Here's my potentially controversial and perhaps provoking thought after watching football today, including watching Ol Jerry and the Gophers lose in the postseason again.

I don't think NIU wins 3 out of the last 4 MAC titles if Kill had remained head coach beyond 2010.

Think about how the 2011 team was constructed. Harnish would've been great, but the Kill offense relies just as much on the RB as it does the QB. Harnish wouldn't have gotten as many touches and Jasmin Hopkins, while good, was not as good as Chad Spann was the year before. Coupled with how putrid the defense was at times that year, if Kill coaches us in 2011, I don't think NIU beats Toledo in that stupid game in the Glass Bowl, let alone Ohio in the MACC.

And what's more, there is no way that Jordan Lynch becomes a Heisman finalist in Kill's offense and there's probably no way NIU goes to the Orange Bowl if he's coaching. His record in the postseason in FBS speaks for itself.

Long story short, IMO it turned out better for all parties that he left when he did. Kill got paid, Minnesota is back to being a competitive Big Ten team, Compher made his best ever decision as AD by hiring Dave Doeren to replace him, Harnish had the best season of his career, Lynch became a Heisman finalist, NIU won 3 MAC titles in 4 years and busted the BCS and pissed off Herbstreit, and NIU fans got to enjoy the golden era of Huskie football.

Thanks Jerry! If you ever see Harnish again, you should probably buy him a drink because you haven't found a QB as good as him since you went to Minnesota.