Seventy-one days after leading the Northern Illinois University football team to an upset of Minnesota, Huskies coach Jerry Kill accepted the head coaching position with the Golden Gophers.

Kill told the Huskies players of his decision after the team's awards banquet Sunday night at the Holmes Student Center on the NIU campus.

Kill flew to Minneapolis after the banquet to be introduced to the media today as Minnesota's 32nd head coach. Kill signed a five-year contract, according to ESPN.com.

Kill declined to comment on leaving NIU when he was approached Sunday night, saying he still needed to talk to recruits. When told people in DeKalb might want to hear from him, Kill said, "I'm not talking to you."

NIU redshirt junior quarterback Chandler Harnish said his brother and several other friends text messaged him about reports that Kill had been hired by Minnesota before the banquet but that he didn't believe it until the words came out of Kill's mouth.

"It's still a feeling that I can't really comprehend right now," said Harnish, who will play under his third head coach in five years. "Disappointment. Shock. But we're moving on.

"I think there's definitely a lot of mixed emotions on the team. I think everyone's just kind of like, 'What's going on right now.'"

NIU athletic director Jeff Compher said during a Sunday night teleconference that Kill told him of the decision over the "last 24 hours."

"I look at things as you could either be a launching pad or a graveyard," Compher said. "I'd rather be the launching pad.

"I think it says our program is being recognized as a national level program, that you can come here and you can win."

Kill also told a group of five recruits, making their official visits this weekend, of his decision.

"He just said it happened so fast and that it was basically what he had to do for his family," said Ellsworth (Iowa) Community College tight end John Rabe, who had verbally committed to NIU.

Rabe said "all of his options are open," now that Kill and his staff have left.

It was announced Sunday evening that NIU will play in the Humanitarian Bowl on Dec. 18 in Boise, Idaho. Kill will not coach the Huskies, Compher said, adding that no interim coach has been selected.

It is unclear whether NIU assistants, including offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover and defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys, will remain with the staff through the bowl game. Limegrover declined to comment after the team banquet.

The NIU coaching staff convened in a private room after telling the players.

Kill's NIU contract states that if he resigns his position to accept another head coaching position he must pay a one-time, lump-sum buyout of $500,000 within 90 days of his resignation date.

"We looked at that knowing that we didn't want to hold him back from an opportunity that might be there to fulfill a dream of his, but at the same time protect our university and make sure that we're able to move forward and be able to do what we have to do in the hiring of our next staff," Compher said.

Compher said he will work closely with the university and athletic administration to find a replacement for Kill.

"It's a very unique situation because it's not a question of rebuilding, it's a question of continuing and maintaining and making sure that we keep our program at the top of the league," Compher said.

Asked whether he has any candidates in mind, Compher said, "I sure do," but declined to mention any names.