California: Former NFL great Nickerson named new O'Dowd coach

By Mitch Stephens Apr 15, 2010, 12:00am

Veteran linebacker, picked as second-team All-Decade player in the 90s, to lead Dragons.

Former Cal and NFL football star Hardy Nickerson was named the new football coach at Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.) this morning.

The five-time Pro-Bowler played 16 season in the NFL and replaces longtime coach Paul Perenon, who was dismissed after 25 seasons on Feb. 1.

Hardy Nickerson.
Hardy Nickerson.
Photo courtesy of Bishop O'Dowd
Nickerson was O'Dowd's linebacker coach last season. In a taped interview, Nickerson said getting the Dragons to compete for a CIF state bowl berth is one of his goals.

"Of course, that isn't something that happens overnight," he said. "However, I believe that these boys can do anything they set their minds to. So I will be doing my best to implement systems and programs to achieve this goal.

"With that said, winning championships isn't everything. What's even more important is to help these boys mature, gain confidence in themselves, learn the value of teamwork and ultimately help prepare them to be the best college students that they can be academically, first and foremost, and athletically as well, for those who desire to play at the next level."

Nickerson, named to the 1990's NFL All-Decade second team, was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection his senior year at Cal, where he was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.

He takes over a team that was 4-6-1 last season and for a coach who didn't go away quietly, after recording a career record of 209-75-2.

Perenon hired a lawyer, Stephen Jaffe, after his dismissal and Jaffe told the Oakland Tribune then that "there's really no reason, no rational reason for his dismissal."

See RELEASE on Nickerson's hiring.

See STORY on Perenon's dismissal.