Jack Bicknell, Jr. -- New OL Coach

[Auhud08 596]

Jack Bicknell Jr. named offensive line coach at Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. – Jack Bicknell Jr., a successful coach at the collegiate and professional level for over three decades, has been named the offensive line coach at Auburn, head coach Gus Malzahn announced Monday.  Bicknell, who was at Ole Miss the previous three seasons as offensive line coach, has 33 years of coaching experience, including 25 years in college and seven seasons in the National Football League.

"Jack has a wealth of coaching experience and success in all levels of football, including the last three years in the SEC," Malzahn said. "He has been a part of a Super Bowl championship team and been a head coach collegiately. Jack's diverse and extensive resume will be valuable in developing our offensive line unit. We're very excited to have Jack join our staff here at Auburn."

This past season at Ole Miss, the Rebels were second in the Southeastern Conference and ninth nationally in rushing averaging 251.2 yards rushing per game. Freshman quarterback John Rhys Plumlee averaged 113.7 yards rushing per game, good for first in the SEC and eighth nationally.

"I'm fired up to be joining a tradition-rich program like Auburn. Auburn has always been known as a blue-collar, hard-working team that has achieved a tremendous amount of success," Bicknell said. "I am very appreciative of Coach Malzahn for this opportunity. He and Coach Morris are very well respected offensive minds in the game of football and I can't wait to work with them and the rest of the Auburn staff."

Bicknell's second season in Oxford saw an offensive line protect quarterback Jordan Ta'amu, who threw for an SEC-best 326.5 passing yards per game to rank fourth nationally. 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.

In his first year in Oxford, Bicknell coached an offensive line that protected Ole Miss quarterbacks and allowed them to throw for a conference-leading 328.4 yards per game (11th nationally). With the help of the offensive line, the Rebels ranked second in the SEC in total offense (462.3 ypg) and sixth nationally in red zone offense (.953). Under Bicknell's guidance, Little earned second team All-SEC honors in just his second season as a Rebel. 

Bicknell spent eight seasons as the head coach at Louisiana Tech (1999-2006), where his 43 victories are still the third-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 its first year of membership. Bicknell also served as the Bulldogs' offensive line coach from 1997-98.

Bicknell joined the Ole Miss staff after spending two seasons as assistant offensive line coach with the NFL's Miami Dolphins. Working with offensive line coach John Benton, Bicknell assisted to guide the Dolphins' offensive line that helped protect quarterback Ryan Tannehill during a pair of 4,000-yard passing seasons. Bicknell's line also paved the way for running back Lamar Miller to rush for 1,971 yards over the 2014 and 2015 seasons. 

In 2014, the Dolphins produced 361 first downs, tied for the second-most in franchise history and most since 1985 when the team had the same amount.

Bicknell coached a variety of offensive lineman who found success under his watch. Despite missing the first four games of the season due to injury and making the switch to guard, Mike Pouncey was tabbed 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.  

Prior to joining the Steelers, Bicknell served as the offensive line coach for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012 where 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.

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 the University of 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). Bicknell 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 at Boston College from 1981-85 where he was the center for 1984 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Doug Flutie. It was Bicknell who snapped the ball to Flutie on the final play of the Boston College/Miami game which led to one of the most memorable conclusions to a game in college football history. The Flutie "Hail Mary" game-winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Gerald Phelan propelled the Eagles over the Miami Hurricanes in the 1984 Orange Bowl. In Bicknell's final season at Boston College, he was honored with the Scanlon Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a Boston College football player, the Scarminach Award for athletic and academic excellence and the Dean's Award in the school of education.

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. 

Born in North Plainfield, New Jersey, Bicknell attended Orono (Maine) High School.

He and his wife, Helen, have three children, John, Katelyn and Alyse.

https://auburntigers.com/news/2020/1/13/football-jack-bicknell-jr-named-offensive-line-coach-at-auburn.aspx

[AuCivilEng1 11,005]

Hmm. Ok. I guess I can learn about him. 

[AUwent 3,748]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Bicknell_Jr.

I may be in the minority but there's worse candidates we could've gotten. He has NFL experience. <shrug>

[RunInRed 16,407]

 

[mrdude 3]

I'm sure his NFL experience will sound good to recruits

[Auhud08 596]

@bigbird curious on your thoughts here?

[WarTim 3,456]

Welcome and WDE!!!

[sevenlee36 1,654]

If I were him I’d get a short term lease

[auburnphan 6,050]

Announcing during the national championship game just screams “we are excited about this hire and want to let everyone know”

just don’t understand how Gus thinks

[Farmer Brown 2,391]

2 minutes ago, auburnphan said:

Announcing during the national championship game just screams “we are excited about this hire and want to let everyone know”

just don’t understand how Gus thinks

The man does questionable things, right and left. Nutsburg, AL

[Swamp Eagle 5,134]

Lol. I get the feeling if Gus gave everyone on here a gold ingot, there would be a majority who complained that he placed it in their wrong hand...

[Farmer Brown 2,391]

4 minutes ago, Swamp Eagle said:

Lol. I get the feeling if Gus gave everyone on here a gold ingot, there would be a majority who complained that he placed it in their wrong hand...

It is called apathy, my friend. 

[Auhud08 596]

I like the hire. Also think this shows morris will have more control of offense. Hopefully gus is ready to settle into the CEO role he wanted to

[gr82be 14,423]

1 minute ago, Auhud08 said:

Also think this shows morris will have more control of offense. Hopefully gus is ready to settle into the CEO role he wanted to

Now you're just talking crazy talk. 

[1856 136]

21 minutes ago, RunInRed said:

 

Gus probably read on Wikipedia that Bicknell snapped the ball to Flutie in that game and hired him solely because of that...

[PoetTiger 1,896]

Checks all the boxes for me...

[Swamp Eagle 5,134]

2 minutes ago, Farmer Brown said:

It is called apathy, my friend. 

Actually, it's called animosity. An apathetic person is indifferent and probably wouldn't bother to post anything. But I get it..

[Farmer Brown 2,391]

2 minutes ago, Auhud08 said:

I like the hire. Also think this shows morris will have more control of offense. Hopefully gus is ready to settle into the CEO role he wanted to

If he doesn't change, he is toast, eventually. 

[autigeremt 6,608]

He did a heck of a job LaVeon Bells rookie season for my Steelers. Coulda done a lot worse. 

[gr82be 14,423]

1 minute ago, 1856 said:

Gus probably read on Wikipedia that Bicknell snapped the ball to Flutie in that game and hired him solely because of that...

We'll add that play for 3rd and short. 

[GwillMac6 20,671]

Can he recruit? That is all I care about at this point. Just upgrade the talent at this position for the love of God. We have not had a really good - great OL recruiter since Jeff Grimes. It has been our weakest position on staff in terms of recruiting for going on a decade. 

[JDUBB4AU 5,121]

hope he can recruit . 

[Farmer Brown 2,391]

2 minutes ago, Swamp Eagle said:

Actually, it's called animosity. An apathetic person is indifferent and probably wouldn't bother to post anything. But I get it..

I can assure you that I am apathetic. I know the difference. 

[toddc 13,194]

Auburn hires Jack Bicknell Jr. to coach offensive line

ByJASON CALDWELL 4 minutes ago 

Share4 Comments

AUBURN, Alabama—It didn’t take long for Gus Malzahn and new Auburn offensive coordinator Chad Morris to find their man to replace J.B. Grimes as veteran Jack Bicknell Jr. has been named the new offensive line coach for the Tigers. 

Most recently at Ole Miss working for Matt Luke, Bicknell Jr. has more than 30 years of coaching experience under his belt including a head coaching stint at Louisiana Tech from 1999-2006.

The son of longtime Boston College Head Coach Jack Bicknell, he started his career with the Eagles as a grad assistant in 1985-86 before moving to New Hampshire where he coached both the defensive line and offensive line for 10 seasons.

Moving to Louisiana Tech, he coached the offensive line before taking over the head coaching duties for the Bulldogs. His 43 wins are still the third-most in school history.

From there he went back to Boston College where he coached the offensive line for two seasons before moving to the NFL. Over the next six seasons Bicknell Jr. coached with the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins before moving back to the college ranks at Ole Miss.

Jack Bicknell Jr.

 

Bicknell played collegiately at Boston College where he was the center for the Eagles when Doug Flutie won the Heisman Trophy in 1984. In Bicknell’s final season at Boston College, he was honored with the Scanlon Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a Boston College football player, the Scarminach Award for athletic and academic excellence and the Dean’s Award in the school of education. 

As a coach Bicknell has been successful coaching the offensive line with some of his best work in the NFL ranks. Working with offensive line coach John Benton, Bicknell assisted to guide the Dolphins’ offensive line that helped protect quarterback Ryan Tannehill during a pair of 4,000-yard passing seasons. Bicknell’s line also paved the way for running back Lamar Miller to rush for 1,971 yards over the 2014 and 2015 seasons. 

In 2014, the Dolphins produced 361 first downs, tied for the second-most in franchise history and most since 1985 when the team had the same amount. Bicknell coached a variety of offensive linemen who found success under his watch. Despite missing the first four games of the season due to injury and making the switch to guard, Mike Pouncey was tabbed 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.  

4COMMENTS

Prior to joining the Steelers, Bicknell served as the offensive line coach for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012 where 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 February 5, 2012. During the 2011 season, the Giants’ line anchored an offense that finished fifth in the NFL in passing and only allowing five sacks.

[bigbird 60,521]

21 minutes ago, Auhud08 said:

@bigbird curious on your thoughts here?

Really good coach. It's telling he was Luke's 1st hire and the man he wanted as OL coach. His lines have always had a little bit of an edge to them. He is a good developer. I'm not sure how he is as a recruiter but know he has brought in some deep classes at OM