Meet the Coaches – Joe Wickline, Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach

Major Applewhite  took as much heat as any coach last season. Many fans complained about the predictability of the play calling and at times, it was hard to argue with that point of view.

(Also Read: David Ash Cleared to Practice)

To be fair, most limitations on the offensive side of the ball were due David Ash’s injury(s) and inconsistent play at the quarterback position.  Once Charlie Strong was hired, many fans[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] looked forward to the signing of assistant coaches with special interest paid to the defensive and offensive coordinators.

We have already covered the defensive coordinator Vance Bedford (If you missed that article, you can read it HERE) so now it’s time to switch to the other side of the ball and talk offense.

Introducing Joe Wickline

Joe Wickline, the former offensive line coach at Oklahoma State and Florida, has been named offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at The University of Texas, head coach Charlie Strong announced Tuesday. Wickline’s new tenure will mark the fourth time he and Strong have coached together, including 1983 at Florida, 1990 at Ole Miss, and 2003-04 at Florida.

“I can’t thank Coach (Mike) Gundy and everyone at Oklahoma State enough for nine tremendous years,” Wickline said. “I truly appreciated my time there and will always be grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful program. Making the move just came down to working with my friend Charlie Strong again, the chance to grow professionally with an expanded role, and the opportunity to work at Texas. With Coach Strong and our relationship, the staff he’s putting together here and the goals and vision he has to build on all that Coach (Mack) Brown accomplished, it’s exciting to be a part of. The University of Texas is just one of those places that is very unique and one of the premier jobs in our business. It has such great history and tradition and is a place that anyone has to be fortunate to have a chance to be a part of.”

A 33-year coaching veteran with the last nine at Oklahoma State, Wickline has been at the heart of Oklahoma State offensive coaching staffs that led the Cowboys to top 20 national finishes in total offense in 2006 (16th), 2007 (seventh), 2008 (sixth), 2010 (third), 2011 (third) and 2012 (fourth).

From 2010-13, the Cowboys scored 50 or more points 19 times, broke the 60-point mark in seven contests, the 70-point mark twice and the 80-point plateau once with Wickline’s linemen in the trenches. He helped coach an Oklahoma State offense that averaged at least 40 points per game in five of the last seven seasons. The line also paved the way for six consecutive first-team All-Big 12 running backs from 2007-12, a 1,000-yard rusher in five of the past six seasons, and a 1,000-yard receiver in six of the past eight seasons.

Wickline coached the 2009 and 2011 recipients of the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year honors, with tackle Russell Okung securing the recognition in 2009 and center Grant Garner taking home the accolade in 2011.

This past season, OSU tied for the lead in the Big 12 with Texas and Baylor going into the final weekend of the regular season. The Cowboys ended the season 10-3 and ranked 17th in both polls. The offense finished 14th in the nation in scoring at 39.1 ppg and OT Parker Graham earned first-team All-Big 12 honors.

In 2012, Oklahoma State ranked in the top 10 in the nation in scoring offense (third/45.7 ppg), total offense (fourth/547.0 ypg), passing offense (seventh/331.7 ypg) and sacks allowed (ninth/.92 pg), while ranking 21st in rushing as the team finished 8-5 with a win over Purdue in the Heart of Texas Bowl. The offense also set school records in both average total offense and total yards (7,111). OG Lane Taylor was a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection and signed with the Green Bay Packers.

The 2011 season was one of the best in Oklahoma State history as the team went 12-1, finished No. 3 in both polls, captured the Big 12 Championship and won the Fiesta Bowl against Stanford. The team’s only loss was in double overtime against Iowa State. The Cowboys ranked second nationally in scoring offense (48.7 ppg) and passing offense (387.2 ypg), third in total offense (545.9 ypg) and 11th in sacks allowed (.92 pg). The offense set school records for points scored (633), passing yards (5,034) and completion percentage (72.0 percent). Both Garner and OT Levy Adcock were selected first-team All-Big 12, with Adcock a unanimous choice.

The Cowboys capped 2010 with a 36-10 win over Arizona in the Alamo Bowl for a then school-record 11th win to finish 11-2 and a No. 13/10 ranking. Wickline took an offensive line that was replacing four starters and turned it into a group that paved the way for the nation’s third-ranked team in scoring offense (44.2 ppg) and total offense (520.2 ypg), while finishing second in passing offense (345.9 ypg) and first in red zone offense. It led the Big 12 in all of those categories and also ranked first in pass efficiency (155.2) and fewest sacks allowed with just 10. Wickline helped guide junior OL Levy Adcock from minimal playing time prior to 2010 to a first-team All-Big 12 selection, also earning votes for Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year.

In 2009, the Cowboys were also one of the most balanced offenses in the nation, averaging 376.2 yards per game that included 179.5 passing yards and a Big 12-leading 187.8 rushing yards, while again leading the conference in fewest sacks allowed with 12. OSU finished 9-4 and ranked No. 25 in the coaches poll. Okung was named a unanimous first-team All-American and was the only offensive finalists for the 2009 Outland Trophy before becoming a first-round selection by the Seattle Seahawks.

Under Wickline’s tutelage, the 2008 Oklahoma State offensive line blocked for an offense that ranked sixth in the nation in total offense (487.7 ypg), ninth in scoring offense (40.8 ppg), eighth in rushing offense (245.5 ypg), fifth in pass efficiency (164.7) and 17th in fewest sacks allowed (16). That team also finished the season 9-4 and was ranked No. 16/18, while Okung earned the first of his first-team All-Big 12 honors.

The 2007 offensive line keyed an offense that defined balance, finishing the season with exactly 3,161 yards both rushing and passing. The 243.15 rushing yards per game ranked eighth in the nation, while the combined 486.3 total yards ranked seventh. The Cowboys were also 15th in passing efficiency (145.1) and third in sacks allowed with 11, while scoring 34.6 ppg, which was 22nd nationally.

Oklahoma State’s balance in 2006 was close to that of 2007 with the line paving the way for 208.0 rushing yards per game (7th NCAA) and 201.8 passing yards, leading to 409.8 total yards (16th NCAA). The offense also ranked seventh nationally in scoring (35.2 ppg) and 26th in pass efficiency (143.7). Corey Hilliard was a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection and went on to be drafted by the New England Patriots.

In his first season at OSU, Wickline helped Charlie Johnson make a successful transition to tackle from tight end. Johnson became the first OSU offensive lineman selected in the NFL Draft since 1985 when Indianapolis took him in 2006.

Prior to Oklahoma State, Wickline served three seasons (2002-04) as offensive line coach at Florida, the last two of which were also as running game coordinator. In that span, Wickline helped the Gators increase their run production from 122.4 yards per game the season prior to his arrival to 155.8 yards per game in 2004. That was in addition to the offense leading the SEC in passing (271.1 ypg) and total offense (426.9 ypg), while ranking second in scoring offense (31.8 ppg) in 2004.

At Florida, Wickline worked for two seasons with Strong when the UT head coach was the defensive coordinator. Wickline coached five All-Americans, including first-teamers Lomas Brown, Shannon Snell and Jeff Zimmerman. Wickline also coached Max Starks, a former UF tackle who now plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Wickline went to Florida from Middle Tennessee State, where he coached the offensive line from 1999-2001 with the last of those seasons also as running game coordinator. In 2001, RB Dwone Hicks broke the school record for single-season rushing touchdowns (20). The Blue Raiders also set a new standard for total offense per game, ranking fifth in the nation with 481.4, while ranking seventh in rushing (237.7 ypg), ninth in scoring (37.1 ppg) and fifth in pass efficiency (160.1). The season before, Hicks ranked 15th in the nation in rushing and MTSU was again in the top 25 in total offense, scoring offense and rushing offense.

Before his time at Middle Tennessee State, Wickline spent two seasons in the Big 12 as the offensive line coach at Baylor from 1997-98 where he tutored NFL draft picks Derrick Fletcher (New England Patriots) and Kelvin Garmon (Dallas Cowboys). He also made stops at SW Mississippi Community College (1996), Pearl River Community College (1995), and Ole Miss (1988-94), where he coached All-American Everett Lindsay, who went on to a long career in the NFL.

Wickline’s first full-time coaching position was at Delta State University in Mississippi from 1984-87 after being a graduate assistant at both Tennessee (1984) and his alma mater, Florida (1982-83). As a player, he was a three-year letterman with the Gators and was selected to play in the Blue-Gray Game following his senior season. He also lettered one season in wrestling.

A native of St. Petersburg, Fla., Wickline earned his bachelor’s degree from UF in health, physical education and recreation in 1983. He is married to the former Nicki Sturdivant and has three children, Lacey, Kelby and Lauren.

Coaching Experience
• 1982-1983: Florida (Graduate Assistant)
• 1984: Tennessee (Graduate Assistant)
• 1984-1987: Delta State (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line)
• 1988-1994: Mississippi (Offensive Line)
• 1995: Pearl River CC (Offensive Line)
• 1996: SW Mississippi CC (Head Coach)
• 1997-1998: Baylor (Offensive Line)
• 1999-2001: Middle Tennessee State (Offensive Line/Running Game/Recruiting Coordinator)
• 2002-2004: Florida (Offensive Line/Running Game Coordinator)
• 2005-2013: Oklahoma State (Offensive Line)
• 2014: Texas (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach)

(Source: UT Athletics) 

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