CHAMPAIGN — Defense is synonymous with Lovie Smith.
Same for Hardy Nickerson. Both father and son.
How the first year of the Smith era at Illinois will fare hinges largely on how the younger Nickerson performs.
A graduate transfer from California, Nickerson was poised to play his final season of eligibility with the Golden Bears. But then Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman fired Bill Cubit the first Saturday in March, and less than 48 hours later, Smith walked into the team room at Memorial Stadium, getting a standing ovation from the Illinois players.
The elder Nickerson arrived at Illinois later that week to coordinate the Illini defense, but the younger Nickerson didn’t decide he wanted to transfer to Illinois until mid-April.