In 2024, Gardiner enters his first season as the Special Teams Coordinator with Gardner-Webb. He joins the staff after previously working on the Tiffin University football staff as Special Teams Coordinator and Linebackers coach in January of 2023. Gardiner mentored three All-GMAC performers in his inaugural season with the Dragons including linebacker Marshawn Mankins, who finished First Team All G-MAC and linebackers Zeke Brown and Barry Brown, who each earned Second Team All G-MAC Honors in 2023.
The Tiffin defense finished first in the G-MAC and eighth in the nation in scoring defense and finished first in the nation in turnovers gained. The Dragon defense led the conference in total defense, passing defense and passing efficiency
Tiffin special teams finished the regular season ranked first in the nation in kickoff return defense under Gardiner. Dragon special teams finished first in the G-MAC in punt return and kickoff return defense, second in the G-MAC in punt return defense and kickoff return.
Gardiner was with the Wayne State University football staff as linebackers coach in the spring of 2021 and mentored two All-GLIAC performers in his inaugural season with the Warriors.
Highlighting his defense, Julius Wilkerson finished second in the GLIAC with 104 tackles to earn First Team All-GLIAC recognition while Brandon Tuck-Hayden finished third in the GLIAC in tackles per game (9.3) and received Honorable Mention All-GLIAC accolades. In addition, two of his student-athletes (Blake Gilliam and Wilkerson) received Academic All-GLIAC Excellence Team recognition for maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5. Six others (Tyler Beck, Niko Mosley, Cole Price, Donte Reed, Cameron Rogers and Michael Smith) earned Academic All-GLIAC honors for having a cumulative GPA of 3.0-3.49.
He had two more All-GLIAC honorees in 2022 as Wilkerson was voted to the All-GLIAC Second Team with Matt Buschman being named Honorable Mention All-GLIAC. Wilkerson was the lone Division II student-athlete named a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (Academic Heisman) by the National Football Foundation. In addition, Wilkerson was a national finalist for the John Wooden Citizenship Cup after being tabbed as the GLIAC's Jack H. McAvoy Award winner, which is presented annually to a GLIAC football player who best combines outstanding character and leadership on the field, in the classroom and in the community. Buschman led the nation with five fumble recoveries.
As a unit, the 2022 WSU defense tied for the GLIAC lead (and tied-for-sixth nationally) with 13 fumble recoveries, while ranking 48th nationally in turnovers gained (20). In addition, five of his student-athletes garnered Academic All-GLIAC honors, including two on the Excellence Team (cumulative GPA 3.5+).
Gardiner came to Detroit following a one-year stint as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at former GLIAC member Northwood University.
Before joining the Timberwolves, Gardiner spent six seasons with the Michigan State Spartans. He began as a graduate assistant coach with the running backs in 2014, followed by two seasons (2015 and 2016) as a graduate assistant coach with the linebackers. Gardiner also helped coordinate special teams all three years as a graduate assistant. He spent his final three years (2017-18-19) in East Lansing as a defensive analyst.
During his time with MSU, the Spartans were the Big Ten Champions (2015) and participated in the College Football Playoffs. The year before (2014), Michigan State was seventh nationally in scoring offense and 11th in total offense. In his three years as a defensive analyst, MSU was top-20 nationally in total defense all three seasons, including twice in the top 10.
Gardiner began his coaching career in 2013 as a graduate assistant working with linebackers and safeties at Grand Valley State. GVSU went 12-3 and advanced to the national semifinals.
A four-year letterwinner under head coach Mark Dantonio, Gardiner recorded 43 tackles in 44 career games for the Spartans from 2009-12. He registered a career-high 21 tackles during MSU’s Big Ten Championship season in 2010, including 13 on special teams. Gardiner tallied 17 stops in 13 games, including three starts, in 2011 as MSU tied a then-school record with 11 victories and defeated No. 18 Georgia in the Outback Bowl.
Gardiner was a three-year starter for coach Mark Crabtree at Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio, and set school single-season records for tackles (172) and tackles for loss (24) as a senior while helping Coffman (13-1) advance to the Division I state semifinals. He also became the Shamrocks’ all-time leader in tackles (363) in 2007.
He received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Package Engineering from Michigan State University in 2012, and a Master's of Science in Kinesiology in 2016 from Michigan State University.
