I'm not saying this kid is a saint or that I agree with an open and dramatic letter such as this, but let's not jump on this kid's throat because he stood up for himself.

BexleyIllini · Nov 19, 2012, 07:46 AM

Jerry Kill sounds like the diametric opposite of Ron Zook.

Groundhogday · Nov 19, 2012, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PotatoesPotatoesX2

Instead of the little quips and complaints that make all these posters say he's a momma's boy and all that, hows about posting the part of the letter where Kill called him a faggot in front of the rest of the team for being an atheist/agnostic?

That was allegedly from "Coach Reeves," not Kill. That is another problem with the letter, he is throwing the kitchen sink in there with an overwrought diatribe. I strongly suspect there is more than one side to the story.

As far as Kill wanting to be in contol, heck yes. That is what football coaches do. They try to lead 100 young men, get them all pointed in the same direction, get them to play an extremely physical game that often results in injury. The military analogies are appropriate, so it doesn't surprise me to hear that a coach is tearing down players and building them back up. For good or bad, Kill is definitely old school.

PotatoesPotatoesX2 · Nov 19, 2012, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PotatoesPotatoesX2

Instead of the little quips and complaints that make all these posters say he's a momma's boy and all that, hows about posting the part of the letter where Kill called him a faggot in front of the rest of the team for being an atheist/agnostic?

Correction, it was one of the assistant coaches coach Reeves.

Lasagna · Nov 19, 2012, 08:18 AM

Despite this, I still have a lot of respect for coach Kill. He turns programs around. First SIU, then NIU, now Minny. Minny was at the bottom of the big ten forever, and now he has them bowl bound ASAP. In my opinion, this was the coach we should have gotten in 2009. He does all of this on top of his health struggles. One WR does not change my opinion about Kill. Hopefully our coach can do what Kill did for Minny.

illinihawk16 · Nov 19, 2012, 09:38 AM

As someone from the DeKalb area, I've never liked Jerry Kill and always thought he was a bit of a narcissist in his days with NIU.

btw, this sounds similar to the situation out at Washington St. with Mike Leach and his star receiver.

Groundhogday · Nov 19, 2012, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illinihawk16

btw, this sounds similar to the situation out at Washington St. with Mike Leach and his star receiver.

So far, there is little indication that Wilson has any support from the rest of the players. There isn't much doubt that Leach was trying to break down Wilson and build him back up, but I would be surprised if they find any of this to be "abuse."

Illinifn79 · Nov 19, 2012, 09:58 AM

Idc that he put his moms comments in there because it was at the heat of them moment. Obviously its been building up for sometime and the coaching staff didnt take it seriously at all. Its not like this is the first time it happened to him, so he finally stuck up for himself. With all that said the FCS comment is ridiculous. He is a walk on and is still better than any WR we have on this team.

Nov 18, 2012, 04:21 PM	#4
Groundhogday Posts: 18,074	Sounds like a Brewster holdover who thought very highly of himself. Perhaps too highly. Good luck at your FCS school next year AJ. __________________ ONLY ORANGE!

Nov 18, 2012, 04:12 PM	#2
Redbirds33333 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 113	Wow.

Nov 18, 2012, 04:19 PM	#3
quhawks12 Location: Hamilton County, IN Posts: 3,357	Dude went ALL IN on that!

Nov 18, 2012, 04:22 PM	#5
Sure Shot Banned Posts: 1,912	Sounds like they'll be better off without him.

Nov 18, 2012, 04:25 PM	#6
trevdv Location: Champaign Posts: 2,571	Wow. He might consider a career in creative writing...

Nov 18, 2012, 04:40 PM	#7
NicelyDone Posts: 168	Smart players are a real challenge for most coaches...............

Nov 18, 2012, 04:42 PM	#8
quhawks12 Location: Hamilton County, IN Posts: 3,357	I got this kids back...not sure if any of you have played for a guy that he describes Kill to be but it sucks...and it's the worst feeling/situation ever. So I'm with this kid and glad he wrote this.

Nov 18, 2012, 06:18 PM	#9
Illinimedic Location: Springfield, Illinois Posts: 61	Pretty much described a coach I played for and a situation I was in. Know exactly how he feels.

Nov 18, 2012, 08:38 PM	#11
illiniguy09 Posts: 73	My mom says I'm the BEST football player!

Nov 18, 2012, 08:40 PM	#12
trevdv Location: Champaign Posts: 2,571	:laugh:

Nov 18, 2012, 09:14 PM	#14
Loadmaster05 Posts: 64	We need receivers!! He has a year left!

Nov 19, 2012, 01:52 AM	#17
PotatoesPotatoesX2 Posts: 27	Instead of the little quips and complaints that make all these posters say he's a momma's boy and all that, hows about posting the part of the letter where Kill called him a faggot in front of the rest of the team for being an atheist/agnostic?

Nov 19, 2012, 07:38 AM	#18
Rich JFG Fan Club Posts: 94	Let's not jump on this kid (yes its a kid still) because he took such a public approach. While I don't fully agree with the way he decided to make his exit, I think he brought up some valid points. 1) He is their leading receiver and a productive one, yet he doesn't have a scholarship and Jerry Kill has held that over him. 2) He is hurt, but had to go through some hoops (some of it his fault) to get an MRI and the coaches didn't seem to honor the fact he is hurt. 3) He was belittled in front of his teammates, just to have Jerry Kill apologize to him 5 minutes later in private. In his letter, he seems to mention this as a repeated problem. Honestly, if I'm hurt and the coaches are not looking out for my health, I'd probably be looking at my options too. I'm not saying this kid is a saint or that I agree with an open and dramatic letter such as this, but let's not jump on this kid's throat because he stood up for himself.

Nov 19, 2012, 07:46 AM	#19
BexleyIllini Posts: 388	Jerry Kill sounds like the diametric opposite of Ron Zook.

Nov 19, 2012, 08:18 AM	#22
Lasagna Banned Location: Belleville, IL Posts: 31	Despite this, I still have a lot of respect for coach Kill. He turns programs around. First SIU, then NIU, now Minny. Minny was at the bottom of the big ten forever, and now he has them bowl bound ASAP. In my opinion, this was the coach we should have gotten in 2009. He does all of this on top of his health struggles. One WR does not change my opinion about Kill. Hopefully our coach can do what Kill did for Minny.

Nov 19, 2012, 09:38 AM	#23
illinihawk16 Location: Urbana Posts: 89	As someone from the DeKalb area, I've never liked Jerry Kill and always thought he was a bit of a narcissist in his days with NIU. btw, this sounds similar to the situation out at Washington St. with Mike Leach and his star receiver.

Nov 19, 2012, 09:58 AM	#25
Illinifn79 Banned Posts: 199	Idc that he put his moms comments in there because it was at the heat of them moment. Obviously its been building up for sometime and the coaching staff didnt take it seriously at all. Its not like this is the first time it happened to him, so he finally stuck up for himself. With all that said the FCS comment is ridiculous. He is a walk on and is still better than any WR we have on this team.