BERKELEY – Linebacker Hardy Nickerson announced Thursday that he will graduate from Cal this summer and play his final season of collegiate football in 2016 at Illinois as a graduate transfer. Nickerson's father, Hardy Sr., was hired for his first collegiate coaching job as the Illini' defensive coordinator in March. Nickerson also played his final two seasons of prep football for his father in 2010 and 2011 at Bishop O'Dowd in Oakland after Hardy Sr. was hired as the school's head coach.

“This is a unique situation where Hardy has an opportunity to play his final season of college football for his father,” Cal head coach Sonny Dykes said. “The Nickerson family is extremely tight-knit and this is something that is only happening because of their tremendous family relationship. We hate to lose Hardy for next season but wish him, his father and their entire family the best. Hardy has been a tremendous representative of our university, our football program and the Cal community both on and off the field for the past four years. Go Bears!”

“After much thought and numerous discussions with my parents, I have decided to graduate from Cal and pursue a post-graduate degree at the University of Illinois in the fall,” Nickerson said. “A most unique opportunity presented itself when my father joined the Illinois football staff as their new defensive coordinator just last month. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to play my final year of college football for my father and head coach Lovie Smith, and it is an opportunity that I simply cannot pass up.”

“I would like to thank coach Dykes and the entire coaching staff, trainers, administrative and operations staff, academic support, coach Tedford, who recruited me, Cal Athletics, and all of the alumni and fans who have given me the utmost support and inspiration,” Nickerson added. “But most importantly, I want to thank my teammates, who are my family and who I will miss tremendously. My teammates are an extension of myself. We've been through an awful lot together and I will never forget all of the experiences that we have shared. It has been an honor to be a part of the Cal football family and I wish the team much success in the future. Go Bears!”

Nickerson played in 35 games with 27 starts during his final three seasons at Cal from 2013-15 after redshirting as a true freshman in 2012. He finished with 246 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss (-27 yards), 2.0 sacks (-9 yards), one interception that he returned eight yards, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries that he returned 27 yards and one quarterback hurry.

Nickerson had his best season at Cal as a 2015 junior team captain when he totaled a career-high and team-leading 112 tackles while adding 2.0 tackles for loss (-4 yards), 1.0 sack (-2 yards) and one fumble recovery. He earned the team's Defensive MVP honors and an honorable mention All-Pac-12 selection both for the first time.

Nickerson also had 69 tackles as a 2014 sophomore and 64 stops during his 2013 redshirt freshman campaign.

In addition to his success on the field, Nickerson earned Pac-12 All-Academic honors twice with second-team recognition as a redshirt freshman and an honorable mention selection during his sophomore campaign. Nickerson was a legal studies major at Cal.

Hardy Sr. is a member of the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame who was a four-year letterwinner from 1983-86 and ranks second on the school's all-time tackles list. Hardy Sr. was an All-American linebacker as a 1985 junior when he had a single-season school record 167 stops. He also played 16 seasons in the NFL, earning four All-Pro and five Pro Bowl selections. Hardy Sr. had NFL stops as a linebackers coach for the Chicago Bears (2007) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2014-15) before a brief offseason stint in the same role earlier this year with the San Francisco 49ers.

Hardy's mother, Amy, and twin sister, Haleigh, are are also Cal alums.