Joe Bernardi is set to become Troy's offensive line coach, sources told FootballScoop on Thursday. Auburn Live first reported the news.
The drive to Troy will be a short one for Bernardi. He comes to the Trojans from Auburn, where he was an offensive line analyst for the Tigers. Bernardi was hired to the staff by Bryan Harsin in 2022 and retained by Hugh Freeze in '23.
Bernardi played at Fresno State from 2006-10 and began coaching as a quality control coach at Tennessee in 2011. He has since served as a GA at Oregon, the tight ends coach at his alma mater, the offensive line coach at San Jose State, and as the offensive line coach and athletics director at Immanuel Schools in Reedley, Calif.
Bernardi replaces Cole Popovich, who took the same job on DeMeco Ryans' new staff with the Houston Texans.
He joins a Troy staff looking to build on a sensational 2022 campaign.
Under first-year head coach Jon Sumrall, the Trojans went 12-2, pummeled Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Championship, defeated Conference USA champion UTSA in the Cure Bowl, and earned the first ranking in the year-end AP poll (No. 19) in program history. Troy earned the No. 4 spot in FootballScoop's Year End Top 25, and enters 2023 on an 11-game winning streak, trailing only 2-time defending national champion Georgia.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.