Armani Lonardo enters his first season on the Northwestern State staff armed with a history of helping build high-powered offenses.
While Lonardo will coach the Demon wide receivers, his work coaching multiple positions on an offense gives him unique insights into offensive coordinator Beau Blair’s scheme.
Lonardo came to Northwestern State after spending the 2022 season as the offensive coordinator, quarter- backs coach and running backs coach at Southwestern Oklahoma State where he helped lead the Bulldogs from an 0-11 season to four wins.
Lonardo’s offense ranked second in the Great American Conference with 247 passing yards per game and saw its scoring improve by 11 points per game. Quarterback Tylan Morton led the GAC with 287 yards of total offense per game and SWOSU produced a pair of all-conference receivers.
Lonardo spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at New Mexico Highlands where he coached with current NSU offensive coordinator Beau Blair. With the Cowboys, Lonardo was the quarterbacks coach and tutored Ramone Atkins, a first-team All-RMAC selection, who accounted for 3,283 total yards in 2021.
The Cowboys’ passing offense led the RMAC at 263.3 yards per game and 31 touchdowns and produced the RMAC Offensive Player of the Year, wide receiver CJ Sims.
Lonardo was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at ASA College New York in 2019, helping the Avengers rank third nationally in points per game (45.9), fourth in total offense (465 yards per game) and fifth in rushing yards (2,323). ASA finished 8-2 that season and had a win against No. 12 Monroe.
Lonardo has been a graduate assistant at both Tarleton and Southeastern University in Florida as well as a training camp assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida Atlantic (2015) and a master’s degree from Tarleton (2018).
