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Frank Novak Special Teams Consultant NFL Exp: 15th Season Packers Exp: 5th Season |
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Frank Novak was a valuable contributor to the Packers as the special teams group ranked fourth in the NFL on field goal percentage in 2003, up from sixth in 2002 and fifth on kickoff returns, up from 26th in 2002, with a 23.6-yard average. The Packers were one of two teams in the NFC that did not surrender to a blocked punt or field goal. The 2003 kickoff coverage team ranked sixth in the NFC, limiting opponent returners to an average of 20.8 yards per runback, and the punt coverage unit ranked seventh in the conference, holding opponents to an average of 9.9 yards per return. |
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Before joining the Packers, Novak most recently headed up the special teams of the San Diego Chargers (1997-98), overseeing a unit that scored five touchdowns during the 1997 season ‹ a total that ranked as the highest one-season output of the 1990s. Two such strikes transpired on the same day, Nov 2, 1997, with Eric Metcalf returning two punts for touchdowns in a contest at Cincinnati, one of just 11 such occurrences in league history. Novak subsequently coached through the first week of the 1998 regular season before resigning and spending the remainder of the year, as well as the 1999 campaign, out of football. Heading up the Oilers¹ special teams in 1994, Novak directed a unit that limited opponents to a league-low 17.3 yards per kickoff return. |
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Novak began his college coaching career at his alma mater, Northern Michigan University, in 1966. He spent five years (1966-70) as the school¹s offensive backs/receivers coach before two seasons as offensive coordinator (1971-72). A season as offensive coordinator at East Carolina followed (1973), a year which saw the Pirates win the Southern Conference Championship. Moving on to the University of Virginia in 1974, Novak tutored the quarterbacks for one season and the offensive backs the following year. A two-year stint as offensive coordinator at Western Illinois ensued (1976-77), followed by a six-year tenure at Holy Cross (1978-83), coaching the offensive backs for four seasons before serving as offensive coordinator the final two years. Novak then spent two seasons in the USFL, beginning with the Oklahoma Outlaws in 1984 as running backs coach. Moving on to the Birmingham Stallions as wide receivers coach in 1985, he was slated to be offensive coordinator for the following, 1986 season before the league folded. Subsequently out of football for the 1986-87 campaigns, he then coached the University of Missouri¹s running backs for one year (1988) before his NFL debut with the Oilers. Born in Leominster, Mass., Novak was a three-sport athlete (football, basketball and baseball) at Leominster High School before going on to star at quarterback for Northern Michigan, earning NCAA Division II honorable mention All-America honors from the Associated Press in 1961. He earned bachelor¹s and master¹s degrees in English and a certificate as a secondary reading specialist from the university. Novak then spent some time as a player in the training camp of the CFL¹s Toronto Argonauts in 1962 prior to entering the coaching profession. He coached at the high school level in New London, Conn., and Iron Mountain, Mich., before moving to the college coaching ranks at NMU. Novak lives in Lake Orion, Mi., and has five grown children: Frank, Kimberly, Tracy, Linda and Jason, an assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Tennessee Titans. In his spare time he enjoys playing racquetball, fishing and participating in all outdoor sports. Active in the community, Novak regularly speaks to a variety of groups. NOVAK AT A GLANCE
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