McGee Named Offensive Coordinator
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -University of Arkansas head football coach Bobby Petrino has announced Garrick McGee as offensive coordinator for the Razorbacks. With the announcement, McGee becomes the first African-American offensive or defensive coordinator in school history. "Garrick McGee is one of the top young college football coaches in the country," said Petrino. "He came to Arkansas after a successful tenure as the offensive coordinator at Northwestern. His accomplishments as an assistant coach, including as an offensive coordinator in the Big Ten, demonstrates his ability and his outstanding leadership. I want to thank my brother, Paul, for his hard work and dedication to the Razorbacks the past two years. He feels like this move will help him achieve his professional goals. I have always supported my brother, and will continue to do so. I wish him the best of luck. Our search to fill the vacant position on our staff begins immediately." McGee has served the last two seasons as quarterbacks coach for the Razorbacks where he has been instrumental in the development of Ryan Mallett. Under McGee’s guidance, Mallett led the SEC in passing, pass efficiency, touchdown passes and total offense in 2009 along with setting or matching 16 different school records. In addition, UA quarterbacks have combined to pass for a school record 3,640 yards in 2009. "I am grateful to Coach Bobby Petrino for giving me the opportunity to serve as the offensive coordinator at the University of Arkansas," said McGee. "In our two seasons at Arkansas, we have begun to lay the foundation for an offensive approach that has resulted in success in the Southeastern Conference and nationally. I look forward to working with our staff to continue to build towards our collective goals." In his first year, Arkansas established a then-school record with 3,115 passing yards and ranked second in the SEC in passing offense (258.5). McGee spent the previous four seasons (2004-07) at Northwestern University where he was the receivers and punt return coach his first two years, and the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in 2006 and ’07. Directing the Wildcats’ spread offense, McGee’s 2007 unit led the Big Ten and was No. 11 in the nation in passing with 307.9 yards per game, and led the Big Ten and was No. 31 in the country in total offense with (427.7). In 2005, his Northwestern receiving corps had three wide outs ranked in the top 10 on the Big Ten season receptions list for the first time in school history. They became just the second team in Big Ten history to average more than 500 yards per game with 500.3 per contest, which ranked fourth nationally. The Wildcats led the Big Ten with 306.8 yards passing per game, which also ranked seventh in the nation. His first season at Northwestern (2004), Wildcat receivers averaged 237.3 yards per game, NU’s best since 2001. He coached two All-Big Ten receivers in Mark Philmore and Shaun Herbert. McGee was the receivers and kickoff return coach for head coach John Robinson at Nevada-Las Vegas in 2003. In 2002, he was the receivers coach at Toledo, helping the Rockets earn a spot in the Motor City Bowl with a Mid-America Conference West Division title. Toledo’s receivers combined for 309 receptions for 3,611 yards and 25 touchdowns with Carl Ford becoming the first 1,000-yard receiver in school history with 79 catches for 1,042 yards and a school record-tying nine scores. Toledo was fifth in the nation in total offense with 472 yards per game, setting school records for total offense (6,752 yards) and passing yards (3,611). The Tulsa, Okla., native began his coaching career at Langston (Okla.) University where from 1996-98 he coached defensive backs before moving to quarterbacks, receivers and special teams. He also worked as the equipment manager and assisted with track and field. He was the receivers and kickoff return coach at Northern Iowa in 1999, helping UNI set school records for total offense (5,253 yards) and passing yards (3,722). In 2001 and 2002, he was an offensive assistant and quality control coach with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. He worked as an assistant to the quarterbacks coach under Bobby Petrino, helping quarterbacks and receivers with fundamentals, and assisting in all phases of special teams. Prior to the 2005 season, McGee was one of 10 coaches selected to participate in the NCAA Expert Coaching Academy. The program is designed to teach and reinforce various aspects of securing, managing and excelling in NCAA head coach positions at the I-A level. McGee prepped at Booker T. Washington High in Tulsa for his father, the late Larry McGee. He played at Arizona State in 1991 and ’92 under Petrino, went to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in 1993 and transferred to Oklahoma. He played two years for the Sooners and ended his career fourth on OU’s career passing list with 2,449 yards. He was named the Big Eight Newcomer of the Year by the league’s coaches in 1994. McGee graduated from Booker T. Washington in 1991, earned an associates’ degree from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in 1993 and his bachelor’s from OU in 1996. He and his wife, Tiffany, were married in the summer of 2009.