Smith confirms McGee will be Illinois offensive coordinator

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) New Illinois coach Lovie Smith confirmed Friday that Garrick McGee will be his offensive coordinator. Smith called McGee ''one of the top

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) New Illinois coach Lovie Smith confirmed Friday that Garrick McGee will be his offensive coordinator.

Smith called McGee ''one of the top offensive coaches in the nation.'' He noted that he recruited McGee when he was an assistant coach at Arizona State.

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McGee spent two seasons as an assistant at Louisville. The Cardinals were ranked eighth in the ACC last year in scoring at 28.7 points per game and fifth in total offense at 416.1 yards per game.

McGee was 5-19 in two seasons as head coach at UAB. He has also been an assistant coach for, among others, Arkansas, Northwestern, UNLV, Toledo and the Jacksonville Jaguars.