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To say Bryan Nardo, a St. John Central graduate and Shadyside native, was perfectly happy serving as the defensive coordinator at Gannon University would be totally accurate.
To assume that he really wasn't actively seeking or pursuing any other coaching opportunities, regardless of level, would be pretty accurate, too.
But, certain opportunities -- sort of like being the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State University -- however are simply unable to be ignored.
So, when Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy called Nardo late last month and offered him the job, it didn't take much time or thought to accept.
"This was not on my radar whatsoever when this started," Nardo said. "I am very fortunate to be the right person at the right school that had the right opportunity and believed in me. Coach Gundy has proven it doesn't matter to him where you've coached before. He's hired from (the Division II) level before. I am just very appreciative of Coach Gundy believing in me."
The way the opportunity came to fruition is the stuff you dream about, but very rarely yields the results once you wake up.
The first contact between Nardo and Gundy came on Jan. 11. At that point, Gundy wondered if Nardo would be willing to come out to Stillwater and simply talk football and the defensive scheme (3-3-5) that he'd been running with the Cowboys coaching staff.
"I had known (OSU's linebacker coach) Jim Bob Clemons for a while and we'd become good friends from my time when I was at Emporia State," Nardo said. "He and I had spoken about the possibility of clinicing at Oklahoma State because of what we had done on defense."
So, Gundy was on board and wanted to learn more about the scheme, which has worked quite well at other places within the Big 12 Conference, which has always been more well known for its offense than defense.
"Coach Gundy called me and we talked for about 20 minutes about what we ran at Gannon and Emporia and it transitioned from there to, 'I would love to meet you in person and learn your defense,'" Nardo recalled.
So, Nardo, on Jan. 15, caught a flight to Oklahoma City and made his way to Stillwater.
"I approached this simply as an opportunity to get in front of a Power 5 coaching staff and show them what we do on defense," Nardo said. "At no point did I think it would lead to this job. I was just looking forward to the opportunity to go out there and talk football. We ended up talking for five hours and basically went through an entire defensive install."
Gundy drove Nardo to the airport and told him, 'you'll be hearing from me."
"Coach Gundy told me I had done a great job and I just thanked him for the opportunity," Nardo said. "He texted me when I was on the plane and reiterated that I did a great job and he'd be in touch."
A week later, on Jan. 23, Nardo received the formal offer to join the Cowboys staff as the defensive coordinator to take over for Derrick Mason, who had spent one season on the Pokes staff before electing to retire.
He didn't hesitate and accepted the job immediately.
"I was shocked when he offered me the job, but when he started asking me for that stuff, I kind of had a feeling something might be up, but I didn't have any idea as to what it was," Nardo said.
Before he left for Stillwater, Nardo and his wife, Emma, who is originally from Kansas and lived just under four hours from Stillwater, talked about what might happen if Gundy were to offer him a position of any type.
"When I flew out there, I was prepared for whatever might happen," Nardo said.
"If it was just professional development or a chance to enhance my skills in front of these power five coaches, it would be beneficial. Emma and I talked without knowing if anything would be offered, but we decided that if something was offered, I was going to take the job."
During the week that passed, Gundy asked Nardo to send him every Gannon game film from last season and some additional information.
As it turned out, though it wasn't a formal interview, Nardo was interviewing all along for the job.
"Coach Gundy kept telling me before the clinic session that he just wanted me to be myself, so maybe it was his plan all along … I really don't know," Nardo said. "I was definitely myself, so maybe that was good enough."
Oklahoma State, via its social media, formally announced Nardo's hiring during the afternoon of Jan. 24.
"It's hard to wrap your head around, but if it's not a guy like Coach Gundy, it probably doesn't happen for me," Nardo said.
"Here's a guy who played here (at Oklahoma State), loves this place and is one of the most successful coaches in college football. If it's not him and this timing then I don't get this opportunity."
Nardo admitted from the time the news broke to arriving on campus was a whirlwind. Actually, the toughest part was trying to reply to nearly 600 text messages he received that day. The most gratifying part was that half of those messages came from former players and/or fellow coaches.
"It was very, very humbling," Nardo said.
Nardo formally started his new job on Sunday, Feb. 5.
He and his family flew to Stillwater to look around the town and were introduced to a realtor the week prior, but since Oklahoma State had signed its class during December's early period, Nardo didn't have to immediately get on the road recruiting.
He's already met with his new defensive unit and is already studying tape with his new players with the hopes that when the Cowboys begin spring practice on March 21 they'll be able to basically hit the ground running.
"I can't wait to get on the field and start coaching," Nardo said. "There's a proven track record of success of running this system in this league by multiple teams.
"We simply have to build relationships and coach our players to believe in what they're doing and believe in themselves."
Nardo, whose only experience at the Division I level was at FCS member Youngstown State, isn't at all worried about the transition to Power 5.
"The players are bigger, faster and stronger and there is more going on in recruiting and outside of football than at some of the other levels, but at its core, we're still dealing with 18 to 22 year old young men who want to be coached, loved and cared about. They want to be taught how they can be great. That doesn't change."
Another aspect that doesn't worry Nardo is the fact that he's becoming the third defensive coordinator in as many seasons with the Cowboys. Jim Knowles left after the 2021 season to become the defensive coordinator at Ohio State, which led to Mason's hiring.
"There's a lot of crossover with what we do and what they've done in the past and the kids understand football," Nardo said. "The kids have been great and they want to be great (on the field). They just want to win and whatever it takes to experience that success they're willing to do."
Nardo has been studying the 3-3-5 system since 2018 and first utilized it in 2019 at Emporia. He then went to Youngstown, but wasn't the defensive play caller. After landing the Gannon job, he went back to it.
"It's not always what you do, but how you do it," Nardo said. "It's an added bonus having eight people standing up and running to the ball. Everyone has unbelievable players who play really hard and fast and excellent coaches, so you're trying to find any type of advantage."
Even though he's settling into his new plush office and his family is preparing to move within the next few weeks, Nardo is still in pinch-me-moment territory.
"It was just over a year ago (on Feb. 15) that I was announced as the defensive coordinator at Gannon and now to be in this position proves that everything happens for a reason and the man upstairs has a plan," Nardo said.
Though he's just looking forward to spring practice's arrival, the Cowboys open their 2023 season on Sept. 2 against Central Arkansas. Interestingly, the Cowboys play at West Virginia on Oct. 21 and host 'Bedlam' against Oklahoma on Nov. 4.
SETH'S SCOOPS
THE OHSAA announced on Thursday it is expanding its contact calendar for team sports during the spring and summer. Coaches now get 13 days of contact with their teams, which is an increase of three days and the summer period now begins on May 15 instead of June 1.
The summer period includes: football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, softball and baseball.
MARTINS FERRY grad Kayla Fogle, who swims at Fairmont State University, enjoyed an impressive showing at the recent MEC/GMAC swimming championship at Canton's Branin Natatorium.
Fogle finished third in the MEC and 10th overall in the 200 fly with a time of 2:18.44, earning All-Conference acclaim.
SAD TO learn that former Martins Ferry head football coach Larry Coyer died last Saturday.
Coyer, who spent several seasons as the defensive coordinator with the Denver Broncos.
He was the head coach of the Purple Riders in 1968 and 1969 and compiled a 7-13 record.
He was the head coach when legendary Ferry head coach Dave Bruney was a senior.
WILLIAM TRAUBERT was recently recognized by USA Boxing for 50 years as a member of the organization.
Staskey can be reached via email at sstaskey@timesleaderonline.com