The University of Minnesota football program named defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys its new coach Wednesday. 

His promotion comes after serving as interim coach upon Jerry Kill’s retirement on Oct. 28. Claeys was signed to a three-year head coaching contract through 2018.

Claeys served as an assistant on Kill’s staff for 21 years. He was defensive coordinator at SIU from 2001 to 2007. 

The contract begins Feb. 1 and is for $1.4 million per year, with a $100,000 increase every year, according to the Pioneer Press.

His first game since the announcement will be Saturday against Iowa. The Hawkeyes are 9-0 this season and ranked fifth in the college football playoff standings. 

Ted Ward can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @TedWard_DE