LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas hopes that Turner Gill can do for the Jayhawks what he did for Nebraska.

As a smooth option quarterback in the early 1980s, Gill was the difference-maker for the Cornhuskers, helping free them from Oklahoma's long domination and propelling Tom Osborne's program to the top of the Big Eight.

Later as an assistant coach, he helped develop a Heisman-winning quarterback and was a key member of the staff that led Nebraska to the 1994 national championship.

Kansas made the hiring official yesterday and will formally introduce Gill as successor to Mark Mangino this morning.

"I think Kansas has made a fine decision," said Osborne, the Huskers' former coach and current athletic director. "He will do a great job."

Mangino resigned under pressure Dec. 3 after a two-week investigation into alleged mistreatment of players.

Misconduct has never been connected with the 47-year-old Gill. As head coach at Buffalo the past four years, he compiled a 20-30 record after inheriting a program with only 12 wins in the previous eight seasons.

The Mid-American coach of the year in 2007 and 2008, he guided the Bulls to the MAC championship in 2008 and their first bowl game in half a century.

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Harbaugh staying: Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh finally made his long-awaited three-year contract extension official yesterday, when they announced a deal that keeps him under contract through 2014. Harbaugh is finishing his third season at Stanford, guiding the 19th-ranked Cardinal (8-4) to their first bowl bid in eight years.