Boston College Athletics
Eagles Name Jack Bicknell Jr. Assistant Head Football Coach
April 26, 2007 | Football
April 26, 2007
Boston College Head Football Coach Jeff Jagodzinski has named Jack Bicknell Jr. Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach. Bicknell, a three-year letterwinner on the BC offensive line and the starting center during Doug Flutie's Heisman Trophy year in 1984, comes to BC from Texas Tech University, where he was offensive line coach.
"This is an exciting addition to our football program," Jagodzinski says. "The Bicknell family has played a major role in the history of Boston College football. Not only is Jack a BC man, he brings a wealth of experience to this position. This is a tremendous fit for our staff."
"I'm very excited about the opportunity to come home and coach at my alma mater," Bicknell says. "BC has a tremendous reputation for producing outstanding offensive linemen. I'm looking forward to working with Coach Jagodzinski in building upon a great tradition."
Prior to going to Texas Tech, Bicknell spent eight seasons as the head coach at Louisiana Tech (43-49). His teams defeated national powers Alabama, Michigan State and Oklahoma State and 22 of his players were either drafted by or signed free agent contracts with NFL teams.
Bicknell, who was one of the youngest Division I-A head coaches when he started, led the 1999 Bulldogs to an 8-3 record, the school's first AP Top 25 ranking and a 29-28 upset win over eventual SEC champion Alabama. In 2001, Louisiana Tech won the Western Athletic Conference championship during its first year of membership, earning Bicknell conference Coach of the Year honors. Louisiana Tech went on to play Clemson in the Crucial.com Humanitarian Bowl, the program's first postseason appearance since 1990.
Bicknell began his coaching career at Boston College in 1985 as a graduate assistant. In 1987, he went to the University of New Hampshire as the defensive line coach and took over the offensive line in 1993. During his time at UNH, the Wildcats won the Yankee Conference in 1991 and 1994 and were the New England Division champions in 1996.
Bicknell's father, Jack, recently served as the head coach of the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe and was the head coach at BC from 1981-90, finishing with a record of 59-55-1. He led the Eagles to four of their most successful seasons in history, including a 10-2 campaign in 1984 that culminated with the "Miracle in Miami" win, Flutie's Heisman Trophy and a 45-28 win over Houston in the Cotton Bowl.
Bicknell received both his bachelor's (1985) and master's (1987) degrees from BC. In addition to starting in the Cotton Bowl, he also played in the 1982 Tangerine Bowl and was the starting center when Flutie threw the Hail Mary pass to defeat Miami in 1984. As a senior at BC, he received the Scanlon Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a BC football player, the Scarminach Award for athletic and academic excellence and the Dean's Award in the school of education. Bicknell and his wife Helen have three children, John (15), Katelyn (12) and Alyse (8).
