A.J. Ricker - Football Coach

A.J. Ricker

Title:
Co-Offensive Coordinator / Offensive Line | 2nd Season

A.J. Ricker arrived at TCU in December 2021 as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.

Over his first two seasons with the Horned Frogs, Ricker has seen five of his players sign NFL contracts. Steve Avila was a second-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 with Brandon Coleman a third-round selection of the Washington Commanders in 2024. Additionally, Alan Ali (Minnesota Vikings), Andrew Coker (Las Vegas Raiders) and Willis Patrick (Los Angeles Chargers) inked free-agent contracts. All five earned All-Big 12 honors with Avila a Consensus All-American.

Ricker has been instrumental in TCU ranking among the national leaders in all major offensive categories in each of the last two seasons, including the 2022 campaign en route to an appearance in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Before TCU, Ricker served the previous two seasons in the same roles under Head Coach Sonny Dykes at SMU.

A Broyles Award nominee, Ricker coached SMU offensive linemen Jaylon Thomas and Hayden Howerton to all-conference honors.

In his first season with the Mustangs, Ricker helped lead them to top-10 national rankings in scoring offense (41.8) and total offense (489.8). SMU was 13th in passing offense (309.0). Its highest ranking in those categories the previous season was 27th in passing offense while scoring and total offense didn't make the top 50. The Mustangs also ranked 14th in the FBS in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.31), surrendering just 17 on the season.

Ricker made the move to SMU after serving in the same capacity at Kansas in 2018. He was an offensive analyst at Oklahoma State in 2017 and Houston in 2016.

While Ricker was in Stillwater, the Cowboys posted the nation’s top passing offense with 389.2 yards per game and ranked second nationally in total offense (568.9).

Ricker spent two seasons (2014-15) coaching the offensive line at Missouri, his alma mater. He helped the Tigers to an SEC Eastern Division title in 2014. Mizzou totaled 5,138 yards of offense that season, including 2,648 passing and 2,490 rushing.

At Mizzou, Ricker mentored Mitch Morse into a 2015 second-round draft pick by the Kansas City Chiefs. He also coached Even Boehm to a fourth-round selection by the Arizona Cardinals in 2016.

Prior to his time at Mizzou, Ricker served as a graduate assistant at Western Michigan (2006-07). He was promoted to full-time offensive line coach in 2008.

Ricker served in the same capacity at St. Joseph’s College in Indiana in 2009 and was promoted to head coach in 2010. Ricker then returned to Western Michigan (2011-12) to serve as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator. In 2013, he was the offensive line coach at Illinois.

Ricker was an All-Big 12 center at Missouri from 2000-03 and Team Captain for two seasons. He started a program record 47 consecutive games and was part of Mizzou’s first bowl-eligible team since 1998.

Ricker earned a degree in agriculture in 2004 and went on to sign a free-agent contract with the Chicago Bears, before being allocated to the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe in 2005. He was a member of the 2006 Tampa Bay Storm in the Arena League.

He and his wife, Lauren, have two sons, Andrew and Luke, and one daughter, Carly.