The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Jack Bicknell

Followed Gary Crowton. Jack Bicknell held Louisiana Tech at Regional Program II for 8 seasons.

Peak, then fade
102–107
1981–2006 · 2 stints
Boston CollegeLouisiana Tech
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Career arc

His real stature score, season by season, across every program he’s coached — so a stretch that stays in one tier the whole way can still climb or sink on the line, not just flatten out. Node color marks the tier reached. Which program a stretch belongs to is carried by the shaded lane behind it.

Stature score reached, by season of his head-coaching careerBOSTON COLLEGELOUISIANA TECHNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelBoston College, 1981: 5-6, National Program II1981Boston College, 1982: 8-3, National Program IIBoston College, 1983: 9-3, National Program IIBoston College, 1984: 10-2, National Program IIBoston College, 1985: 4-8, National Program IIBoston College, 1986: 9-3, National Program IIBoston College, 1987: 5-6, National Program IIBoston College, 1988: 3-8, National Program IIBoston College, 1989: 2-9, National Program IIBoston College, 1990: 4-7, National Program III1990+3.7Louisiana Tech, 1999: 8-3, Regional Program II1999Louisiana Tech, 2000: 3-9, Regional Program IILouisiana Tech, 2001: 7-5, Regional Program IILouisiana Tech, 2002: 4-8, Regional Program IIILouisiana Tech, 2003: 5-7, Regional Program IIILouisiana Tech, 2004: 6-6, Regional Program IIILouisiana Tech, 2005: 7-4, Regional Program IIILouisiana Tech, 2006: 3-10, Regional Program IV2006-1.9One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached National Program in his 1st career season — faster than 41% of the 675 FBS coaches who have ever reached National Program (rank #1 of 675 by seasons-to-arrival).

Boston College, 10 seasons
+3.7
National Program II → National Program III.
Louisiana Tech, 8 seasons
−1.9
Regional Program II → Regional Program IV.

The big-game ledger

How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.

Just 2–8 against Don Nehlen.

One-score games
34–28–1
54.0% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
4–21
16.0%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Don Nehlen2–8
10 meetings, 1981–1990
’81 L’82 L’83 L’84 L’85 L’86 W’87 L’88 L’89 L’90 W
Performance by opponent class
Blue Blood
4–21 16.0%
Power Program
12–30 28.6%
National Program
16–23 41.0%
Regional Program
56–32 63.6%

Coaching career

1999–2006
Louisiana Techcaretaker
Regional Program II → Regional Program II
Jack Bicknell held Louisiana Tech at Regional Program II for 8 seasons.

7th-best Louisiana Tech tenure of 11 by the numbers.

Followed Gary Crowton (1996–1998) · succeeded by Derek Dooley (2007–2009).

8 NFL Draft picks: Troy Edwards (1999), Joey Chustz (2000), Tim Rattay (2000), Bobby Gray (2002), Luke McCown (2004), Josh Scobee (2004), Ryan Moats (2005), Johnathan Holland (2007)

43–52
1981–1990
Boston Collegecaretaker
National Program II → National Program II
Jack Bicknell held Boston College at National Program II for 10 seasons.

9th-best Boston College tenure of 18 by the numbers.

Followed Ed Chlebek (1978–1980) · succeeded by Tom Coughlin (1991–1993).

19 NFL Draft picks: Tim Sherwin (1981), Gerry Raymond (1982), Greg Storr (1982), Gary Kowalski (1983), Brian Brennan (1984), Steve DeOssie (1984), George Radachowsky (1984), Gerard Phelan (1985) + 11 more

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