Hardy Nickerson, Jr. Transferring to U of I

Champaign - The University of Illinois Fighting Illini football team received a major shot in the arm via transfer Thursday.

    

Hardy Nickerson, Jr., son of new Illini defensive coordinator Hardy Nickerson, will transfer to the U of I.

    

The younger Nickerson will graduate from Cal this spring and be a part of the U of I defense this summer.

    

As a grad transfer he will not have to sit out a season.

    

In 35 games at Cal, Nickerson had 246 tackles, including last season when he lead the Golden Bears with 112, earning him honorable mention All-Conference in the Pac 12.

    

He'll help bolster a linebacker crew that saw Mason Monheim graduate and T.J. Neal transfer.