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Two former Wisconsin Badgers’ coaches will be uniting once again after previously serving under Head Coach Luke Fickell together.
Sam Houston Bearkats’ Head Coach Phil Longo recently announced the hiring of Jack Bicknell Jr. as the new offensive line coach, a notable staffer who has a close connection to Longo. The duo first crossed paths in 2022 when both coaches worked at North Carolina together under legendary coach Mack Brown.
The Tar Heels finished the 2022 season with a 9-5 record before both Longo and Bicknell joined the new Wisconsin Badgers’ staff that Fickell was creating. The coaches were forced to go their separate ways for the 2025 season but the duo will be back together for the 2026 season.
Longo, now entering his second season as the Head Coach of the Bearkats, spent a season and a half with the Wisconsin Badgers between 2023 and 2024. Longo was relieved of his duties as the offensive coordinator in the middle of his second season but quickly found a new home in a different role.
Despite primarily serving as an offensive coordinator and quarterback coach in his career, Longo was briefly the head coach of the FCS level La Salle Explorers for the 2004 and 2005 seasons. The Explorers amassed a record of 7-14 during that time before the team ultimately dissolved in 2007.
A 20-year absence from a head coaching role could cause some programs to hire with caution, but the Bearkats believe Longo is truly the man to help aid the transition of the program. Longo previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Bearkats from 2014 to 2016.
Alongside Longo this year will be his newest staff member in Bicknell, an experienced offensive line coach with an extensive background that spans across the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, SEC, and the NFL. Bicknell most recently worked for the West Virginia Mountaineers this past season but the program ultimately chose to part ways before making other staff changes.
In his lone season with West Virginia, the Mountaineers’ quarterbacks were sacked 31 times and the leading rusher had just 335 yards. Bicknell spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers before the program hired AJ Blazek. Bicknell also delivered mixed results with the Wisconsin Badgers, but the experience and past production of the coach is what Longo appears to be banking on.
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