| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1938-02-20)February 20, 1938 (age 87) North Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1959 | Montclair State |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 196?–1967 | Governor Livingston HS (NJ) |
| 1968–1975 | Boston College (backfield) |
| 1976–1980 | Maine |
| 1981–1990 | Boston College |
| 1991–2003 | Barcelona Dragons |
| 2004 | Scottish Claymores |
| 2005–2007 | Hamburg Sea Devils |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 77–90–2 (college) 71–74–1 (WLAF/NFL Europe) 28–6–2 (high school) |
Jack Bicknell (born February 20, 1938) is a retiredAmerican football coach, most recently known for his long involvement inNFL Europa and its predecessor, theWorld League of American Football (WLAF). He served as the head football coach at theUniversity of Maine from 1976 to 1980 and atBoston College from 1981 to 1988, compiling a careercollege football record of 77–90–2. In 1984, Bicknell coached hisBoston College Eagles team to a 10–2 mark including a victory in theCotton Bowl Classic. Hisquarterback that season,Doug Flutie, was awarded theHeisman Trophy.
A native ofNorth Plainfield, New Jersey, Bicknell played quarterback atNorth Plainfield High School, graduating in 1955 and earning a scholarship to attendRutgers University.[1][2]
Bicknell was the head football coach at theUniversity of Maine from 1976 to 1980, earning an 18–35–1 record. After that, he went to coach atBoston College, where he stayed for ten years. At Boston College, he was 59–55–1, and was head coach in 1984 whenHeisman Trophy-winnerDoug Flutie completed his famousHail Flutie pass toGerard Phelan to beat theMiami Hurricanes as time expired. Bicknell's son,Jack Jr., was thecenter for BC at the time of Flutie's miracle pass.
Bicknell was named the head coach of theBarcelona Dragons from their inception in 1991 to their demise after the2003 season. In October 2003 he was named head coach of theScottish Claymores, a franchise which in 2005 was relocated to Germany asHamburg Sea Devils, as rival to the local semi-proHamburg Blue Devils which had won several German and European titles.
"Cowboy Jack" Bicknell has an overall record of 59–55 in hisNFL Europe career. He made four World Bowl appearances, and had been to three title games in six years. In 1991,El Caballero led theBarcelona Dragons to an 8–2 mark and a berth in the playoffs for the first World Bowl after surprisingly defeating the unbeaten London Monarchs in Wembley, but got shut out by them two weeks later in World Bowl '91 itself. In 1997, his Dragons won the first half of the season and went on to win World Bowl '97 in Barcelona. In 1999, the Dragons posted a league-best 7–3 mark before losing to Frankfurt in theWorld Bowl. His team posted a league-best 8–2 record in 2001 before losing World Bowl IX to theBerlin Thunder in Amsterdam. On 28 March 2007, at age 69, Bicknell stepped down as head coach of the Hamburg Sea Devils, citing health issues as the reason for his resignation.
Bicknell is nicknamed "Cowboy Jack" because of his love for country music and horse riding. He and his wife, Lois, have three children,Jack, Jr., Wendy andBob and five grandchildren. Both of his sons played for him at Boston College and are currently football coaches, Bob with theNew England Patriots and Jack, Jr. with theWisconsin Badgers
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine Black Bears(Yankee Conference)(1976–1980) | |||||||||
| 1976 | Maine | 6–5 | 2–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1977 | Maine | 3–7 | 1–4 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1978 | Maine | 3–7–1 | 0–4–1 | 6th | |||||
| 1979 | Maine | 2–9 | 0–5 | 6th | |||||
| 1980 | Maine | 4–7 | 1–4 | 5th | |||||
| Maine: | 18–35–1 | 4–20–1 | |||||||
| Boston College Eagles(NCAA Division I-A independent)(1981–1990) | |||||||||
| 1981 | Boston College | 5–6 | |||||||
| 1982 | Boston College | 8–3–1 | LTangerine | ||||||
| 1983 | Boston College | 9–3 | LLiberty | 20 | 19 | ||||
| 1984 | Boston College | 10–2 | WCotton | 4 | 5 | ||||
| 1985 | Boston College | 4–8 | |||||||
| 1986 | Boston College | 9–3 | WHall of Fame | 18 | 19 | ||||
| 1987 | Boston College | 5–6 | |||||||
| 1988 | Boston College | 3–8 | |||||||
| 1989 | Boston College | 2–9 | |||||||
| 1990 | Boston College | 4–7 | |||||||
| Boston College: | 59–55–1 | ||||||||
| Total: | 77–90–2 | ||||||||
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona Dragons(WLAF)(1991–1992) | |||||||||
| 1991 | Barcelona Dragons | 8–2 | 2nd European | L 0–21World Bowl I | |||||
| 1992 | Barcelona Dragons | 5–5 | 1st European | L 15–17 WLAF Playoffs | |||||
| Barcelona Dragons(NFL Europe)(1995–2003) | |||||||||
| 1995 | Barcelona Dragons | 5–5 | 3rd | ||||||
| 1996 | Barcelona Dragons | 5–5 | 4th | ||||||
| 1997 | Barcelona Dragons | 5–5 | 4th | W 38–24World Bowl V | |||||
| 1998 | Barcelona Dragons | 4–6 | 4th | ||||||
| 1999 | Barcelona Dragons | 7–3 | 1st | L 24–38World Bowl VII | |||||
| 2000 | Barcelona Dragons | 5–5 | 3rd | ||||||
| 2001 | Barcelona Dragons | 8–2 | 1st | L 24–17World Bowl IX | |||||
| 2002 | FC Barcelona Dragons | 2–8 | 6th | ||||||
| 2003 | FC Barcelona Dragons | 5–5 | 4th | ||||||
| Barcelona Dragons: | 61–55 | ||||||||
| Scottish Claymores(NFL Europe)(2004) | |||||||||
| 2004 | Scottish Claymores | 2–8 | 6th | ||||||
| Scottish Claymores: | 2–8 | ||||||||
| Hamburg Sea Devils(NFL Europe)(2005–2006) | |||||||||
| 2005 | Hamburg Sea Devils | 5–5 | 4th | ||||||
| 2006 | Hamburg Sea Devils | 3–6–1 | 5th | ||||||
| Hamburg Sea Devils: | 8–11–1 | ||||||||
| Total: | 71–74–1 | ||||||||