Hardy Nickerson quits 49ers to join Lovie Smith at Illinois

Six weeks after Hardy Nickerson accepted a linebackers coach position with the 49ers, he’s leaving. Nickerson has quit the 49ers to become defensive coordinator at Illinois, where he’ll be the right-hand man to new head coach Lovie Smith. Nickerson previously coached on Smith’s staff on both the Bears and the Buccaneers. Nickerson had a 16-year…