Crusader Football Camps
Stacy Adams and Staff
Stacy Adams
Stacy Adams was named the head coach of the Valparaiso University football program on July 27, 2005. He is the 15th head football coach in Crusader history, and just the sixth leader since 1946.
For the 2008 season, Adams enters his fourth year at the helm of the Brown and Gold with an 11-22 record, both at Valparaiso and for his collegiate head coaching career. He also directly coaches the Crusader quarterbacks on a daily basis.
Adams kicked off his head coaching career with a victory at Wisconsin Lutheran, 17-3, on September 3, 2005, a game which saw Crusader running back Jeff Horton set the school’s single season rushing record. In his first season on the sidelines, Adams went .500 on the road with a 3-3 mark. Serving as offensive coordinator as well, he helped Horton set Valpo’s single season rushing mark. Adams served as the team’s offensive coordinator for his first three seasons as head coach before turning over the reigns prior to the 2008 campaign.
Year two saw the Crusaders suffer several key injuries, yet under Adams guidance continued to battle and be competitive throughout the year. Adams earned his first home coaching victory against Aurora, 20-7, to close out the 2006 season. During that season, Adams saw Horton become the school’s career rushing leader.
In 2007, Adams’ club nearly reached the .500 mark for the first time since the 2003 campaign, matching the school’s highest win total since that same season. The Crusaders closed the year with a 5-6 record and won multiple conference games for the first time since the championship season of 2003 as well. Valpo captured its first Battle for the Hoosier Helmet against Butler, a tradition that began prior to the 2007 season between the two instate rivals that Adams’ help spearhead.
The 2007 season saw Valpo lead the PFL in rushing offense, averaging more than 200 yards per game on the ground. The Brown and Gold also ranked 12th nationally among NCAA Division I-FCS teams in the same season, averaging 2.73 sacks per contest.
As a head coach, Adams has already guided 19 All-Pioneer Football League selections, including seven members of the league’s First Team. In his first season, 2005, record-breaking running back Jeff Horton also earned NCAA 1-AA Mid-Major All-America Team honors from Don Hansen’s Football Gazette. Nine individuals have earned Academic All-PFL accolades as well for the Brown and Gold.
Adams joined the Crusader coaching staff prior to the 1991 season, and was promoted to the offensive coordinator role in time for the 1997 campaign. As an assistant, Adams guided the 2003 Pioneer Football League champion offense that shattered a plethora of Valpo passing, receiving, total offense and scoring records. The 2002 offense, also guided by Adams, set several records that were re-broke in 2003. The Crusaders led the PFL in passing offense (319.0 ypg), ranking 2nd in the nation in that category. The 2003 squad also finished 2nd in the PFL and 6th nationally in total offense (447.5 ypg) and 3rd in the PFL and 12th among all NCAA I-AA teams in scoring (33.8 ppg). Adams coached First Team NCAA I-AA Mid-Major All-America quarterback David Macchi, who eclipsed 10 offensive records in 2003.
During the Pioneer Football League championship season in 2000, Adams guided an opportunistic offense which averaged 25.0 points per game. The Crusaders scored 20 or more points in nine of the 11 games in 2000. In 1999, Adams directed an offense which averaged 26.4 points per game, an improvement of over five points from 1998. Adams, the running backs coach for five seasons, was instrumental in Valpo's improved rushing attack, which increased its yards per carry average each season.
A native of Gary, Ind., Adams played two seasons at quarterback for at Joliet Junior College in 1985 and 1986 after graduating from Lew Wallace High School.
After earning an Associate of Arts degree from Joliet JC in 1987, Adams finished his playing career at Northwest Missouri State, where he played quarterback, running back, and outside linebacker in 1988 and 1989. In 1989, Adams was a member of NWMSU's NCAA Division II playoff team. He graduated from NWMSU in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts in physical education. Adams earned his master’s degree in education at Valparaiso in 1997.
Stacy married his wife Donna in 2004 and they had their first son, Jaden, together in December, 2005. Adams also has two stepsons, Richie and Aaron.
Sam Bernardi
Sam Bernardi returned to the Valparaiso sidelines for the second time in his career prior to the 2006 season. A member of the Crusader coaching staff from 1991-2004, he stepped away from the game of football for the 2005 season.
The Crusaders’ defensive coordinator, Bernardi also oversees the linebacking corps on a daily basis for the Brown and Gold. He was promoted to associate head coach in 1999 after being named the defensive coordinator beginning in the 1995 season. In addition, Bernardi serves as the program’s recruiting coordinator.
In 2007, Bernardi’s defense ranked 12th nationally among all NCAA Division I-FCS schools averaging 2.73 sacks per game. In addition, the Brown and Gold held opponents to just 123.3 yards per game on the ground, 20th best in the country.
Bernardi’s defense played an integral role during Valpo’s Pioneer Football League championship seasons of 2000 and 2003. The 2003 defense led the league in sacks and ranked third in pass efficiency defense. In 2004, Valpo led the PFL in passing defense.
Throughout his tenure on the staff, Valpo’s defense has been dominant. The Crusaders led the PFL in total defense and rushing defense in 2000, while the 1999 squad tied for the top spot in NCAA I-AA in turnover margin. That same season, Valparaiso led the PFL in rushing defense while the 1998 team led the league in total defense, turnover margin, and pass efficiency defense.
Prior to being named the defensive coordinator, Bernardi guided the secondary and special teams for the Brown and Gold for four seasons. He had a major impact in the area of special teams, which enjoyed success each year. In 1993, the special teams scored four touchdowns, three of which came after blocked punts.
Bernardi arrived at Valpo after assisting at Valparaiso High School from 1988-1990, where he tutored the defensive ends, tight ends, and helped with special teams.
He graduated from Indiana University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sports marketing and management. Sam and his wife, Heidi, have two children, Sam IV, born in 1999, and Sydney, born in 2001.
Chip Taylor
Chip Taylor returned to the Valparaiso coaching staff prior to the 2006 season for his second stint with the Brown and Gold after spending two seasons with the Crusaders in 2003 and 2004. Valpo’s special teams coordinator also coaches the secondary and is in charge of the team’s strength and conditioning program.
During the summer of 2008, Taylor was selected for an internship with the Arizona Cardinals, where he was able to learn under wide receiver and special teams coaches during their preseason camp.
Valpo’s pass defense improved drastically under Taylor in 2007, allowing just 11 touchdowns through the air on the season. The passing touchdown total was down from 17 a year before. He also directly coached a Second Team All-Pioneer Football League cornerback.
In addition, Taylor coordinated a kickoff return team that paved the way for a 1,000-yard returner on the season. Crusader special teams also blocked six kicks in 2007.
In 2006, Taylor’s pass defense ranked second in the PFL. Taylor also guided an All-PFL defensive back in his first season returning to the Brown and Gold’s sidelines.
Taylor served as an assistant coach at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in 2005 where he was the wide receivers coach as well and video coordinator. He also assisted with the kick return team. The squad went 5-5 in his one season, and Taylor helped guide an Honorable Mention All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference wide receiver.
During his first stay at Valparaiso, during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, Taylor was the wide receivers coach for the Crusaders. During the 2003 PFL championship season, Valpo’s trio of starting wide receivers amassed more than 3,000 yards and scored 30 touchdowns. One of Taylor’s pupils, Rob Giancola, earned Second Team NCAA I-AA All-America honors after leading all levels of NCAA football with 23 touchdown receptions.
Taylor played at Illinois State University from 1998-2001 as a wide receiver and cornerback. In 2001, he also served as the team’s starting punt returner. A four-year letterwinner, Taylor was a member of the Gateway Conference championship team in 1999.
A native of Willingboro, N.J., Taylor graduated from Illinois State in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. He completed his master’s degree in sports administration at Valparaiso in 2005. Chip and his wife, LaQuisha, have a son, Chris.
Josh Wissing
Josh Wissing joined the Valparaiso football coaching staff prior to the 2003 season. During the spring of 2008, Wissing was promoted to the Crusaders’ offensive coordinator, and will begin calling the signals this fall.
On a daily basis, Wissing works directly with the offensive line. Under his guidance, the offensive line helped pave the way for a Crusader ground game that averaged 203.5 yards per game in 2008, leading the Pioneer Football League.
Wissing began his coaching career with the Crusaders as a graduate assistant for two years, working extensively with the offensive line and tight ends. Prior to the 2006 season, Wissing was moved into his current full-time role with the Brown and Gold.
In 2005, the Crusader offensive line, under Wissing’s guidance, helped pave the way for Jeff Horton to set a new single season rushing record with 1,358 yards as well as the school’s single game rushing mark. Horton then went on to set the school’s new career rushing mark prior to graduation in 2007.
Wissing was a member of the coaching staff during Valpo’s 2003 Pioneer Football League title season. His offensive line helped pass protect for an offense that finished ranked second in the nation in NCAA I-AA in passing offense.
He played football at DePauw University where he graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. Wissing earned his master’s degree in sports administration in 2005 at Valparaiso.
Marcus Knight
Marcus Knight has joined the Valparaiso football staff for the 2008 season and will coach the wide receivers.
Playing for the Oakland Raiders from 2000-2002, Knight was the starting kick returner for the team that faced Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII. In 2002, he averaged 24.3 yards per return with a long of 65 yards for the Raiders.
He also played for the Amsterdam Admirals for one season in NFL Europe before signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for one season. From 2005-2007, Knight played in the Arena Football League for both the Philadelphia Soul and the Columbus Destroyers. In the spring of 2007, Knight served as the wide receivers coach for Grenada High School in California.
Knight played collegiately for the University of Michigan. He was a member of the Wolverines national championship team in 1997 that played in the Rose Bowl. While at Michigan, he earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors as a senior as voted upon by the media while leading the team in yards per catch (20.4) in 1999. A four-year letterman, Knight started 23 career games and finished tied for 11th all-time at Michigan in career receiving yards (1,508) and 13th in career receptions (88).
Knight completed his bachelor's degree with a focus on history, Afro-American studies, and psychology from Michigan in December of 2007.