Brad Fordyce, Rickey Jackson and Todd West Join Bucknell Football Coaching Staff
3/18/2014 5:26:00 PM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell football head coach Joe Susan recently announced the addition of three assistant coaches to the Bison staff. Veteran Brad Fordyce, who spent the last seven years as the defensive coordinator at nearby Susquehanna University, Rickey Jackson, a former student-athlete at Howard University and most recently an offensive graduate assistant at Northwestern, and Todd West, an eight-year assistant coach at Shikellamy and Lewisburg Area High Schools, are the newest members of the Bucknell staff.
Additionally, Susan has adjusted some of the responsibilities of the returning Bison coaches. Matt Borich, who is in his fifth year with the program, has been elevated to assistant head coach. He will continue to serve as defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. Sixth-year assistant Mike O'Connor is the new offensive coordinator after four years of experience overseeing the quarterback position. Fellow sixth-year assistant R.D. Montgomery also received a promotion and will continue to work closely with the tight ends and fullbacks.
“Matt Borich has done a great job for our University and football program,” noted Susan. “He is intelligent and driven to coach our scheme and our players in a manner to insure success. He has taken the coordinator position and run with it. He will continue to grow in his position and we will continue to work to find a way to be the best defense in the country.
“Mike O'Connor has a very sound grasp of what it takes to coordinate the offense. Having played quarterback and having coached the position for four years, he has developed an understanding of the entire offense and the scheme we utilize to attack our opponents. He will thrive with this new responsibility.”
Entering his second year at Bucknell, Matt Applebaum will coach the offensive line and act as run game coordinator. Fellow second-year coaches John Bowes and Eric Wicks will focus their attention in the defensive backfield and on special teams with Bowes acting as the special teams coordinator and Wicks as the assistant.
Fordyce will coach the linebackers and serve as the recruiting coordinator, while Jackson will mentor the wide receivers. West will oversee the running backs.
Fordyce arrived at Susquehanna in 2007 and carried out duties as the recruiting coordinator and the athletic department's strength and conditioning coach in addition to his defensive coordinator responsibilities. He also assisted with the punting, punt return and kickoff teams.
Fordyce was part of a staff that helped the Crusaders win the 2009 Liberty League title and advance to the NCAA playoffs. At least three players were named first-team all-league in 2009, 2011 and 2012, and Susquehanna ranked sixth nationally in turnover margin and 23rd in the country in takeaways in 2012.
“We are fortunate to welcome Brad to our staff,” said Susan. “He has a great deal of experience coaching linebackers and has a strong understanding of defensive football. Having been a coordinator, he will bring strength to our staff and help our defense continue to evolve.
“Brad is familiar with the recruiting area he will have and has a reputation as a hard worker and thorough recruiter. We are excited to have him and think he will complement our staff and enhance our already strong chemistry.”
A 1997 graduate of Springfield College with a bachelor's degree in exercise science, Fordyce later earned his master's degree in education from McDaniel College in 2001.
After serving as a strength and conditioning intern at Navy and coaching the wide receivers and defensive backs at C Milton Wright High School immediately following graduation from Springfield, Fordyce joined the staff at McDaniel, where he filled a number of roles over the next nine years. He began his tenure as the head strength and conditioning coach while also mentoring the linebackers on a team that won five straight conference championships and had three All-Americans in that position group.
After five years in that position, Fordyce took over as defensive coordinator in 2003 and had the Green Terror ranked 26th in scoring defense in his first year in the new role. The very next year McDaniel moved into the top 10 nationally in scoring defense and was 13th in total defense while allowing only two passing touchdowns all season.
In addition to his duties as defensive coordinator, Fordyce served as McDaniel's recruiting coordinator from 2005 to 2006 and was the director of the Green Terror Football Camp from 2004 to 2006.
Fordyce resides in Selinsgrove, Pa., with his wife, Allison, and sons, Tate and Nash, and daughter, Grayce.
Jackson was a four-year member of the Howard football team from 2003-07 and earned an invitation to attend a pre-draft workout with the Washington Redskins.
“Rickey Jackson comes to us very highly recommended from Northwestern head football coach Pat Fitzgerald,” mentioned Susan. “He has experience in playing and coaching the secondary. His transition to working with the receivers is facilitated by his experience on the defensive side. He comes to us having a background with a multiple-receiver offense. He also had specific game-day responsibilities at Northwestern that will help him and us as he coaches our players.”
Jackson, a 2008 graduate of Howard with a bachelor's degree in physical education, began his professional career as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at his alma mater. He then became a strength and conditioning student assistant at James Madison University while pursuing a master's degree in exercise physiology, which he obtained in 2011.
During the first half of 2011, Jackson had the opportunity to serve as a strength and conditioning intern with the United State Olympic Committee. He trained Sheena Tosta, the winner of the 400-meter hurdles at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and Elexis Gillette, the owner of the world record in the long jump for blind athletes.
In the fall of 2011, Jackson moved on to Northwestern as the assistant director of sports performance, working closely with the football program.
For the last two years Jackson has been an offensive graduate assistant coach with the Wildcats, working primarily with the wide receivers. He also assisted with the punt, punt return, kickoff and kickoff return units. During his time at Northwestern Jackson was also pursuing a master's degree in sports administration.
West, who lives in nearby New Columbia, has spent close to a decade as an assistant football coach in the Central Susquehanna Valley. He has served on the staffs at both Shikellamy and Lewisburg, coaching the linebackers, defensive backs and wide receivers.
No stranger to the Patriot League, West is a 1995 graduate of Lehigh with a degree in international business. He was a four-year football letterwinner and a two-time Dean's List member.
Following graduation, West spent three years working at Lehigh as the athletic business and ticket manager and then as the assistant director of the Lehigh University Alumni Association. He then spent a decade as a pharmaceutical sales specialist.
“We are fortunate to welcome Todd West to our staff,” said Susan. “He will work primarily with the running backs. He has experience on both sides of the ball. Todd is an accomplished fundamental coach and will do a great job with our talented group of players at this position.”
Bucknell has posted a 6-5 record in two of the last three years and returns regular starters at 22 positions. Additionally, the Bison will welcome back six of their seven All-Patriot League selections from a year ago.
Note: Spring practice is scheduled to begin Friday. Click here for a complete schedule.
Bucknell Football Coaching Staff
Joe Susan – Head Coach
Matt Applebaum – Run Game Coordinator/OL
Matt Borich – Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/DL
John Bowes – Special Teams Coordinator/S
John Field – Strength & Conditioning Coordinator
Brad Fordyce – Recruiting Coordinator/LB
Eric Hahn – Administrative Coordinator
Rickey Jackson – WR
Liel Karstetter – Equipment Manager
R.D. Montgomery – TE/FB
Mike O'Connor – Offensive Coordinator/QB
Todd West – RB
Eric Wicks – Assistant Special Teams Coordinator/CB