"Hardy Nickerson, a Verbum Dei grad who played linebacker at Cal, made the Pro Bowl five times, coached in college and the NFL and did two stints as head coach at Bishop O'Dowd in San Jose, has been named head football coach at JSerra. Nickerson, 60, becomes the first Black head coach in the Trinity League since it was formed in 2008."
"JSerra is hoping to strike gold like Santa Margarita did in hiring Heisman Trophy winner and 15-year NFL quarterback Carson Palmer, who delivered a Southern Section Division 1 championship and CIF state championship Open Division bowl win this year in his rookie season as head coach. Palmer used his NFL connections to put together a top-notch group of assistant coaches."
"Nickerson also has lots of NFL connections and far more coaching experience than Palmer. He once was defensive coordinator at Illinois, served as an NFL assistant with the 49ers, Bears and Buccaneers and and has been head coach at Bishop O'Down from 2010-13 and from 2022 through this season, when his team won a state Division 5-AA championship. He takes over a program that went 3-7 last season and cut ties with former Azusa Pacific head coach Victor Santa Cruz."
Hardy Nickerson, a Verbum Dei graduate and former Cal linebacker, was named head football coach at JSerra and is the first Black head coach in the Trinity League since 2008. Nickerson made the Pro Bowl five times, coached in college and the NFL, and served as defensive coordinator at Illinois and NFL assistant with the 49ers, Bears and Buccaneers. He led Bishop O'Dowd to a state Division 5-AA championship this season and had prior head-coaching stints there. JSerra went 3-7 last season and parted with Victor Santa Cruz. The program expects quick results in the competitive Trinity League.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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