SIU's Kill hospitalized after seizure

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois football coach Jerry Kill remained hospitalized and faced additional medical evaluations Monday, a day after suffering a seizure shortly after taping his weekly television show, the school's sports information chief said.

Sunday's seizure after the taping at WSIL-TV was the latest for 45-year-old Kill, who collapsed with tremors on the sidelines a year ago during a game against Illinois State and in November 2001 shortly after the Salukis lost to what now is Missouri State. In both cases, Kill returned to the sidelines in time for the next game.

While hospitalized briefly after last year's seizure, Kill was diagnosed with kidney cancer. He continued coaching without telling the team and had a tumor removed from one of his kidneys after the season.

"He's never missed a game because of seizures," Tom Weber, SIU's sports information director, said Monday. "If there's a way for him to be there [for the next game Saturday at Missouri State], it certainly wouldn't surprise me."

Tests Sunday at a Carbondale hospital came back normal, according to his wife, Rebecca, who said her husband was given a positive prognosis by his doctor. She said the coach, in his sixth season at SIU, was resting comfortably and hoped to return to work soon.

In Kill's absence, SIU's coaching staff will continue preparing for Saturday's game.

The Salukis (5-2, 2-2 Gateway) lost Saturday at home to Western Kentucky. Missouri State (1-7, 0-4) lost Saturday to Indiana State, which snapped the nation's longest Division I losing streak at 24 games.