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Gabe Giardina

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Gabe Giardina
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamCharleston Southern
ConferenceBig South
Record5–18
Playing career
2000–2003Alabama
Position(s)Placekicker, holder
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2004Alabama (SA)
2005–2007Alabama (GA)
2008–2011Charleston Southern (ST/RB)
2012Delta State (OC/WR)
2013–2016Charleston Southern (OC)
2017–2022Albany State
2023–presentCharleston Southern
Head coaching record
Overall42–35
Tournaments0–1 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 SIAC (2021)
3 SIAC East Division (2018–2019, 2021)

Gabe Giardina is an American football coach and former player who is currently the head coach for the Charleston Southern Buccaneers. He played college football at Alabama and had previously coached there, at Delta State and at Albany State.

Early life and education

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Giardina attended State College Area High School in Pennsylvania for a year, then Penns Valley Area High School[1] for two years, before spending one year at DuPont High School in West Virginia[2] and one at The Kiski School.[3] He enrolled at the University of Alabama in 2000 and was a walk-on member of their football team, playing placekicker and holder.[4] He was named Academic All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) as a senior in 2003 and appeared in nine games.[2][5] ESPN commentator Chris Fowler described Giardina as "Alabama's answer to Rudy."[6]

Coaching career

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Giardina began a coaching career in 2004 after graduating from Alabama, working as a student coach for free.[1] He was promoted to graduate assistant in 2005.[1] He served through 2007 in that position under coaches Mike Shula and Nick Saban.[7][8] Giardina began serving as running backs coach and special teams coach at Charleston Southern in 2008, where he served through 2011.[8]

In 2012, Giardina served as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Delta State.[9] The following year, he returned to Charleston Southern as offensive coordinator.[10] In four seasons, Giardina helped the school win 36 games, one conference championship and reach the playoffs twice.[11]

Giardina was named the head coach at Albany State, an NCAA Division II program, in 2017.[12] In his first season as head coach, he led them to a 6–4 record, including a win in the Fountain City Classic.[13] They improved to 7–4 in 2018, including a perfect 6–0 conference record, before eventually losing the SIAC championship to Miles.[14] Albany State again went 7–4 in Giardina's third year, before again going down to Miles in the championship.[15] After not playing in 2020,[16] Albany State won ten games in 2021, including the conference championship, reaching the playoffs where they lost to West Georgia.[17][18]

After a 7–3 record in 2022,[19] Giardina left Albany State to be named head coach at Charleston Southern.[18] He finished his five-season stint at Albany State with an overall record of 37–17.[18]

Personal life

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Giardina is a Christian, and said upon being named Charleston Southern head coach, "It's got to be more than just a football foundation. Here at Charleston Southern, we get to put in a spiritual foundation unashamedly. Here, we're going to have The Lord out front of this thing. We're going to immerse this thing in prayer. That's the most important thing, to see where God is going to take this."[11]

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs AFCA#
Albany State Golden Rams (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (2017–2022)
2017 Albany State 6–4 4–2 3rd (East)
2018 Albany State 7–4 6–0 1st (East)
2019 Albany State 7–4 5–1 2nd (East)
2020–21 No team—COVID-19
2021 Albany State 10–2 6–0 1st (East) L NCAA Division II Football First Round 18
2022 Albany State 7–3 5–2 T–2nd (East)
Albany State: 37–17 26–5
Charleston Southern Buccaneers (Big South–OVC Football Association) (2023–present)
2023 Charleston Southern 4–7 2–4 T–6th
2024 Charleston Southern 1–11 0–8 9th
Charleston Southern: 5–18 2–12
Total: 42–35
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ a b c Bracken, Ron (March 6, 2005). "Giardina on ground floor with Tide coaching staff". Centre Daily Times. p. 13, 18 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ a b Brocato, Joe (May 23, 2020). "DuPont grad Gabe Giardina enters fourth season leading Albany State football". West Virginia MetroNews.
  3. ^ Bracken, Ron (May 7, 2000). "Vagabond Giardina plans to sink roots in Tuscaloosa". Centre Daily Times. p. 19, 22 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Stephenson, Creg (April 24, 2017). "Former Alabama football player, graduate assistant Gabe Giardina gets head coaching job". AL.com.
  5. ^ Powell, Chauntel (April 24, 2017). "Gabe Giardina era underway at ASU". The Albany Herald.
  6. ^ Bracken, Ron (September 9, 2003). "Giardina gets 'air time' as Crimson Tide's holder". Centre Daily Times. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ "Charleston Southern names Gabe Giardina as new head football coach". WCSC-TV. November 30, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Ex-Charleston Southern assistant Gabe Giardina returning as coach". ESPN. November 30, 2022.
  9. ^ "CSU names offensive coordinator". The Post and Courier. February 18, 2013.
  10. ^ "Bucs name offensive coordinator". The State. February 19, 2013. p. B2 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  11. ^ a b Gantt, Rob (December 2, 2022). "Giardina returns to CSU football program". The Post and Courier.
  12. ^ "Albany State University names new head football coach". Albany State Golden Rams. 2017.
  13. ^ "2017 Football Schedule". Albany State Golden Rams.
  14. ^ "2018 Football Schedule". Albany State Golden Rams.
  15. ^ "2019 Football Schedule". Albany State Golden Rams.
  16. ^ "2020 Football Schedule". Albany State Golden Rams.
  17. ^ "2021 Football Schedule". Albany State Golden Rams.
  18. ^ a b c Mosley, Kyle T. (December 2, 2022). "Gabe Giardina Leaves Albany State". Sports Illustrated.
  19. ^ "2022 Football Schedule". Albany State Golden Rams.
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