Wisconsin Football Finds New Role for ‘Reassigned’ Assistant Coach

After a disappointing performance by the Wisconsin Badgers offensive line in 2023, head football coach Luke Fickell decided that a change in leadership was necessary and reassigned Jack Bicknell Jr. to a new role. 

“Jack, we don’t really know,” Fickell told reporters when asked about Bicknell’s new assignment. “That’s kind of the hard thing, is trying to figure out how it all kind of works together. We’ll figure that out as we move forward if he’s going to be a part of it. We love him. He’s a great guy and trying to feel the dynamics of all those things.”

What “reassigned” meant has been a mystery until today, when the Wisconsin Badgers released their updated 2024 spring football roster. 

Jack Bicknell Jr. Listed as Wisconsin Badgers Executive Director for Football Relations

If you were hoping to get some clarity on Jack Bicknell Jr.’s role with the Wisconsin football program moving forward, the long-awaited answer is just as vague as one would expect.

He’s listed as the Executive Director for Football Relations, per the Badgers roster on UWBadgers.com.

In that role, Bicknell is expected to assist the head coach with various tasks. Those tasks could include but are not limited to running camps, building relationships with high school coaches, scouting opponents, and working with players on personal development.

Bicknell Jr. came to Wisconsin football in a package deal with Phil Longo from North Carolina, but he has a long history of coaching offensive lines. Since 2017, Bicknell has worked at Ole Miss, Auburn, and Louisville.

Despite not coaching the offensive line exclusively in 2024, it’s important to note that Bicknell will still receive his full salary, which was reportedly $650,000 when he signed the two-year contract.

Badgers Going a Different Direction Under AJ Blazek 

AJ Blazek has since replaced Jack Bicknell Jr. from Vanderbilt, who will be the Wisconsin Badgers fourth offensive line coach in as many seasons. 

“I had an opportunity just to sit down with him for a couple of hours and just have a cup of coffee, and there was pretty much no doubt exactly what he was all about,” Fickell told reporters.

“It had a lot to do with the energy and the, you know, the passion to just to be an offensive line coach… I thought that was was important.”

Blazek takes over an offensive line room that returns starting tackles Jack Nelson, Riley Mahlman, and interior lineman Joe Huber. After that, Jake Renfro presumably has the inside track to earn the starting center job. 

Additionally, Wisconsin football will count on internal development from interior guys like Joe Brunner, JP Benzschawel, and some incoming freshmen to push for the open spots in the two-deep.

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