Carolina Names Bicknell Jr. Offensive Line Coach
CHAPEL HILL – Super Bowl Champion and college veteran Jack Bicknell Jr. has been named Carolina’s offensive line coach, Head Coach Mack Brown announced on Thursday. Bicknell has coached for 34 years, including 10 years as a head coach and seven in the NFL, and he also has experience coaching with current offensive coordinator Phil Longo and running backs coach Larry Porter. He comes to Chapel Hill after a one-year stint as the offensive line coach at Louisville.
“Jack Bicknell is one of the top offensive line coaches in the country and has been for a long time,” said Coach Brown. “He’s widely considered one of the best teachers in the game, and his ability to shape and mold offensive lineman is one of the main reasons we targeted him. He also has experience working in Coach Longo’s offensive system and that familiarity will help him hit the ground running and provide a seamless transition for our young men. We’re thrilled that Jack, his wife Helen, and their three children; John, Katelyn and Alyse, are joining the Carolina family.”
During the 2021 season, Bicknell led an offensive line that helped Louisville rank 22nd nationally and third in the ACC in rushing at 209.8 yards per game and 21st nationally in total offense at 446.2 yards per game. The Cardinals ranked first in the ACC in both sacks allowed (1.54 per game) and tackles for loss allowed (4.77 per game). Under Bicknell’s tutelage, guard Caleb Chandler earned first-team All-ACC honors, while center Cole Bentley was recognized as an honorable-mention honoree.
“I’d like to thank Coach Brown and the administration for giving us this opportunity,” Bicknell said. “My family and I are truly honored to join a coaching staff full of great coaches, great mentors, and great men. The Tar Heels are seen as a program on the rise around the country and I’m looking forward to doing my part to keep that going. Chapel Hill is one of the best college towns in America with a great campus and focus on academics. It’s the total package and we’re excited to be a part of it.”
Before joining the Louisville staff, Bicknell spent the 2020 campaign in the Southeastern Conference tutoring the offensive line at Auburn, guiding the Tigers to the Citrus Bowl. Prior to that, he spent three seasons coaching the offensive line at Ole Miss.
In 2019, the Rebels were one of the top rushing teams in the nation, finishing second in the SEC and ninth in the country in rushing, averaging 251.2 yards per game. The Rebels ranked 11th nationally at 5.39 yards per carry and scored 29 touchdowns on the ground. That season, quarterback John Rhys Plumlee averaged 113.7 yards rushing per game, good for first in the SEC and eighth nationally.
The 2018 campaign saw Bicknell’s offensive line provide quarterback Jordan Ta'amu time to throw 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.
Bicknell coached an offensive line in 2017 that protected Ole Miss quarterbacks and allowed them to throw for a conference-leading 328.4 yards per game (11th nationally). With assistance from 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.
Prior to joining Ole Miss, Bicknell spent seven seasons coaching in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Giants. He was part of the Giants staff that won the Super bowl following the 2011 campaign.
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 its 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). 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.
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.
For up-to-date information on Carolina football, visit GoHeels.com/Football and follow us on Twitter (@UNCFootball), Instagram (@uncfootball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TarHeelFootball).
CHAPEL HILL – Super Bowl Champion and college veteran Jack Bicknell Jr. has been named Carolina’s offensive line coach, Head Coach Mack Brown announced on Thursday. Bicknell has coached for 34 years, including 10 years as a head coach and seven in the NFL, and he also has experience coaching with current offensive coordinator Phil Longo and running backs coach Larry Porter. He comes to Chapel Hill after a one-year stint as the offensive line coach at Louisville.
“Jack Bicknell is one of the top offensive line coaches in the country and has been for a long time,” said Coach Brown. “He’s widely considered one of the best teachers in the game, and his ability to shape and mold offensive lineman is one of the main reasons we targeted him. He also has experience working in Coach Longo’s offensive system and that familiarity will help him hit the ground running and provide a seamless transition for our young men. We’re thrilled that Jack, his wife Helen, and their three children; John, Katelyn and Alyse, are joining the Carolina family.”
During the 2021 season, Bicknell led an offensive line that helped Louisville rank 22nd nationally and third in the ACC in rushing at 209.8 yards per game and 21st nationally in total offense at 446.2 yards per game. The Cardinals ranked first in the ACC in both sacks allowed (1.54 per game) and tackles for loss allowed (4.77 per game). Under Bicknell’s tutelage, guard Caleb Chandler earned first-team All-ACC honors, while center Cole Bentley was recognized as an honorable-mention honoree.
“I’d like to thank Coach Brown and the administration for giving us this opportunity,” Bicknell said. “My family and I are truly honored to join a coaching staff full of great coaches, great mentors, and great men. The Tar Heels are seen as a program on the rise around the country and I’m looking forward to doing my part to keep that going. Chapel Hill is one of the best college towns in America with a great campus and focus on academics. It’s the total package and we’re excited to be a part of it.”
Before joining the Louisville staff, Bicknell spent the 2020 campaign in the Southeastern Conference tutoring the offensive line at Auburn, guiding the Tigers to the Citrus Bowl. Prior to that, he spent three seasons coaching the offensive line at Ole Miss.
In 2019, the Rebels were one of the top rushing teams in the nation, finishing second in the SEC and ninth in the country in rushing, averaging 251.2 yards per game. The Rebels ranked 11th nationally at 5.39 yards per carry and scored 29 touchdowns on the ground. That season, quarterback John Rhys Plumlee averaged 113.7 yards rushing per game, good for first in the SEC and eighth nationally.
The 2018 campaign saw Bicknell’s offensive line provide quarterback Jordan Ta'amu time to throw 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.
Bicknell coached an offensive line in 2017 that protected Ole Miss quarterbacks and allowed them to throw for a conference-leading 328.4 yards per game (11th nationally). With assistance from 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.
Prior to joining Ole Miss, Bicknell spent seven seasons coaching in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Giants. He was part of the Giants staff that won the Super bowl following the 2011 campaign.
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 its 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). 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.
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.
For up-to-date information on Carolina football, visit GoHeels.com/Football and follow us on Twitter (@UNCFootball), Instagram (@uncfootball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TarHeelFootball).
