Minnesota says it has signed football coach Tracy Claeys to a three-year contract.

Claeys succeeds his friend Jerry Kill, who resigned Oct. 28 because of health reasons. Claeys had been made interim coach after Kill’s resignation. He was hired by Kill as defensive coordinator in 2010.

Claeys was also the acting head coach in 2013 for seven games and led the Gophers to a 4-3 mark, which included consecutive wins against Northwestern, Nebraska, Indiana and Penn State.