Michigan State University Athletics
Tucker Names Jason Novak Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Football, Scott Aligo Director of Player Personnel
2/27/2020 5:53:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker has announced two more hirings for the program.
Jason Novak has been named the head strength and conditioning coach for football, while Scott Aligo will serve as the director of player personnel. Geoff Martzen, who joined the staff last week as the director of player personnel, will now serve as the program's chief of staff.
A CLOSER LOOK AT JASON NOVAK
Jason Novak has extensive experience in the field, including serving as the head of physical conditioning at IMG Academy the past year, four years as the director of strength and conditioning at Central Michigan, and 11 years as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tennessee Titans.
"Jason is definitely a high-energy coach," said Tucker. "He has an incredible amount of experience, both at the NFL and collegiate levels. He's a great teacher and motivator who develops his players. He's also on the cutting edge of training and analytics. I'm really excited for him to start working with our players."
Novak joined IMG Academy's athletic and personal development team as the head of physical conditioning in June 2019.
During his time as the director of strength and conditioning at Central Michigan from 2015-19, Novak oversaw the year-round training for more than 450 student-athletes.
Before arriving in Mount Pleasant, Novak spent 11 years (2004-15) as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tennessee Titans in the NFL.
Prior to joining the Titans, Novak served at the director of strength and conditioning at Yale where he handled the design and implementation of strength and conditioning programs for football, hockey, basketball, lacrosse, field hockey and baseball in 2003-04.
He served in a similar capacity at Alabama State from 2000-03, and worked as a graduate assistant/strength coach at both Baylor and Stephen F. Austin.
Novak earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Stephen F. Austin in 1998 and his master's degree from Baylor in sport management in 2000.
A native of Houston, Texas, Novak and his wife, Michelle, have three children: Drew, Avery and Gray.
Ken Mannie, who served as the head strength and conditioning coach for Spartan football the past 25 seasons, announced his retirement earlier this month.
A CLOSER LOOK AT SCOTT ALIGO
Scott Aligo has experience working in player personnel at both the NFL and collegiate levels, and also has coached in the Big 12 at Oklahoma State and in the SEC at Texas A&M.
"Scott has a really good eye for talent and is an excellent evaluator of players," said Tucker. "He has worked in both the NFL and college, and has coaching experience as well. He also has strong Ohio ties from his previous positions."
Aligo arrives in East Lansing after spending one season as the director of player personnel at Akron in 2019. He previously held the same role at Chattanooga (2017-18) and John Carroll (2016).
Before entering the college ranks, Aligo was in the NFL for more than seven years, serving as a player personnel assistant for the Kansas City Chiefs (2005-09) and a personnel associate with the Cleveland Browns (2014-15).
In addition to the NFL, Aligo has coached at nearly every level of college football. He served as a defensive ends coach in Northern Colorado (2014) and a defensive graduate assistant at Texas A&M (2012-14) where he helped the Aggies in winning both the AT&T Cotton Bowl (2013) and the Chick-fil-A Bowl (2013).
He also spent time as a defensive quality control assistant at Oklahoma State for the 2011 season, working with cornerbacks and special teams as the Cowboys won both the Big 12 Championship and the Fiesta Bowl. Prior to OSU, Aligo was the primary defensive backs coach at Washburn for the 2010 season and assisted the Ichabods in their Kanza Bowl victory over Midwestern State.
A native of Tonganoxie, Kansas, Aligo earned his bachelor's degree in education and sports management from Kansas (2005) and a master's degree in recreation, park, and tourism sciences from Texas A&M (2013).
Aligo, 37, is married to the former Sarah Phillips. They have two children, Giuliana and Vincent.
Jason Novak has been named the head strength and conditioning coach for football, while Scott Aligo will serve as the director of player personnel. Geoff Martzen, who joined the staff last week as the director of player personnel, will now serve as the program's chief of staff.
A CLOSER LOOK AT JASON NOVAK
Jason Novak has extensive experience in the field, including serving as the head of physical conditioning at IMG Academy the past year, four years as the director of strength and conditioning at Central Michigan, and 11 years as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tennessee Titans.
"Jason is definitely a high-energy coach," said Tucker. "He has an incredible amount of experience, both at the NFL and collegiate levels. He's a great teacher and motivator who develops his players. He's also on the cutting edge of training and analytics. I'm really excited for him to start working with our players."
Novak joined IMG Academy's athletic and personal development team as the head of physical conditioning in June 2019.
During his time as the director of strength and conditioning at Central Michigan from 2015-19, Novak oversaw the year-round training for more than 450 student-athletes.
Before arriving in Mount Pleasant, Novak spent 11 years (2004-15) as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tennessee Titans in the NFL.
Prior to joining the Titans, Novak served at the director of strength and conditioning at Yale where he handled the design and implementation of strength and conditioning programs for football, hockey, basketball, lacrosse, field hockey and baseball in 2003-04.
He served in a similar capacity at Alabama State from 2000-03, and worked as a graduate assistant/strength coach at both Baylor and Stephen F. Austin.
Novak earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Stephen F. Austin in 1998 and his master's degree from Baylor in sport management in 2000.
A native of Houston, Texas, Novak and his wife, Michelle, have three children: Drew, Avery and Gray.
Ken Mannie, who served as the head strength and conditioning coach for Spartan football the past 25 seasons, announced his retirement earlier this month.
A CLOSER LOOK AT SCOTT ALIGO
Scott Aligo has experience working in player personnel at both the NFL and collegiate levels, and also has coached in the Big 12 at Oklahoma State and in the SEC at Texas A&M.
"Scott has a really good eye for talent and is an excellent evaluator of players," said Tucker. "He has worked in both the NFL and college, and has coaching experience as well. He also has strong Ohio ties from his previous positions."
Aligo arrives in East Lansing after spending one season as the director of player personnel at Akron in 2019. He previously held the same role at Chattanooga (2017-18) and John Carroll (2016).
Before entering the college ranks, Aligo was in the NFL for more than seven years, serving as a player personnel assistant for the Kansas City Chiefs (2005-09) and a personnel associate with the Cleveland Browns (2014-15).
In addition to the NFL, Aligo has coached at nearly every level of college football. He served as a defensive ends coach in Northern Colorado (2014) and a defensive graduate assistant at Texas A&M (2012-14) where he helped the Aggies in winning both the AT&T Cotton Bowl (2013) and the Chick-fil-A Bowl (2013).
He also spent time as a defensive quality control assistant at Oklahoma State for the 2011 season, working with cornerbacks and special teams as the Cowboys won both the Big 12 Championship and the Fiesta Bowl. Prior to OSU, Aligo was the primary defensive backs coach at Washburn for the 2010 season and assisted the Ichabods in their Kanza Bowl victory over Midwestern State.
A native of Tonganoxie, Kansas, Aligo earned his bachelor's degree in education and sports management from Kansas (2005) and a master's degree in recreation, park, and tourism sciences from Texas A&M (2013).
Aligo, 37, is married to the former Sarah Phillips. They have two children, Giuliana and Vincent.
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