Bernardi Waited for the Right Job : Burroughs Coach Jumped Back Into College Ranks With UCLA

Gary Bernardi’s hiatus as a Division I college football coach is over. Barely 15 months after being dismissed along with the rest of Coach Larry Smith’s staff at USC, and two months after turning down a job at Missouri, Bernardi was hired by UCLA last weekend.

Bernardi, who was head coach at Burroughs High last season but didn’t hide his desire to return to the college ranks, said he has been given the ideal opportunity at UCLA, where he will replace his best friend, Bob Palcic, who jumped to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. Bernardi will coach UCLA’s offensive line.

“It’s a great opportunity and it’s exciting as hell,” said Bernardi, 39, who was back in his 18-hour-per-day routine Monday.

But Bernardi said he won’t forget that one-season gap in his college coaching career because it was a year that provided misfortunes and blessings at the same time. He lost his job at USC and his marriage broke up. But Bernardi also improved his relationship with his three children--using time that he couldn’t spare while working for victories in the Pacific 10 Conference.

“We’ve all grown together through this,” Bernardi said. “There’s been good times and there’s been times when we’ve had to work hard at it.”

Bernardi longed for a return to the college ranks, but that desire was tempered by a firmer commitment to his family. The UCLA job will allow him to stay in Santa Clarita while helping the Bruins defend their Pac-10 championship.

“Gary has been a successful coach in the Pac-10 and is a fine addition to our staff,” UCLA Coach Terry Donahue said. “He has developed All-American and all-conference players in his previous positions and he will develop those same type of players at UCLA.”

Last year, Bernardi was developing a relationship with his children. He said he hadn’t realized what he had been missing until he started sharing custody of Marina, 9, and twins Joe and Briana, 6.

Against his nature, Bernardi then backed away from four prospective Division I jobs: two last spring at schools he chose not to disclose, and two in December at Missouri and Memphis State.

Smith, who had Bernardi on his staff for 12 seasons at Arizona and USC, offered him a job within days of his December hiring by Missouri. Bernardi declined regretfully, saying he didn’t want to leave his family.

Bernardi recently had an eight-hour meeting with Donahue and was ready to jump at any offer. But Donahue waited for more than a week before offering the job.

When Donahue offered, Bernardi jumped--but not without the full support of his family.

“It was definitely a majority rule with no dissenting votes,” Bernardi said. “The children were thrilled to have dad go to UCLA and for the chance to go to the Rose Bowl. They know what it’s all about. They were around it at USC. They’ve even made their own UCLA posters at the house.”

But Bernardi has said the closer relationship with his children changed him. At Burroughs, there were no long recruiting trips that made him an absent father for weeks at a time. And he cherished the time spent with his children.

“He’s realized what he has missed all those years at Arizona and USC and realized what a support system he has in his family,” said Leigh Bernardi, who married Gary 12 years ago. “He has been spending more time with his children and has been more of a family person because of this job change.

“He’s been conscientious about it. I hope it continues.”

Bernardi said his children know he will again disappear for long periods during football season, but the foundation between them is stronger now.

“I tell them dad will be gone a lot, but that doesn’t mean dad does not love you,” he said. “They’re a part of the program. I think that, even though the divorce wheels are turning, the family and the job are working. And she understands I’m not ready to give up Division I football.”

Leigh Bernardi, who works as a medical assistant while taking 17 1/2 units of nursing classes at College of the Canyons, said she remains close to Gary and supports all his career decisions. “I want Gary to be successful and happy, I want our children to be successful and happy as well,” she said. “I know he didn’t want to leave his kids and his parents, who live in the San Fernando Valley. But I know his time is going to be different. His priority is going to be UCLA.”

Bernardi doesn’t want the football players at Burroughs, who finished 5-6 and got to the playoffs after going 0-10 the year before, to feel they weren’t a priority.

“I want the best for that high school and those kids,” he said. “I care about those kids and they busted their butts for me.”