Ole Miss set to hire Illinois’ George McDonald as Rebels’ wide receiver coach

OXFORD, Miss. — Reports indicate Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels are ‘expected’ to hire Illinois’ George McDonald as the team’s new wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator. Matt Zenitz first reported the news. McDonald takes over the position following Derrick Nix’s departure recently to Auburn. 

Ole Miss is expected to hire Illinois’ George McDonald as wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator, sources tell @247sports.

He helped converted QB Isaiah Williams earn All-Big honors the last two years. Will now run an Ole Miss unit featuring Juice Wells and Tre Harris.… pic.twitter.com/QqhDYO2qeL

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 27, 2024

McDonald, an Illinois graduate and former player, has coached numerous places in his 24-year career since entering coaching in 2000 as a grad assistant at Ball State. 

McDonald will arrive to an Ole Miss wide receiver room that is one of the nation’s best with Tre Harris, Jordan Watkins, Juice Wells, Cayden Lee, Ayden Williams, Devin Price, Noreel White, and Marquis Willis, among others. 

At Illinois, McDonald was instrumental in helping the Fighting Illini offense rank as one of the tops in the Big Ten last season. In 2023, they finished No. 3 in the league in passing, tied for fourth in total yards, and No. 5 in scoring.

McDonald coached Isaiah Williams, one of the top receivers in the country, at Illinois. Williams led the Big Ten and ranked No. 13 in the nation in receptions (82) and second in the Big Ten and No. 15 in the nation in receiving yards (1,055) during the regular season. He was named All-Big Ten First Team for his efforts. 

#CFB‘s Top 5 Fastest Ball Carriers from Week 9

3️⃣ Illinois WR Isaiah Williams (@i_williams11) 21.2 mph #Illini @IlliniFootball | @Champaign_Room pic.twitter.com/nshY91YLID

— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) November 1, 2022

Coach McDonald had three starters at wide receiver who each had over 500 receiving yards. In addition to Williams, Casey Washington finished with 670 yards and three TDs, while Pat Bryant tallied 560 receiving hards and seven touchdowns.

In 2023, Illinois was the only Power-5 program that finished with a 1000-yard receiver and two additional receivers who notched over 500 yards.

The McDonald File

McDonald was a four-year letterwinner at wide receiver for the Fighting Illini. He finished his career at Illinois with 57 receptions for 589 yards and four touchdowns. McDonald led the Big Ten in kickoff return yardage in 1996 (736) while returning 57 kickoffs for 1,276 yards (22.4 avg.) during his career. 

McDonald was a dual-sport athlete at Illinois. He ran track his freshman and senior years and earned All-Big Ten honors his senior season after setting an Illinois record in the 60 meters (6.74), winning the 1999 Big Ten Indoor Championships 60m title.

After serving as a grad assistant at Ball State, McDonald took his first full-time coaching position at Northern Illinois from 2001-03.  There, he coached First-Team All-MAC receiver, PJ Fleck, currently Minnesota’s head coach as well as second-team All-American Dan Sheldon, and All-American Darrell Hill.

McDonald then served one season as tight ends coach at Stanford in 2004, coaching Mackey Award finalist Alex Smith. McDonald left to take a job as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Western Michigan. At WMU, McDonald coaches 2005 MAC Player of the Year Greg Jennings, who was named a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist and All-American. 

In 2007-2008, he served on the staff at Minnesota where he coached First-Team All-Big Ten player Eric Decker. 

From 2009-2010, McDonald moved to the pros, coaching the wide receivers for the Cleveland Browns. In 2011, he spent a season as the wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator at the University of Miami under Al Golden. 

He spent the 2013-14 seasons at Syracuse as the offensive coordinator. He then spent six years at North Carolina State, beginning in 2015. He started out under head coach Dave Doreen as wide receivers coach and then became passing game coordinator, co-offensive coordinator, and then ultimately assistant head coach. 

While coaching the Wolfpack, NC State had for the first time in conference history, two wide receivers named to the All-ACC first team. In 2018, Jakobi Meyers and Kelvin Harmon each notched over 1,000 receiving yards. 

As a testament to McDonald’s coaching, he has worked with 27 players who have gone on to play in the NFL. 

McDonald and his wife, Heather, have two sons, Roman and Maverick.