MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota coach Jerry Kill has taken an open-ended leave of absence from the team to focus on treatment and management of his epilepsy.

The university announced the decision Thursday, before a news conference with athletic director Norwood Teague and defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys.

“It’s a big step for him,” Claeys, the acting head coach, said at TCF Bank Stadium.

Kill had to miss the last game at Michigan when he suffered a seizure at home that morning and was unable to travel with the team, and Claeys called that the turning point in Kill’s thinking about needing more time away to rest, recuperate and adjust to new medication.

Teague and others have talked about the importance of taking more responsibilities off Kill’s plate to reduce stress and fatigue, which can be triggers of seizures, though there’s no predictability to them.