Jason Novak - Football Coach - James Madison University Athletics

Jason Novak

Title:
Director of Strength & Conditioning
Email:
novak2jr@jmu.edu
Phone:
540-568-6517

Jason Novak was hired as JMU's director of strength & conditioning in January 2024, joining Bob Chesney on his initial coaching staff.

Novak joined the Dukes after spending four seasons as the head coach of strength & conditioning at Michigan State (2020-23). He was part of a program turnaround in 2021, in which the Spartans won 11 games and won the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, finishing in the top 10 in the final national polls (#8 coaches, #9 AP).

Prior to MSU, Novak served as the head of physical conditioning at IMG Academy (2019-20), four years as the director of strength and conditioning at Central Michigan (2015-19), and 11 years as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tennessee Titans (2004-15).

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 CMU (2015-19), Novak oversaw the year-round training for more than 450 student-athletes.

Novak rejoined the collegiate ranks after spending 11 years (2004-15) as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tennessee Titans in the National Football League.

Before the Titans, Novak was director of strength and conditioning at Yale (2003-04) where he handled the design and implementation of strength and conditioning programs for football, hockey, basketball, lacrosse, field hockey and baseball. He served in a similar capacity at Alabama State (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.