Posted on 01/14/2002 9:32:46 AM PST by tberry
January 8, 2002
Gerry DiNardo Named 25th Indiana University Head Football Coach
Bloomington, Ind.--The Indiana University Athletic Department has announced Gerry DiNardo as the university's 25th head football coach.
DiNardo, a member of two national collegiate championship teams, is a two-time collegiate head coach as he led Louisiana State from 1995-1999 and Vanderbilt from 1991-1994. He also served as an assistant coach at Colorado (1982-1990), Eastern Michigan (1978-1981) and Maine (1975-1977).
While at LSU, DiNardo posted a 26-9-1 mark in his first three seasons, tied for first place in the Southeastern Conference's Western Division twice and won three bowl games in a row for the first time in LSU history. In 1995, DiNardo's first year at LSU, the Tigers went 7-4-1 with a win in the Independence Bowl. The following season, the Tigers posted a 10-2 mark and won the Peach Bowl. The 1997 season saw DiNardo and the Tigers post a 9-3 mark which included a victory over top-ranked Florida and an Independence Bowl victory. The 19 wins from 1996-97 was more than LSU had won in the four years prior to DiNardo's arrival. Between 1997 and 1998, the Tigers averaged 80,000 fans per home game and every game during the 1998 season was a sellout. DiNardo completed his five-year tenure at LSU with a 32-24-1 record.
DiNardo's first head coaching job came in 1991 at Vanderbilt, and in his four seasons with the Commodores he posted an 18-26 record. His 18 wins was more than the school had posted in its previous seven seasons. He came to Vanderbilt after serving on a Colorado staff that posted a 57-46-2 record capped off by a 1990 national championship. With the Buffaloes he served as the offensive coordinator/offensive line coach for seven seasons and was also the defensive line and offensive tackle coach during his nine-year tenure at Colorado.
He made his coaching debut as an assistant coach with the University of Maine in 1975 and spent three seasons with the Black Bears before joining the Eastern Michigan staff in 1978. He spent four years with the Eagles before joining the Colorado staff.
DiNardo, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., is not new to the Midwest, as he was an All-American guard at Notre Dame and played for the Irish from 1972-74. During his three seasons in South Bend, the Irish posted a 29-5 mark highlighted by an 11-0 national championship season in 1973.
During his career, DiNardo has played in three bowl games and coached in seven. He earned SEC and Regional Coach of the Year honors in 1991 while at Vanderbilt and was named the National Assistant Coach of the Year in 1990 as a member of the Colorado staff.
DiNardo last served as the head coach of the Birmingham Thunderbolts of the XFL.
DiNardo earned a B.A. in economics at Notre Dame in 1975 and earned his master's in education administration from the University of Maine in 1977.
He is married to the former Terri Brown and they have two children, Kate (20) and Michael (8).
DiNardo's Collegiate Coaching Record
Year School Position Record
1975 Maine Assistant Coach 4-6
1976 Maine Assistant Coach 6-5
1977 Maine Assistant Coach 3-7
1978 Eastern Michigan Assistant Coach 3-7
1979 Eastern Michigan Assistant Coach 2-8-1
1980 Eastern Michigan Assistant Coach 1-9
1981 Eastern Michigan Assistant Coach 0-11
1982 Colorado Assistant Coach 2-8-1
1983 Colorado Assistant Coach 4-7
1984 Colorado Assistant Coach 1-10
1985 Colorado Assistant Coach 7-5
1986 Colorado Assistant Coach 6-6
1987 Colorado Assistant Coach 7-4
1988 Colorado Assistant Coach 8-4
1989 Colorado Assistant Coach 11-1
1990 Colorado Assistant Coach 11-1-1
1991 Vanderbilt Head Coach 5-6
1992 Vanderbilt Head Coach 4-7
1993 Vanderbilt Head Coach 4-7
1994 Vanderbilt Head Coach 5-6
1995 LSU Head Coach 7-4-1
1996 LSU Head Coach 10-2
1997 LSU Head Coach 9-3
1998 LSU Head Coach 4-7
1999 LSU Head Coach 2-8
Can he do the job at Indiana? Or anywhere else?
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