Bicknell leaving BC

After being rebuffed as the next head football coach at Boston College after Jeff Jagodzinski was fired two weeks ago and after not being hired at the University of Massachusetts after Don Brown left to become the defensive coordinator at the University of Maryland, Boston College assistant head coach and offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. is moving to the NFL, as an assistant offensive line coach of the New York Giants, according to several sources close to the program. An official announcement could come as early as tomorrow.

According to sources close to BC, Bicknell was more than disappointed when defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani was elevated to replace Jagodzinski. When Bicknell went to BC officials and asked about whether Spaziani would retain him on his staff, he received no guarantees, which further increased his aggravation at the way BC handled the situation.

Bicknell, who played center on the Doug Flutie Cotton Bowl team in 1984, had settled in his new job as the offensive line coach at Texas Tech, when BC athletic director Gene DeFilippo called him in the spring two years ago with an offer to return to BC to replace offensive line coach Jim Turner, who had suddenly resigned following an internal staff dispute with Jagodzinski and DeFilippo.

DeFilippo sweetened the pot by offering an "assistant head coach title'' with the job and a boost in pay as well as an understanding that somewhere down the road was a strong potential to be the head coach at the Heights.

When that didn't happen, Bicknell started to look elsewhere. With two head coaching job opportunities gone, Bicknell was left with the choice of staying at BC and readjusting to a new head coach in Spaziani.. When an opening developed on former BC coach Tom Coughlin's staff with the Giants, Bicknell seized the opportunity.

An official announcement by BC and the Giants should come as soon as tomorrow.
With Bicknell's departure, Spaziani must now fill the job of offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Although no announcement is expected immediately, sources close to the program expect Spaziani to deal with that situation in the next few days, with wide receivers coach Ryan Day the leading candidate as the new offensive coordinator..

Defensively, more stability exists, with linebacker coach Billy McGovern expected to be elevated to defensive coordinator.