Badgers Making Change To Offensive Coaching Staff
The Wisconsin Badgers have reportedly made a change on their offensive coaching staff with the reassignment of offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr.
ESPN first reported the move. Wisconsin has not made a formal announcement.
Bicknell joined the Wisconsin staff before last season as part of a new group of coaches under Luke Fickell.
Bicknell has a long track record in college and pro football with 35 years of experience as a coach, including a stint as Louisiana Tech’s head coach from 1999-2006. He’s exclusively been an offensive line coach since 2017, with stints at Ole Miss, Auburn, Louisville and North Carolina before joining the Badgers.
Wisconsin’s offense did not produce at a high level in 2023, and that could be part of the reason for the move. The Badgers averaged just 23.5 points per game. Along with being ranked well outside the Top 50 in scoring, it was the Badgers’ lowest scoring output in nearly 20 years.
The Badgers’ offensive line is normally a model of consistency, and it was in terms of personnel in 2023 as the line remained intact the entire season. But the transition to an Air Raid offense was bumpy and most of the offensive linemen were recruited to play a different style of offense.
In addition, three of last season’s starters are expected back in left tackle Jack Nelson, left guard Joe Huber and right tackle Riley Mahlman.
Add to that the coaching factor. With Bicknell’s reassignment, the Badgers will be looking for their fourth offensive line coach in four years. Joe Rudolph left after the 2021 season for Notre Dame and Bob Bostad left for Indiana after the 2022 season.
Whoever the Badgers hire, the coaching will have to fit their goals for 2024, first among them scoring more points.
