Louisiana Tech announced that the school has signed football coach Jack Bicknell to a two-year contract extension. He was about to enter the final year of his current contract before signing the extension, which will keep him with the school through 2008. He was originally promoted to head coach following the 1998 season after previous coach Gary Crowton left to take the offensive coordinator job for the Chicago Bears. During his seven years with the Bulldogs the team has a 40-42 mark. In 1999, his first season coaching, he guided the squad to an 8-3 mark and their first appearance in the top-25. The team was admitted membership in the Western Athletic Conference in 2001 and captured the conference title that year with a 7-5 mark and a 7-1 record in the conference. Also, Bicknell was awarded WAC coach of the year award that season. He is currently tied with Joe Raymond Peace for third place on the wins list at the school. He trails former Bulldogs coaches Joe Aillet and Maxie Lambright.