He served as the head football coach at Northern Illinois University from 1996 to 2007, compiling a record of 63–76.
[1] Novak played college football as a defensive end at Miami University under head coach Bo Schembechler.
At Illinois, he served under head coach Gary Moeller, who had been one of the assistants at Miami under Schembechler.
During the 2003 season, Novak's Northern Illinois squad defeated three BCS conference teams: #13 Maryland, #21 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and Iowa State.
In the 2004 season, Novak led the Huskies to a 9–3 record and their first bowl appearance in 21 years, winning the Silicon Valley Football Classic over Troy.