Bill Cunerty received his B.A. from the University of Southern California and his M.A. in Education from Cal State Dominguez Hills. While attending USC, Cunerty was a two sport student-athlete, playing football and baseball under legendary coaches John McKay and Rod Dedeaux. Cunerty's teaching and coaching career began at his alma mater, North High School in Torrance, California. The Saxons won the Bay League football championship in his first year as head coach, and he was also a member of the baseball coaching staff that won two CIF championships. After North, Cunerty was the head football coach at Dana Hills High School and then Capistrano Valley High School, leading both schools to CIF playoff appearances during his tenure.

Bill Cunerty began his collegiate coaching career as the offensive coordinator for Saddleback College, and was part of two National Championships. After 14 years as the offensive coordinator, Cunerty was selected as the head football coach in 1995. In his first year as head coach, the Gauchos won the Mission Conference championship and the Simple Green Bowl. The following season, Saddleback won the National Championship and Cunerty was selected as the NCAA's National Junior College Coach of the Year. Coach Cunerty is also a founding partner, along with Mike Holmgren and Jim Fassel, of the West Coast Passing School; a camp that was attended by over 1,800 high school quarterbacks and receivers. In 2003 Cunerty began working for the Athlete's Performance Institute, training college players for the NFL Combine. In his time with the API, he has coached 6 first round draft picks and 38 players how have gone on to careers in the NFL.

In addition to his success on the football field, Cunerty has been just as successful on the golf course. Cunerty is the only head coach in California Community College history to have coached state championship teams in three different sports (football, men's golf, and women's golf). Cunerty continues his work as a color analyst for Cox 3 for Orange County high school and college teams. He is very active in the community, and was recognized for these efforts in 2008 by the Boy Scouts of America, being selected as one of six "Men of Character".