Fresno State adds Mark Weber, Joe Bernardi to football staff

Fresno State has brought back two former Bulldogs to the football team.

Former Fresno State assistant Mark Weber and former Bulldogs center Joe Bernardi have been hired as assistants under coach Tim DeRuyter.

Weber, who has 36 years of coaching experience and was at Fresno State from 2004-05, will coach the offensive line. Bernardi, who was a four-year starter at center for the Bulldogs from 2007-10, will coach the tight ends.

“I am thrilled to announce that Mark Weber and Joe Bernardi will be joining our coaching staff,” DeRuyter said in a news release. “Mark brings elite level experience in his role as offensive line coach and run game coordinator. He had great success in his previous time here on staff and I know he's excited to return to the Valley. After being at Tennessee and Oregon the past four years, Joe brings his unparalleled passion back to the Valley.”

Weber spent the past three seasons as Utah State’s offensive-line and associate head coach. Prior to that, he was at BYU for six seasons (2007-12) and at North Carolina (2006).

During his first stint at Fresno State, his offensive lines helped the Bulldogs average 40.2 points per game and 227.5 rushing yards in 2004 and 37.8 points while allowing just 14 sacks in 2005, which ranked in a tie for No. 8 in the nation in fewest sacks allowed that year.

Logan Mankins and Ryan Wendell, who both have gone on to star in the NFL, were coached by Weber at Fresno State.

Bernardi spent the past three seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Oregon, assisting with the offensive line and tight ends. After graduating from Fresno State with a communications degree, Bernardi spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons as the offensive-line quality control coach for Tennessee.

This story was originally published January 15, 2016 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Fresno State adds Mark Weber, Joe Bernardi to football staff."