In a profession where coaches often chase the next big move, Coach Devin Bice built his career on a different foundation — being fully present. He believes success begins with giving everything to the moment you’re in. For football coaches trying to find stability in a constantly changing field, his story reminds them that real growth happens when you are where your feet are.
Building the Foundation: Focus and Intentionality
Bice doesn’t talk about shortcuts or quick promotions. He talks about patience, work, and commitment. “I always tell our guys, ‘be where your feet are,’” he shared (00:04:12). “Don’t look ahead, don’t look behind. If you’re gonna do something, give it everything you’ve got right now.”
That belief shaped his rise from graduate assistant to FCS offensive line coach. He earned each opportunity by mastering the present moment — studying film late at night, taking extra reps, and handling the unglamorous work others avoided. Through those experiences, he learned not only football but also leadership through consistency and discipline.
He carries that same approach into his coaching. His players focus on effort, technique, and improvement each day. He teaches them to stay focused on what’s in front of them, not on the next game or the next level. The results speak for themselves: his linemen reflect the same focus and steadiness that have fueled his climb.
The Power of Doing the Little Things Right
Every coach preaches details, but for Bice, it’s a way of life. “You don’t have to be perfect, but you have to be consistent,” he emphasized (00:09:25). That standard defines his offensive line room — where repetition builds confidence and accountability fuels culture.
Instead of chasing schemes or trends, Bice roots everything in discipline. Transitions from one drill to the next, from the meeting room to the practice field, with intention. Every rep is a reflection of who they are as a unit. He believes that paying attention to the smallest habits — such as foot placement, communication, and posture — accelerates not only development but also trust among teammates.
As he put it, coaching is about finding satisfaction in the process: “If you do the small things right, the big things take care of themselves.”
Growing Through Gratitude and Grit
Even as Bice advanced to higher levels, he kept the same humility that defined his start. “You can’t skip steps. You’ve got to appreciate where you’re at,” he said (00:15:47). That perspective fuels his ability to connect with players and peers alike — because he’s lived the grind, respected every role, and earned every opportunity.
He doesn’t view setbacks as failures but as moments to refocus. By staying grounded in gratitude, he turns challenges into lessons, and lessons into growth. For coaches looking to accelerate their programs, his message is clear: consistency, presence, and patience build programs — and careers — that last.
Conclusion
Coach Devin Bice’s journey shows that the fastest way forward is sometimes to be where your feet are. In a profession built on movement, his steady mindset provides a roadmap for coaches at any level: stay present, master your craft, and let your work speak for itself over time.
Because in football — as in life — the coaches who focus on the moment are the ones who end up shaping the future.
Related:
Be Where Your Feet Are – Matthew Powledge, Safeties and Special Teams Coach, Baylor University
From the Bottom Up: Ulysses Hall’s Climb from Middle School Football to the FBS
More on Coach Devin Bice
Podcast transcript
Keith Grabowski (00:01)
Today we have a chance to catch up with Devin Bice, offensive line coach at Presbyterian College and talk about his journey. And it’s a rare occasion. We get to talk to coaches during the season, but we were able to get him during his bye week and Presbyterian is doing very well right now. Number 23 in the country, the offense is rolling and obviously offensive line play is a big part of that. And we’ll dig into all those things today with Coach Bice. So Coach Bice, great to have you here on the podcast.
Coach Devin Bice (00:27)
Yes, sir. Glad to be here. This is awesome.
Keith Grabowski (00:29)
So Coach, you have had a unique journey in that. When you look at your resume, you look at the highlights of where you’ve been, you are truly the guy who’s worked his way up through the ranks. Started at the high school level, GA, D3, D2, now D1. ⁓ That’s not an easy thing to do, right? Making that journey, making those changes. ⁓ For you, what fueled that for you?
Coach Devin Bice (00:54)
No, for me, I I played at the Citadel and I’ve always wanted to be a college coach, but having those opportunities out of college wasn’t available for me. So I went back to the high school where I played at down in Florida and then slowly worked my way up. I coached at Nice High School and then Creekside High School down in Jacksonville. then I got the opportunity to go to the AFCA convention and meet people and ⁓ get the connection to be able to get me the job at NC State as a GA. So just.
always working and just trying to put my name out there and build those connections in the network for sure.
Keith Grabowski (01:28)
So the citadel, you lived the cadet life then.
Coach Devin Bice (01:32)
yeah, it was awesome. I loved it. I loved every minute. I’ll do it again in a heartbeat for sure.
Keith Grabowski (01:36)
How do you think that shaped you in, I guess, your approach as a coach? mean, that’s just not like going to any college. It’s not necessarily the military academies where you’re going to have to serve, but very much parallel to some of the things they do.
Coach Devin Bice (01:48)
Right.
Yeah, no, mean, it’s about the same for sure. I I had to do the drill work. I had the rifle. had the rank. I had all that stuff. And I think what really molds me as a coach is that discipline and just knowing what to do and just have everything planned out. And being an O-line coach, you got to be able to do that. You got to have everything planned out, know what you’re going to do, what’s your next step, and be able to coach the five guys that you have on the field is huge. And the city will definitely impacted that and has helped me in that process.
Keith Grabowski (02:18)
What do you think are some of the key things or a key thing that helped you move up the ranks? It’s not an easy thing to do. We know, especially being a G.A., you then you step into a D3 role where you’re wearing a million hats because you don’t have the resources. Probably not much different at the D2, but you have scholarships and, you know, still small college level in FCS in the way that programs work. But ⁓ what what fueled that passion to be able to move through the ranks?
Coach Devin Bice (02:28)
Yeah.
Yeah. Right.
No, mean, just being where my feet are and just putting my head down and grinding and working, man. I mean, that’s the biggest thing. And if you ask anybody I’ve worked with or any of the head coaches I’ve worked under, like that’s one thing that they’re going to say is Devon is a hard worker. He’s where his feet are. He’s very passionate with his boys and just gets them ready to play at a high level. And by doing that, you build those relationships. And when those coaches you work with are under or talking to other people, your name’s going to pop up.
And that’s what really happened with me is just that networking and the connections and just all the people that I’ve encountered just say positive things about me and put my name out there. So when something comes open and being able to move up, my name was thrown in there and then the rest was up to me when I interviewed or stepped foot in front of those other people.
Keith Grabowski (03:33)
What would your players say it’s like to be coached by you? To be part of that position group, to be part of that room?
Coach Devin Bice (03:40)
I would say that they would say I have the juice and I’m passionate. mean, I’m very, you’ll see me at practicing games. I’m running around, I coach hard. I’m the type of guy that when I yell at my guys, they perk up and they understand that Coach Bice is upset. And I don’t cuss and get in their face and all that stuff. I coach at a different level. And I would say that they would like…
how I coach and just how passionate I am and the juice and just they would run through a brick wall for me because of that.
Keith Grabowski (04:10)
Yeah, you when we think about offensive line, know, kids growing up, I think, you know, remember having Joe Thomas on and saying, you know, don’t go to the park and see kids kick sliding, right? Like, that’s not what they want to do, right? They want to touch the ball. I mean, certainly that is a big part of everybody in their football journey growing up. But essentially then, you know, body types do decide where you go. Sometimes the mentality too.
Coach Devin Bice (04:21)
No. Heck no. You’re right.
yeah.
Yeah,
Keith Grabowski (04:39)
⁓ You know, you
Coach Devin Bice (04:40)
absolutely.
Keith Grabowski (04:40)
get those little guys who like to hit and be a part of it, ⁓ you know, making it fun for those guys. It is not the natural athletic thing to do. When you see the moves, I mean, they are technique heavy. You want to be good at offensive line. It’s not just blind rage and power and weight room and all of that. Those things are important, but it is a very technical position. How do you make that fun?
Coach Devin Bice (04:54)
for sure.
It is.
Yeah, I mean, like you said, growing up, you’re not out there kick-slinging or hitting pads. I mean, you’re throwing the ball with your dad and stuff like that. So for me, knowing that, and I’m a prime example. I was a tight end growing up and two years of college at the Citadel. So when I transitioned to O-line because of the scheme that we had with the triple option and them knowing, we don’t use tight ends as much. Let’s put you at a tackle and you’re athletic enough to be able to do that. Just making it fun for them. My coach made it fun for me and just
Just teaching me and breaking it down for me, that’s the biggest thing. You can’t just go out there and tell these guys, hey, you gotta go out there and block that guy. That’s not how it works. You gotta teach them and be able to teach each kid because each person’s different in how they learn. So you gotta show them on the film, you gotta have them draw it up, you gotta go out there and demonstrate. And I I feel very good about the way I coach and teach because I’m I’m still young enough and able enough, I can get down and get in a stance and show them how it looks and be able to strike the pad and block.
and be be able to show them because if you if you don’t teach them a certain way or all the ways that they learn, they’re not going to be able to learn it and not going to be able to produce on Saturday. I think that’s the biggest thing. And then I give them recognition. mean, here at PC, we give them a lot of rewards and do different things according to the game and just showing their production and being able to recognize them in front of the team and in front of the country with that play as well. So just recognition and being able to break it down for them.
Keith Grabowski (06:31)
Being a guy who came through the Citadel, which is like an academy and is an optional offense, what are the similarities or differences to what you’re teaching now compared to the system you played in?
Coach Devin Bice (06:37)
Thank you.
man, yeah, so the triple option and then what we do now, it’s different, but I think the mentality is the same. We’re all about the run here. I mean, we want to run the ball first and then go off of that. So we try to set the tone. So a lot of stuff that’s similar is just making sure that we move the ball and we move the line of scrimmage and just get our guys be able to block up front.
Other than that, mean, we probably threw the ball twice a game at the Citadel when I was playing in the triple option. So here, we’re true RPO. We’re 50-50 run pass. Every run that we have has a pass option and all that stuff. But also, I say the creativity. Our offensive coordinator, Jason Martin, does a great job of doing different screens and doing different things in the passing game and all that. So it’s just the creativity of the offense is similar in that aspect. But.
It’s definitely different, the mindset of my own line is definitely the same as when I play. We gotta run the ball first, if we can’t run the ball, we can’t be successful in the game.
Keith Grabowski (07:44)
Yeah, I would love to dig into some ideas behind the screen game a little bit because, you know, ⁓ being here in Cleveland, Ohio, and a Browns fan, I’ve watched some different O-line coaches come through with the same guys and seeing screens run really well and being very well timed up to we can’t run screens anymore to back to a guy from the same tree and now we can run screens again. ⁓ And it tells you about
Coach Devin Bice (07:48)
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Right.
Right, right.
Keith Grabowski (08:14)
how intricate of a play it is to coach, that there are a lot of details to it. So for you, what are the keys offensive line wise to a successful screen game?
Coach Devin Bice (08:25)
Yeah, just for them, just knowing that there’s different people that are going to be in the area, right? So when we teach screens like the perfect example middle screen, we tell them, hey, you got the mic linebacker, you got the plus one, you got the minus one. But I never tell them, hey, you got the same linebacker, because at the end of the day, it could be the safety that comes down and replaces the linebacker, right? So just teaching them, hey, you got this specific area.
and just making sure that you take a good path, right? You don’t want to go right at him. You’re to go at the path that he’s going to come towards the playmaker that’s trying to get the ball, right? So it’s all about detail and just how you word things and just repetition. Like we did this past week, since it’s by week, we’ve been repping the screen game and every screens we have and just get them back into the movements and all that stuff. But it’s all about how you teach it and making it not specific, not.
You’re going to get a specific person, you’re going to this area and whoever is there first, you pick it up and make sure you take a good path.
Keith Grabowski (09:23)
Yeah, in that in some ways, it’s always been to me a difficult ⁓ play to practice and I’ve explored all kinds of different ways. And I think we finally would go to a screen period because a lot of times, ⁓ you know this, you get young players out there playing your scouting and either they’ve seen it enough that they just do it or they’re kind of not
Coach Devin Bice (09:43)
yeah.
Keith Grabowski (09:52)
selling out like they should do and then you have a bad look for it. I mean that’ll that’ll mess it up quick. So not a ton of screens and team and stuff like that for me just because we didn’t feel we could get the timing. But how do you feel are the best ways to practice it?
Coach Devin Bice (09:53)
Right. yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, I mean, it’s all about steps. I mean, you got to go out there without anybody on defense and just, like I said, just talk about the area that you’re going to and then break it down even more. Like the coaches, we do a good job. We go out there. We set up as the defense. And then we’ll get the scout team out there. And then we’ll run in against our team. ⁓ And I know our guys, our defense gets tired of it. But we got to definitely work it and stuff like that. So we hit it three, four different ways and just.
hit it in steps and just make sure that we get everything down and you’ll watch our games. I mean, we have a lot of intricate screens when it’s either the perimeter or middle screen or tight end screen or running back screen. So you definitely got to practice it, but you also got to break it down and do it in the steps and make sure that these guys up front and where we’re going know what they’re doing.
Keith Grabowski (10:53)
What do you feel are the keys to the timing of it? Right? It’s really, there is that sweet spot of, you know, don’t leave too early, but don’t leave too late. You know, too early, those guys trace you back, right?
Coach Devin Bice (10:57)
Yeah.
Right. No, that’s funny you bring that up because,
yeah, so it’s funny that you bring that up. So one thing that we do here at PC is our middle game, middle screen game. We actually have them sing Mary Had a Little Lamb. And if you sing that and once you leave on Mary Had a Little Lamb, then it’s long enough for you to be able to get out. So that’s funny you bring that up. that’s, mean, you just gotta come up with different ways to get the timing and practice and go it in the steps, like I said. So.
So us, have them sing, Mary had a little lamb, they jump set, sing it, and then they throw the defender back, and then we go off the field. So it gives them long enough to be able to develop the play and get out on time.
Keith Grabowski (11:42)
I gotta ask you, do you ever hear the guys singing it or is it?
Coach Devin Bice (11:44)
Yes. We
actually, in camp, we have the freshmen stand up and sing it, for sure. So you hear them in practice sing it all the time. And it’s cool because, one, like I said, it’s having fun, but it’s something that they’ve learned and they’re taking it to the field and understanding, hey, if I want to get the timing right, I have to do this no matter how it looks or how stupid it is. It’s going to help me be a better player and take it into a game.
Keith Grabowski (12:10)
So you mentioned you do different types of screens now with that, how much of that varies for the offensive line versus the balls just getting to a different person at the same catch point?
Coach Devin Bice (12:22)
Yeah, so with us, we make it as simple as possible. we have have different screens for different receivers, but for my guys, it’s all the same route, right? So we might have a screen where the first open offense alignment to that that side will release go and go flat and pick up the first defender. So it could be the first receiver, second receiver, third receiver, just whoever it is, we call it, but they know that they’re going flat, they’re and they’re getting.
the defender and then the middle screen and then we have different running back and tight end screens. But everything’s essentially the same for us. It’s just they know that it’s a different person getting the ball and the landmark might be different. But for us, we try to make it as simple as possible that goes into the run game in the past game. The O line, you got to make it as simple as possible because they got so much stuff to do and remember. ⁓ So just making it as simple as possible for them is huge.
Keith Grabowski (13:14)
with, and I know you don’t coach the guy, but the running back, when you run a running back screen out of the backfield, have you found any ⁓ really good coaching points for that? I know we settled on one that we really liked and worked for us, but same thing, if that guy’s not coached up well, he’s drifting too far out, he’s catching it too far in, there’s that right spot and timing for that as well. What are the coaching points you found for him?
Coach Devin Bice (13:19)
between.
Yep.
Yeah.
Yeah, so for us, we’ve been back and forth with that. But so for our running back screen, we have him go block and help the tackle with the defensive end and then release out. And there’s been a couple of times where he’s like, well, why can’t I go inside of them? Why can’t I go help the guard and all this stuff? And it’s like, well, that goes against us as an offensive line and you getting the path that you need. So we’ve come to a realization like, hey, you got to go help the tackle. You got to make sure it looks like you’re going to block.
And help us because that’s what you do in the past game when it’s 60 pro, you’re going to help the tackle or whoever needs help. And so make it realistic as possible to suck those linebackers in and then release and then that still times up with us and then we can still get out because we get the tackle on the guard out on specific screens as well. ⁓ So.
Keith Grabowski (14:24)
Yeah,
do you guys have a help system that you can designate whoever, somebody to chip help before they release, et cetera?
Coach Devin Bice (14:35)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that’s, mean, just depending on what the play is, like he’ll he’ll definitely go help and chip or and it’s also like depending on the play too, we might we have a screen where three linemen get out and the first lineman supposed to go kick and the second one supposed to go in the alley. But he might get the first guy might get blocked or might get tangled up and he can’t get out first. So now we know, hey, the first guy that’s out is going to kick. So now it might be the tackle going into the alley, just depending on how you release and all that stuff. But we build things off of
Just who gets out where we’re chipping just depending on the screen game and what’s going on there
Keith Grabowski (15:09)
Yeah, I want to get back in into some of that help for a little bit. you know, I mentioned we had a way of doing it. So I think it’s worth mentioning the thing we found was most useful because we would get the catch and we want those guys to turn, you know, but they’re they’re catching them. Momentum takes them out. Now they end up outside the blocker. What we ended up coaching and and ⁓ I believe it was our our running backs and and offensive line coach came up with it together. But ⁓
Coach Devin Bice (15:12)
Yeah.
Keith Grabowski (15:37)
We told him to complete the circle. So, you know, he’s going to chip, turn to catch the ball, usually to the outside, catch it. We would tell him to just complete the circle and that ended up keeping him nice and tight to the lineman. So that was something we found useful.
Coach Devin Bice (15:49)
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
and that’ll help you get ⁓ some separation too between them. Yeah, that’s good.
Keith Grabowski (15:55)
Yeah, yeah, it
really did right instead of catching and kind of drifting right into his back and being blind to where the ball is. It gets him turned up field actually quicker. So going back to the help systems and you know, I remember I had the opportunity to sit down was recruiting Deuce Gruden, John Gruden’s son. He was in Tampa and we sat down in his old, he’s got a new one, been to the new one too, but his old fire football coaches association office and he’s like,
Coach Devin Bice (16:00)
No. No.
Absolutely, absolutely, no that’s a good idea.
Yup.
Keith Grabowski (16:24)
Let’s look at this nudge protection from the Saints. I think it was, I mean, they’re a little running back at the time. Sprouls, Darren Sprouls, remember that guy? And he was just showing all this protection they have where he would just be a line kind of in a slot on the outside, slam into that defensive end. And then the lineman would come and hit him in the ribs. I mean, was good. We had to use it a number of times and kind of built it in. Do you build it into your protection where-
Coach Devin Bice (16:32)
Mm, it’s awesome.
Yep.
Yeah.
Keith Grabowski (16:53)
where you can designate help like that when you see that kind of a rusher.
Coach Devin Bice (16:57)
Yeah, yeah, so when we game plan because right now what we do is and we feel really good with our offensive line that we can we can protect and we just allow the running back to scan and pick up ⁓ either side of linebacker. But if we go into a game that we feel like hey, the tackle my struggle or the guard my struggle will designate where he’s going to go or we might even bring the tight end. We do a lot of ⁓ 12 personnel tight end sets and so we might have the tight end stay in or we might go into slide protection. But yeah, will designate just depending on.
the game plan and who we’re playing. But for us, we try to get the running back out as quick as possible. So we might call 60s, but if we can take care of it or his linebacker doesn’t come, then he’s getting out. So he could be the check down and try to throw to him if there’s nothing down the field.
Keith Grabowski (17:40)
great stuff coach. Well to wrap up here and to let you get back into all the work that goes along with a bye week. What advice do you have for coaches out there especially maybe that guy sitting at that high school position just getting into it saying I want to get to the D1 level. What advice can you give them?
Coach Devin Bice (17:47)
Yes, sir.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Now, what I would say is, man, what I did, just be where your feet are and just put as much time and effort and just work as hard as you can where you’re at. And then the next step is just build connections, and network. Just meet as many people as you can ⁓ and just go to the AFCA convention and really do a good job of just meeting new people. And what I would say, too, when you make those connections, don’t just hit people up and just ask them, hey, do you have a job open?
Like no real connections, talk to them whenever you can, ask them how they’re doing, and the jobs will come, right? Because at the end of the day, if they remember you or you’ve done a good job, and like I said before, like all my head coaches, they would say that I did a good job and worked hard where my feet were, that they’re gonna put your name out there and find you a job, right? So don’t Don’t look for the next thing, just be where your feet are, do the best you can where you’re at, and the rest will fall into place.
Keith Grabowski (18:52)
Coach, good luck the rest of the way to you in the Blue Hose here. Number 23 going into this week. I know you guys have some higher aspirations than that, so good luck with everything and let’s connect here after the season.
Coach Devin Bice (19:03)
Yes, sir. Sounds good. I appreciate you. Go Blue Hose.