Wacker New Minnesota Football Coach

Jim Wacker, football coach at Texas Christian since 1983, was hired Friday by the University of Minnesota.

“My heart is pumping and my corpuscles are jumping and it really is a wonderful time,” Wacker said.

Minnesota gave Wacker a five-year, $1.25-million contract.

At Minnesota, Wacker faces a challenge similar to the one he faced at TCU--rebuilding a program.

Wacker replaces John Gutekunst, who resigned under fire with a game to go in a 2-9 season during which attendance dipped to a 20-year low.

Gutekunst had a 29-37-2 record in six years after succeeding Lou Holtz.

Wacker has a 21-year college record of 144-91-3 and was 40-58-2 at TCU. He also has coached at Texas Lutheran, North Dakota State and Southwest Texas State. At TCU, his only winning seasons were 8-4 in 1984 and 7-4 and 1991.

The TCU program suffered after September of 1985, when Wacker learned of illegal inducements provided by boosters to seven players. Wacker dismissed the players and turned the matter over to the NCAA. The Horned Frogs were 11-22 during the next three seasons, when they were under NCAA sanctions that limited scholarships and kept them off television.