KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat UA defensive coordinator Larry Mac Duff will no longer be roaming the sidelines of Arizona Stadium.

Just two seasons into his second stint with the Arizona football team, defensive coordinator Larry Mac Duff announced yesterday that he is leaving the program to be the special teams coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers.

Mac Duff will join the staff of newly-hired head coach Dennis Erickson, who last season held the same position at Oregon State University.

"It's a great situation and opportunity for him," UA head coach John Mackovic said. "He's considered the smartest and best special teams coach in the country, and now he's working for one of the five best sports organizations in the nation."

The departure of Mac Duff could possibly leave the Wildcats without a defensive coordinator come March 8, the expected start date for the team's annual spring drills.

"It puts us in a tight squeeze for the start of spring ball," Mackovic said. "We'll do everything possible to (hire a coordinator) and stay on target for March 8."

Because the team is allowed just 15 spring practices, Mackovic said the importance of finding a new coordinator lies beyond just having someone in time for the off-season drills.

"We have to move very quickly," Mackovic said. "I have a short list (of candidates) and some other people that I would consider. It is most important, though, that we select the right person for the job."

The hiring two weeks ago of two new assistant coaches, coupled with Mac Duff's exit, has given the Arizona coaching staff a complete face-lift from last season. Former NFL Europe coach Mike Deal was hired as the new offensive coordinator following the resignation of Rick Dykes, who chose to leave the team to pursue private business ventures. Jeff Hecklinski was also hired to assist Deal as quarterback coach. Hecklinski had taken a job in early January at Ball State before ending up at Arizona earlier this month.

Mac Duff, who has spent 13 of the last 17 years with the Arizona program, leaves to take a position that he held from 1997-2000 with the NFL's New York Giants. Mac Duff held the post with the Giants during their trip to the 2001 Super Bowl, a game they lost to the Baltimore Ravens.

"It's a tremendous professional opportunity," Mac Duff said. "They called and it just happened. It's a difficult decision, especially because the future is bright here at Arizona."