NFL great Hardy Nickerson and his son have turned around California high school football program

The 16-year NFL veteran and 1990s All-Decade linebacker offers experience, stories and plenty of 'Hardy' laughter to unbeaten, rising Bishop O'Dowd-Oakland

Like father (right), like son, Hardy Nickerson Sr. and Hardy Nickerson Jr., lead a resurgent Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.) squad / Courtesy photo: Amy Nickerson

Hardy Nickerson’s laugh is infectious, easy and distinctive. Think of the giggle from late NBA great Bill Russell. Call it Hardy laughter.

It’s not one you’d imagine from a tough, grizzled 16-year NFL veteran, one who was a member of the 1990s All-Decade team and five-time Pro Bowl linebacker. 

Then again, Nickerson is filled with all sorts of surprises. 

He not only returned to the high school ranks in 2022 to lead Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland for a second stint after eight seasons away to coach in the NFL and at the University of Illinois, but he also came back to "coordinate" the Dragons’ offense. 

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It wasn’t exactly by design. His son Hardy Nickerson Jr., who played five years in the NFL, decided to coach with his dad and immediately took over as defensive coordinator. That slotted dad to run the offense, which he spent three decades trying — and succeeding — to disrupt. 

“X-slant spacing,” Nickerson remembers belting out to his offense for the first time, which made him giggle to himself. “Got that watching a Super Bowl highlight from Joe Montana when the 49ers played the Broncos” 

Clearly Nickerson Sr., 59, has found a good balance in his life. Football is still a passion, but it's not all-consuming.

He's all in on a long-distance running and nutrition path that he's been on for 5-6 years. He’s now fit as a fiddle.

Two of his children are professionals — one is an artist and the other an attorney — in Los Angeles, where he grew up and help turned Verbum Dei High School from a basketball school to a Southern Section football champion. 

He and his wife of 35 years Amy, who he met while earning All-Pac-10 honors at Cal, are approaching golden years. Nickerson just earned an MBA degree at UC Davis in June, so there’s still new pursuits to chase. 

Such as leading 50 or so Dragons to their highest heights. 

“Life is good,” Nickerson said. “And coaching this group is as good as it gets.” 

Hardy Nickerson Jr. starred at O'Dowd when his dad first coachd the Dragons from 2010-13. He later played at Cal and Illinois before playing five years in the NFL as a linebacker, like his dad. He's O'Dowd's defensive coordinator. / Photo: Dennis Mockel/Bishop O'Dowd athletics

HEAVYWEIGHT KNOCKOUT

It's especially good coming off a resounding 24-20 win at heavily favored Monte Vista-Danville last week. O'Dowd fought back from a 13-0 deficit as Saliou Sow rushed 33 times for 150 yards, third-year starting quarterback Devin Wilson passed for 154 yards and two touchdowns, both to Washington-bound receiver Deji Ajose who had seven catches for 120 yards. 

A high ankle sprain derailed much of Saliou Sow's junior season but the Bishop O'Dowd senior running back is making up for lost time. He rushed for 150 yards on 33 carries in the Dragons' 24-20 upset win at Monte Vista last week. / Photo: Dennis Mockel/Bishop O'Dowd athletics

Not only did the Dragons overcome an early deficit by scoring 24 unanswered points, but they withstood a 209-yard, two-touchdown-effort from Monte Vista’s own Washington commit Julian McMahan. 

“It was so much fun, especially for the kids,” Nickerson said. “The work ethic they’ve shown to get to this point is unbelievable and the execution they showed Friday was just ridiculous.” 

For the Dragons, a Division IV North Coast Section school, to knock off a D1 power was particularly satisfying.  

“We moved up to the heavyweight division and you could just see the confidence pouring into the kids,” Nickerson said.   

After his long playing career which included 1,586 career tackles, 21 sacks and 12 interceptions, Nickerson had the Dragons rolling starting in 2010 with a 26-10 record over three seasons. Nickerson Jr. was the team’s star linebacker. 

After a 3-7 2013 campaign, Nickerson left for an assistant’s job with the Tampa Bay Bucs for two seasons under Lovie Smith, then followed him to Illinois where he was the defensive coordinator for three seasons. 

Health issues led to his departure in 2018 and after the pandemic he decided to pursue his  Master’s Degree. 

IN SYNCH 

O’Dowd sought a coach at the time, and with the help of his son and a slew of backing from prominent former NFL players including receiver JJ Stokes, offensive lineman Tarik Glenn, running back Jahvid Best and kicker Doug Brien, Nickerson is now starting his third season. (Glenn and Best have moved on to other ventures). 

Bishop O'Dowd senior QB Devin Wilson (10) took over the starting job midway through his sophomore season. / Photo: Dennis Mockel/Bishop O'Dowd athletics

“It’s been a blast,” he said about coaching with his son. “We definitely think alike.” 

Having such a good, dedicated group helps immeasurably, Nickerson said. 

* The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Ajose has 10.8-second 100-meter speed and is a tremendous two-way player, also starring at defensive back. “Absolutely great kid, from a great family — he loves football and wants to be his best,” Nickerson said. 

* Wilson (6-2, 200) is a third-year starter and pocket passer who possesses a 4.5 GPA and “commands” the Dragons’ wide-open, spread attack. 

* Princeton-bound linebacker and fullback John Teti is “just a football player, always around the ball. He loves contact and loves the game.” 

* Due to an ankle injury in 2023, Sow is somewhat under the radar for college recruiters, but not for long. “He's a tough Frank Gore type back who just wants the ball,” said Nickerson, who gave it to him 23 times in the second-half alone on Friday.  

Bishop O'Dowd senior and University of Washington commit Deji Ajose scored on a long touchdown pass from Devin Wilson in the Dragons' 24-20 win at Monte Vista on Sept. 6, 2024. Ajose is considered one of the Bay Area's top two-way players. / Photo: Dennis Mockel/Bishop O'Dowd athletics

HARDY LAUGH

The Dragons have more tough competition ahead with a home game against four-time state champion McClymonds Friday and a Sept. 20 matchup at perennial NCS and state medium school power Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa. 

After going 10-11 the last two seasons combined, the Dragons seem to have found their stride. A 51-13 season-opening win over Tamalpais-Mill Valley avenged a 27-21 season-opening loss in 2023. 

Bishop O'Dowd senior John Teti (9) is headed to Princeton on a football scholarship. A linebacker and fullback for the Dragons, Teti loves the contact and is a key cog in O'Dowd's title aspirations. / Photo: Dennis Mockel/Bishop O'Dowd athletics

The sky’s the limit for this Dragons’ team, which would love to copy the path of the 2015 team, coached by another former NFL player, Napoleon Kaufman. That squad went 15-1 and won the state 5-AA championship, the school’s only state football crown. 

For now Nickerson is just focused on McClymonds, which put a pretty resounding 45-0 spanking on the Dragons last season. With his big smile and Hardy laugh, Nickerson is simply staying grounded and pointing to the here and now. 

“We’ve definitely built some good momentum,” Nickerson said. “Now we have to keep this ball rolling.”