March 09--Garrick McGee's reported hiring as Illinois offensive coordinator was all but confirmed Wednesday by a statement from Louisville coach Bobby Petrino that McGee is leaving the Cardinals to join Lovie Smith's staff.
"I wish Garrick McGee and his family nothing but the best and I am grateful for his friendship and commitment," Petrino said in the statement. "I've known him for a long time and I'm going to miss him as a person and coach. He did a great job wherever we have coached together and I think he has a great football mind. I know it was a difficult decision for him because he's had such a close relationship with Lovie Smith, and he feels like this is the right move for him."
Smith recruited McGee to play quarterback for Arizona State in the early 1990s. Though he transferred to Oklahoma after a stint in junior college, the two reportedly have remained close.
McGee has been offensive coordinator at Louisville for two seasons after two years as head coach at UAB, where he went 5-19. He was an assistant at Northwestern for four years (2004-07) under Randy Walker and Pat Fitzgerald, the last two years as offensive coordinator.
Hardy Nickerson will leave the 49ers, who hired him as linebackers coach in January, to be Smith's defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports. The five-time Pro Bowl linebacker coached under Smith with the Bears and Buccaneers.
