Bernardi to Coach Football at Burroughs

Gary Bernardi, a former USC assistant, has been named football coach at Burroughs High.

Bernardi, 38, had been an assistant for Larry Smith at Arizona and USC. After Smith and his staff were fired at the end of last season, Bernardi pursued his first head coaching job.

“A year ago, I wasn’t really concerned with becoming a head coach, but when I was forced to redirect myself, it became appealing,” Bernardi said.

Bernardi graduated from Monroe High in 1972. He was an assistant for one year at Bell-Jeff High and for four years at Fountain Valley High during the late 1970s before moving to Arizona.

He replaces Jay Gudzin, who was fired after leading Burroughs to an 0-10 season in 1992.

“Having come from this area, I’m familiar with the success they had in the past and I think the people here are really interested in trying to re-establish that,” Bernardi said.