Kanavis McGhee, an All-American linebacker for Colorado who helped the Buffaloes to the 1990 national title, is returning to Boulder as an assistant coach under new coach Jon Embree, a source close to the program said Friday.
In addition, former Akron coach and ex-Colorado State receiver J.D. Brookhart will be added to the staff as tight ends/passing game coach and as special-teams coordinator, a source said. Also, offensive line coach Steve Marshall of Cal will be joining Embree’s staff, according to .
CU was not confirming new hires, waiting for Embree to make the announcements.
McGhee would be the sixth former Buffalo on the new staff, including Embree, Eric Bieniemy, Brian Cabral, Darian Hagan and Jashon Sykes, the director of football operations. It’s not known yet which position group McGhee will coach.
McGhee, 42, is a teacher at Challenge Early College High School in his hometown of Houston, but has coaching experience. In 2006-07 he coached defense for the Amsterdam Admirals of the now-defunct NFL Europe, after starting his coaching career as head coach for Ross Shaw Sterling High in Houston.
Playing at Colorado, McGhee was a finalist for the 1990 Butkus and Lombardi awards, given to the nation’s best linebacker and lineman, respectively. After the New York Giants drafted him in the second round in 1991, he played three seasons at defensive end. He played for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1994 and the Houston Oilers in 1995.
McGhee was mentioned in a Sports Illustrated report this fall on agent corruption, in which agent Josh Luchs claimed he gave McGhee $2,500 to sign with him while McGhee still played for Colorado. That would have been a violation of NCAA rules. Luchs said McGhee never repaid the money. McGhee denied the allegation.
Brookhart was a football and basketball teammate of Embree’s at Cherry Creek High School. They were rivals in college, as Embree went to CU and Brookhart to CSU.
After a stint on the University of Pittsburgh staff, Brookhart went to Akron, where he was 2004 MAC coach of the year.
At the time, many CSU fans projected him as the eventual heir to ex-Rams coach Sonny Lubick. However, he was fired a year ago at Akron following a 3-9 record. He has spent the past year in private business.
He is the brother of current Cherry Creek football/basketball coach Mike Brookhart.
Staff writer Natalie Meisler contributed to this report.
John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com
