John Whitehead asked for names as he began to build his Paramus Catholic coaching staff.

He got one everyone in New Jersey is quite familiar with.

Former Don Bosco Prep and Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova was recently named PC's new offensive coordinator. He got the job thanks in part to his friend, former PC quarterback Chris Maldonado.

Maldonado played for current Michigan assistant Chris Partridge in high school, but his late brother, Willie Maldonado, played for Whitehead during his first stint leading the Paladins. When Willie died in a car accident in 2006, Whitehead connected with Chris, one of his first phone calls after he was re-hired in May.

"When he got hired, he reached out to Chris, because it was last minute, and he asked if he knew any guys that wanted to coach," Nova told NJ Advance Media this past weekend at former Rutgers fullback Mike Burton's youth camp. "Chris said I was the first name that came to mind, and Whitehead said, 'You think he would do it because he's a Bosco guy?'

"I said, 'Hell yeah, I'll do it.'"

Nova, who was a volunteer assistant for Elmwood Park last year, is a busy guy these days. He has also started a football-focused podcast, "The Sideline Hustle," with former Rutgers graduate assistant Drew Lieberman, who recently became an assistant for Mike Teel at Bosco. They discuss their experiences behind the scenes in college football and also offer coaching tips. Former Rutgers offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen is a frequent guest.

Coaching at Paramus Catholic, one of Don Bosco's main rivals nowadays, has not been strange, Nova said.

"If (Greg) Toal was still at Bosco, it might be a little weird, but Mike and I have a good relationship," Nova said. "He's been in the coaching world, so he knows, and that might be something I want to do as far as moving forward. I figured it was a good opportunity, and I didn't want to pass up on it. ... Coach Whitehead is an old-school dude, and it's going to be a fun time."

James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.