Novak played college football as a defensive end at Miami University under head coach Bo Schembechler. After beginning his coaching career in the high school ranks, Novak had stints as an assistant coach at Miami, the University of Illinois, Northern Illinois, and Indiana University. At Illinois, he served under head coach Gary Moeller, who had been one of the assistants at Miami under Schembechler. Novak was a longtime assistant of Bill Mallory, another Miami assistant coach and alum. Novak served on Mallory's staffs from 1980-1995.