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Getting To Know Marc Nudelberg

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 20, 2007

You see him standing on the Seminoles sideline, never more than a pace away from Florida State coach Bobby Bowden. He is the young fellow with short-cropped brown hair (usually wearing shades), and somewhere on his person can be found a set of headphones.

He is Marc Nudelberg, a student equipment manager at FSU. And during game day for the Seminoles, he is Bowden's personal sideline-stalking operator. When the coach needs to talk to someone upstairs in the booth, Nudelberg is there to hand over the headgear. It's not glamorous, but it's highly visible, and Nudelberg took a moment to talk about it with The Tampa Tribune:

Besides carry headphones for Coach Bowden, what exactly do you do in your job?

I'm an equipment manager, a student manager. We are assigned to a certain position coach. I work for Coach Jimbo Fisher offensive coordinator. It's my job at practice to set up drills that we're going to run. Whenever we're going to be on the field, say, running a situational-type period, and say we need the ball on the 30, I'll be the one spotting it. I'll get a script from Coach Fisher, and everything has to be set up the way it should be. Helmets, cleats, everything we need to bring for an away game or a home game, it's our job to get it set up.

In addition to all that, though, what gets you recognized is carrying those headphones on game days. What's the story there?

The whole offense is on the same line and everybody's talking. I'm pretty much the middle man between Coach Fisher and Coach Bowden, or any other coach he wants to talk to during a game.

How crazy has it gotten down there on the sideline?

This year, it's especially been crazy because we've installed a new offense and everything is new. At times, it gets pretty emotional. Coach Fisher's a great guy and pretty emotional. But as far as coaches talking over each other, I would say that almost never happens. It has to be organized conversations, otherwise you won't be able to get your question answered.

How did you get the job?

I played football in high school at Cooper City High in south Florida and my defensive coordinator I played for put me in touch with the head equipment guy up here in Tallahassee. From there, I sent in a resume, and when I came in for my first semester, I came on as a volunteer. And then the guys who were senior on staff left. That's when I got my chance.

But your parents were Gators. How did you end up at FSU instead of UF?

Actually, my entire family was Gators. Everybody. My aunts, mother, dad. I had no real connection to Florida State. But I found out it was a scholarship position and I couldn't turn it down.

How difficult was it to put aside your family loyalties to UF?

I was actually a huge Gator fan my entire life. I just made the decision. I love my family and everything. But if I'm going to be a Seminole, that's where my pride and passion is. As soon as I accepted this position, I decided, 'I am a Seminole.'

Obviously, to outsiders the most interesting thing about what you do is getting to stand near Coach Bowden throughout the games. What's the coolest or funniest thing you've heard or seen?

I never really thought about that. To me, it's always great to see him predict the plays. He's pretty on point with calling what opponents are going to run. He'll say, 'You know what, they're going to keep going to that.' He's almost always right. And it just astonishes me every time. He knows the game so well.

It sounds like you're getting a crash course in coaching.

Oh, yes sir. I hear all the criticism. I hear all the conversation. It's an education.

Do you want to coach after college?

I don't know. My dad, Steve Nudelberg, owns On the Ball Marketing in South Florida. Ever since I've been a little kid, I've wanted to follow in his footsteps. And I still want to do that, but I love coaching. I love being around football. Whether it's as a ball boy, holding the headphones, whatever.

You're on TV quite a bit. Do you ever get recognized when you're out and about in Tallahassee?

The first couple of games I did it, I got about 25 voice mails, 'Hey, I saw you on TV.' I even go out sometimes to dinner and it'll be your server or the cashier, everybody recognizes it. They say, 'Hey, you're the guy that stands behind Coach Bowden.' I'll say, 'Yeah, that's what I do.'

Carter Gaddis

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