RECRUITING AREAS: Ohio (East side of Cleveland, Columbus), Chicago
Drew Nystrom enters his fourth season on the John Carroll University Football coaching staff in the 2022-23 academic year. For the 2022 season, Nystrom will serve as interim head coach.
After spending the 2019 season as the team's offensive run game coordinator, Nystrom was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2020. In March 2022, Nystrom was promoted to interim head coach.
During the fall 2021 season, the Blue Streaks averaged 28.2 points per game. Blake Herideen, Brennan Fugh, and Grant Gonya were named First Team All-OAC. Anthony Amata earned Second Team All-OAC regonition. Jake Floriea and Devin Limerick made the All-OAC Honorable Mention list.
In spring 2021, his second campaign, the Blue Streaks averaged 29.67 points per game in a shortened 2-1 season. Blake Herideen, Anthony Amata, Brennan Fugh, and Demerius Goodwin were named All-OAC, with Devin Limerick and Jake Floriea earning Honorable Mention All-OAC recognition. Herideen was named the OAC's Offensive Lineman of the Year and earned All-American recognition.
In his first season with the Blue Streaks, the offensive line had two members recognized as All-OAC. Blake Herideen and Will McGennis both earned second team honors under his direction. Herideen earned 62 knockdowns and did not allow a sack during his junior year. McGennis had 54 knockdowns and only allowed two sacks.
As a unit in 2019, the John Carroll offensive line allowed 1.8 sacks per game which ranked third in the OAC. The unit also played a pivotal role in the offense averaging 172 yards per game with first team All-OAC running back Mike Canganelli carrying the football.
Nystrom came to John Carroll with 12 years of coaching experience and five years of playing experience. He most recently was tenured at University of Dubuque from 2014-18, where he served as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. He orchestrated an offensive line that only allowed 0.5 sacks per game, which ranked No. 3 in the country. During his time with the Spartans he also spent time as as the offensive line coach and an NFL liaison. In his first tenure with the Dubuque Spartans he served as the team’s run game coordinator and director of football operations from 2011-12.
Before his time at Dubuque, Nystrom was a graduate assistant at the University of Illinois where he was the assistant offensive line coach from 2013-14. In addition to being a graduate assistant with the Fighting Illini, he also served as a graduate assistant/assistant offensive line coach with the University of Memphis (2010-11) and the University of Delaware (2009-2010).
Nystrom began his coaching career at Wabash College in 2008 as a football intern. As a member of the Little Giants coaching staff, he assisted with the tight ends.
In college, Nystrom was a standout offensive tackle at Bowling Green State University, starting 34 games. In 2008, he was named a BGSU Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year Finalist and National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society Inductee. In 2007, he earned Second Team All-MAC honors, First Team Academic All-MAC, and the BGSU Top Offensive Lineman Award. He also garnered Academic All-District IV 2nd Team from ESPN The Magazine in 2005.
