Gundy details how and why OSU hired Bryan Nardo as defensive coordinator

He either paid everybody off or whatever, but nobody could say anything bad about the guy. As a person and a football coach.”

Sam Hutchens Staff Reporter

OSU football coach Mike Gundy didn’t care Bryan Nardo coached in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.

Heck, Gundy was willing to hire from a lower level than that if the candidate satisfied a demanding wish list for defensive coordinator.

“I started watching video all across the country for what I thought we needed,” Gundy said. “There’s only this many of them that actually understand that system. I went and interviewed all of them. You can count them on one hand. I looked everywhere.

“I looked in high school.”

After an interview that unexpectedly stretched six hours, when they typically take two, Gundy was sold.

“Afterwards I thought, ‘He’s the guy. The best guy. Doesn’t make a difference where he came from,’” Gundy said.

Nardo, the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator, is coaching in his most highprofile role yet. He was the defensive coordinator at Emporia State for eight seasons before yearlong coaching stints at Youngstown State and, most recently, Gannon University.

After interviewing Nardo, Gundy interviewed Nardo’s bosses.

“Then I did my research,” Gundy said. “Called all the people he worked for.

Gundy said the Cowboys’ defense plan to mix in more formations with three down defensive lineman in a multiple front with the typical four-down front OSU has shown in years under Jim Knowles and Derek Mason.

“(Nardo) brings a bit of a unique style,” Gundy said. “He can play three-down, he can play four-down. We’ll take what his system is. He’s been involved in multiple systems over his career. We’ll morph it into our defense here at Oklahoma State along with what him and the defensive staff and what I think is best.

In an interview with OSU Max, Nardo said he knows there are things about coaching in the Big 12 that he has yet to learn.

“I know I don’t know everything,” Nardo said. “But I didn’t know everything when I was getting hired at Emporia State. I didn’t know anything when I got to Gannon. I always had to adjust. And what’s going to get me through that is I will never get outworked and I’ll try to find a way to hold that mentality.”

Nardo started coaching in 2004 as a student assistant at Ohio. He stayed on staff after graduating in 2008.

Gundy said Nardo could soon shed his status as an under-the-radar coach.

“Bryan comes in as a young guy that people are looking at,” Gundy said. “I feel like we’ll do really well on defense in a few years. If that happens, we’ll have a hard time keeping him.” sports.ed@ocolly.com