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.
Photo courtesy of Bishop O'Dowd
"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.
