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Gophers Hire New Football Coach: Jerry Kill

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The University of Minnesota has chosen Jerry Kill as the new head coach of the football team, signing him to a five-year contract Sunday night.

The 49-year-old is currently the head football coach at Northern Illinois, where he's held the position since 2008. Before NIU, Kill coached at Southern Illinois, Emporia State and Saginaw Valley State University.

Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi confirmed the decision in a text message to The Associated Press on Sunday night.

"We cast a wide net in this search, but the name we kept coming back to was Jerry Kill," Maturi said in a statement. "Coach Kill has won at every level of coaching and has a history of rebuilding programs. I'm confident we have chosen the right man to lead the Golden Gopher program."

Kill replaces Tim Brewster who had a 15-30 record with the Gophers before he was fired in October. Kill has a 127-73 career record in 17 seasons of collegiate coaching.

"I am so excited to have the opportunity to be the head coach at the University of Minnesota," Kill said in the statement released by the University of Minnesota. "It is a tremendous opportunity and -- I think -- great timing. I can promise all the people at the University of Minnesota and throughout the entire state that I am going to give them every single ounce that I can give them. I have done that on every job that I have taken. I was raised the old-school way by my father and mother to do my job to the very best of my ability. You go full speed at it and you don't let anyone out-work you. I have lived by that motto my entire life and that is what I intend to do at the University of Minnesota."

WCCO has also learned that Kill will not coach NIU in their upcoming bowl game against Fresno State -- the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl on Dec. 18.

A news conference with Kill and Maturi will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday at TCF Bank Stadium.

WCCO-TV's Mark Rosen Reports

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