Rich Rodriguez Announces the Hiring of Jack Bicknell Jr. as Offensive Line Coach

West Virginia University head coach Rich Rodriguez names Jack Bicknell Jr. as the offensive line coach

Wisconsin offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. talks with his players during practice on Sunday Aug. 6, 2023 at Pioneer Stadium in Platteville, Wis. / Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Sunday afternoon, West Virginia University football head coach Rich Rodriguez announced Jack Bicknell Jr. has been hired as the offensive line coach.

“Jack comes from a family of coaches and brings years of experience at the collegiate and NFL levels,” Rodriguez said. “His knowledge and ability to develop and build offensive lines make him a great fit here. He and his family are a great addition to WVU, and I look forward to working with him again.”

Bicknell rejoins Rodriguez as a member of his staff after the two worked together at Ole Miss in 2019. Bicknell has more than 35 years experience coaching offensive lines at the collegiate and NFL levels and comes to WVU after serving as the offensive line coach at Wisconsin in 2023.

Prior to his time at Wisconsin, he oversaw the North Carolina offensive line in 2022, helping lead the Tar Heels to a 9-4 mark in the regular season, a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game and an appearance in the Holiday Bowl. UNC ranked second in the ACC in total offense with 473.6 yards per game.

Bicknell spent the 2021 season at Louisville, leading an offensive line that helped the Cardinals rank No. 22 nationally and No. 3 in the ACC in rushing and No. 21 nationally in total offense. Louisville ranked first in the ACC in fewest sacks and tackles for loss allowed. Guard Caleb Chandler earned first-team All-ACC honors.

Prior to Louisville, he coached the offensive lines at Auburn and Ole Miss. He helped guide the Tigers to the Citrus Bowl and spent three years rebuilding the Rebels’ offense. In 2019 under Rodriguez as offensive coordinator, the Rebels were one of the top rushing teams in the nation, finishing second in the SEC and ninth in the country in rushing. The Rebels ranked No. 11 nationally in yards per carry and scored 29 rushing touchdowns. John Rhys Plumlee was No. 1 in the SEC and No. 8 nationally in quarterback rushing yards.

In 2017 and ’18, Bicknell’s offensive line helped Ole Miss quarterbacks lead the SEC in passing yards per game . In 2018 left tackle Greg Little earned first team All-SEC accolades before becoming the highest Rebel drafted in the 2019 NFL Draft. The second team All-American was taken in the second round (37th overall) by the Carolina Panthers.

Prior to joining Ole Miss, Bicknell spent two seasons as assistant offensive line coach with the NFL's Miami Dolphins. In 2014, the Dolphins produced 361 first downs, tied for the second-most in franchise history and the most since 1985 when the team had the same amount. Despite missing the first four games of the season due to injury and making the switch to guard, Mike Pouncey was named to his second straight Pro Bowl in 2014. Tackle Ja'Wuan James became the eighth offensive lineman in Dolphins history to start all 16 games as a rookie, showing his versatility by starting nine games at right tackle and seven at left tackle en route to earning PFWA All-Rookie Team honors.

Bicknell came to Miami after spending the 2013 season as the offensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. While in Pittsburgh, Bicknell's unit helped running back Le'Veon Bell amass 1,259 yards from scrimmage, the most by a Steelers rookie.

Before joining the Steelers, Bicknell served as the offensive line coach for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012, when he directed a unit that was instrumental in helping running back Jamaal Charles return to All-Pro form after an ACL injury cut short his 2011 season.

Bicknell began his NFL coaching career with the New York Giants in 2009 and was a member of a coaching staff that helped lead the franchise to its fourth Super Bowl title with a 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots on Feb. 5, 2012. During the 2011 season, the Giants' line anchored an offense that finished fifth in the NFL in passing while only allowing 28 sacks.

Before his time in the NFL, Bicknell spent eight seasons as the head coach at Louisiana Tech (1999-2006), where his 43 victories ranked as the fourth-most in school history. Following the 2001 season, he was named WAC Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to a conference championship in their first year of membership. Bicknell also served as the Bulldogs' offensive line coach from 1997-98.

Bicknell began his coaching career at his alma mater, Boston College, as a graduate assistant from 1985-86. Following his two seasons with the Eagles, Bicknell joined the staff at New Hampshire in 1987 and spent 10 seasons with the Wildcats coaching the defensive line (1987-92) before moving to the offensive line (1993-96). He returned to Boston College in 2007 as the Eagles' assistant head coach/offensive line coach for two seasons (2007-08) before joining the Giants in the NFL.

A three-year letterwinner as an offensive lineman, Bicknell played collegiately for his father, Jack, at Boston College from 1981-85 where he was the center for 1984 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Doug Flutie.

Bicknell comes from a family of coaches. His father, Jack, was the head coach at Boston College (1981-90) prior to becoming the head coach of the Barcelona Dragons (1991-03) of NFL Europe. His brother, Bob, has coached in NFL Europe, at the collegiate level and in the NFL.

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