After joining the Auburn football staff as an offensive analyst in January 2022, Joe Bernardi was elevated as the program’s tight ends coach on November 1, 2022. A second-generation college football coach, Bernardi has experience in the SEC, the Pac-12 and the Mountain West conferences.
Bernardi is a second-generation college football coach. His father,Gary Bernardi, is a veteran among the coaching ranks with over 40 seasons as an assistant football coach and currently serves as an offensive analyst at San Diego State.
Prior to this time in Auburn, Bernardi served as the athletics director as well as the offensive line coach for Immanuel Schools in Reedley, California.
Bernardi spent three seasons at San José State (2017-19) as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator. In his first season with the Spartans, tackle Nate Velichko was a National Football Foundation (NFF) Campbell Trophy semifinalist and was inducted into the NFF's Hampshire Honor Society.
Returning to his alma mater in 2016, Bernardi served as a tight ends coach at Fresno State.
At Oregon (2013-15), Bernardi served as a graduate assistant, assisting with both the offensive line and tight ends. He coached four first-team All-Pac-12 offensive linemen while the Ducks would go on to win 33 games during his tenure, including competing in the first College Football National Championship game against Ohio State in 2015.
Between hits tenures at Oregon and San José State, five of Bernardi’s offensive linemen signed contacts with the National Football league: Jack Snyder (San José State), Jeremiah Kolone (San José State), Chris Gonzalez (San José State), Hroniss Grasu (Oregon) and Jake Fisher (Oregon).
Bernardi began his coaching career at the University of Tennessee (2011-12) as an offensive line quality control coach, assisting in all phases of coaching and recruiting the offensive line and tight ends. In his second season with the Volunteers, Tennessee led the SEC and were fifth nationally for fewest quarterback sacks allowed per game (0.67).
A member of the Fresno State football team from 2006 until 2010, Bernardi started 32 games on the Bulldogs’ offensive line and competed in four bowl games. Bernardi was named to the Rimington Award Watch List for the best center in college football twice during his playing career. In his 2010 senior year, he received the Paul Schechter Award for Courage given annually to a Fresno State student-athlete who overcame a physical challenge to become a champion.
Bernardi graduated from Fresno State in 2010 with a degree in communications. He and his wife, Lindsey, were married in June 2017 and have a daughter, Quinn, and a son, John.
Bernardi is a second-generation college football coach. His father,Gary Bernardi, is a veteran among the coaching ranks with over 40 seasons as an assistant football coach and currently serves as an offensive analyst at San Diego State.
Prior to this time in Auburn, Bernardi served as the athletics director as well as the offensive line coach for Immanuel Schools in Reedley, California.
Bernardi spent three seasons at San José State (2017-19) as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator. In his first season with the Spartans, tackle Nate Velichko was a National Football Foundation (NFF) Campbell Trophy semifinalist and was inducted into the NFF's Hampshire Honor Society.
Returning to his alma mater in 2016, Bernardi served as a tight ends coach at Fresno State.
At Oregon (2013-15), Bernardi served as a graduate assistant, assisting with both the offensive line and tight ends. He coached four first-team All-Pac-12 offensive linemen while the Ducks would go on to win 33 games during his tenure, including competing in the first College Football National Championship game against Ohio State in 2015.
Between hits tenures at Oregon and San José State, five of Bernardi’s offensive linemen signed contacts with the National Football league: Jack Snyder (San José State), Jeremiah Kolone (San José State), Chris Gonzalez (San José State), Hroniss Grasu (Oregon) and Jake Fisher (Oregon).
Bernardi began his coaching career at the University of Tennessee (2011-12) as an offensive line quality control coach, assisting in all phases of coaching and recruiting the offensive line and tight ends. In his second season with the Volunteers, Tennessee led the SEC and were fifth nationally for fewest quarterback sacks allowed per game (0.67).
A member of the Fresno State football team from 2006 until 2010, Bernardi started 32 games on the Bulldogs’ offensive line and competed in four bowl games. Bernardi was named to the Rimington Award Watch List for the best center in college football twice during his playing career. In his 2010 senior year, he received the Paul Schechter Award for Courage given annually to a Fresno State student-athlete who overcame a physical challenge to become a champion.
Bernardi graduated from Fresno State in 2010 with a degree in communications. He and his wife, Lindsey, were married in June 2017 and have a daughter, Quinn, and a son, John.