Gary Nord Position: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Gary Nord is in his second season as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He was named to the position Dec. 1, 2008.

In his first season as a starter in 2009, quarterback Joey Elliott ranked second in the Big Ten in passing yards (3,026), passing touchdowns (22) and total offense (3,294 yards) en route to earning honorable mention all-conference honors.

Nord, who has more than 25 years of collegiate coaching experience, came to Purdue from Florida Atlantic, where he coached the quarterbacks from 2004 to 2008 and served as offensive coordinator from 2005 to 2008 under Howard Schnellenberger. In 2007, quarterback Rusty Smith set the Sun Belt Conference record with 3,688 passing yards and the Florida Atlantic record with 32 touchdown passes en route to being named conference Player of the Year. The Owls defeated Memphis in the 2007 New Orleans Bowl - their first-ever bowl appearance - behind Smith's five touchdowns.

From 2000 to 2003, Nord was head coach at Texas-El Paso, compiling a 14-34 record, after serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 1997 to 1999. The 2000 Miners went 8-4 - their highest win total in 12 years - shared the Western Athletic Conference championship and played in the Humanitarian Bowl. Nord was named WAC Coach of the Year, was one of four runners-up for national Coach of the Year by American Football Monthly and was one of 10 semifinalists for Football News' national Coach of the Year Award.

With Nord as offensive coordinator, UTEP improved from 97th nationally in total offense in 1997 to 51st in 1998 and 43rd in 1999.

Nord coached the wide receivers at Pittsburgh in 1996 under Johnny Majors and was offensive coordinator at Oklahoma in 1995 under Schnellenberger.

From 1981 to 1994, Nord coached at Louisville under Schnellenberger, with stints as tight ends coach (1981-84), running backs coach (1985-86), wide receivers coach (1987-88) and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (1989-94). The 1990 Cardinals posted a 10-1-1 record and won the Fiesta Bowl 34-7 over Alabama.

Nord and current Purdue head coach Danny Hope worked together from 1985 to 1995.

Nord has coached numerous players who have gone on to the National Football League; among them, Mark Clayton, Ernest Givens and Browning Nagle.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Nord (born June 12, 1957) played tight end for the hometown Cardinals and earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts in 1979. He and his wife, Kathy, have three children: Colleen, Nicole and Nate. Nate is a sophomore tight end at Louisville.

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