Minneapolis – The Illinois-Minnesota game needed to be televised.

For the first time in a long time, Illini fans could see Illinois football.

It was played by Minnesota.

Minnesota head coach Glen Mason and Illinois head coach Ron Turner were hired in the same year – 1997. Mason has done to the Golden Gopher program what Turner has tried to do here – build a winner. With a tough-to-stop offense.

Mason has taken Minnesota to four bowl games in the last five years.

Illinois has played in two bowl games under Turner – one a Sugar Bowl – and has only eight wins in the last three years.

Mason has turned Minnesota into a rising program. The Golden Gophers are second in the Big Ten in total yards and scoring.

They have a buzz around them. Minnesota people expect the team to get to a Jan. 1 bowl game. Mason has done everything but win a Big Ten title.

Turner, outside of the Big Ten title, has accomplished very little at Illinois. His teams have lost 13 straight conference games.

Saturday demonstrated the differences between their programs.

Turner was brought in to revive the Illinois offense.

Illinois scored zero points Saturday.

Minnesota scored 45.

Golden Gopher sophomore quarterback Bryan Cupito threw for 247 yards.

Marion Barber III rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns.

Minnesota had 587 total yards.

Mind-boggling.

Especially when Illinois had only 231 yards.

This week Illinois’ offense looked more like an offense from the final days of the Lou Tepper era.

After the game, the Illini talked about Minnesota much like Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther envisioned opponents talking about Turner’s Illini.

“They made some big plays in the passing game,” Turner said.

“They are a real good football team,” said Illinois sophomore quarterback Chris Pazan. “They can run the ball, and they made good passes.”

“Big plays is what won the game,” said Illinois senior safety Morris Virgil.

The only time Turner heard that said about his team was when Kittner led the Illini offense. Those teams were what Turner’s version of Illinois football was supposed to be.

Turner’s problem? He hasn’t been able to duplicate that success after Kittner’s class left.

Mason has had success this year after his quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq graduated, despite his replacement Cupito performing average at best.

That can happen when Minnesota sophomore running back Laurence Maroney – who wanted to sign with Illinois – and Barber III can run over opponents.

Mason has recruited and coached replacements to keep Minnesota’s success going.

Turner, an offensive guru, is still looking for a replacement for Kittner. Turner’s going on eight years, and only one quarterback has mastered his system.

That raises the question: Is Turner’s offense too complicated for a college quarterback?

At this point, it doesn’t matter. Illinois football is getting dangerously close to entering 1980s Northwestern territory.

Turner should not get a ninth year to turn it around.

Guenther’s criteria to keep Turner: there has to be player improvement. But Guenther can’t honestly say there has been enough improvement in five close losses and a blowout. Not enough to save Turner.

Turner missed his chance to make Illinois into a football power.

And if anyone really wants to see why Turner shouldn’t be kept, they can look at Minnesota.

Mason figured it out.

Turner hasn’t.

Bobby La Gesse is a senior in communications. He can be reached at [email protected].