University of Nevada Athletics

Bill Best enters his second season as the Wolf Pack's offensive line coach in 2021 after a successful debut campaign in Reno.

In his first season overseeing "The Union," Best had four of the five starters earn All-Mountain West recognition, with Aaron Frost being named to the Second Team while true freshman tackle Jacob Gardner, senior center Tyler Orsini, and senior guard Jermaine Ledbetter were all named Honorable Mention.

The Union provided top-notch protection for quarterback Carson Strong and a Wolf Pack passing attack which ranked 12th in the nation at 319.1 yards per game. Behind this wall, Strong had one of the top campaigns of any quarterback in the FBS, pacing the Mountain West in passing yards (2,858), passing touchdowns (27), completion percentage (70.1), ranking in the FBS top 10 in completions per game (27.7, second), passing yards per game (317.6, seventh), completion percentage (seventh), and touchdown passes (ninth), while coming in 11th in passing yards, and finishing the year with an interception rate of just 1.13, throwing just four picks over 355 attempts. Strong also became the first Wolf Pack player to be named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, posting five 300-yard passing games and twice hitting the 400-yard mark.

Best's line also plowed the field ahead of a Nevada rushing attack which led to Toa Taua churning out 675 yards and four touchdowns in 2020, earning him a spot on the All-Mountain West Second Team.

After beginning his coaching career at the high school level, Best has spent the bulk of his college career in Texas, beginning at the junior college level in 2004 with stops at West Texas A&M, Central Arkansas, Stephen F. Austin and Rice.

He coached tight ends at Rice in 2018 and 2019 after a strong four-year run at SFA with the Lumberjacks. While at Nacogdoches, SFA averaged 435 yards per game in 2016 and 2017, including a rushing offense that put up more than 200 yards a game in 2017. The Lumberjacks’ offensive line also paved the way for a 1,600-yard rusher during Best’s first season in 2014.

Best inherits a young Wolf Pack line that was tested during the 2019 season, but returns every starter going into 2020 including senior tackles Miles Beach and Nate Brown.

Best has seen 13 of his offensive linemen sign professional contracts during his coaching career.

Prior to SFA, Best spent the previous two seasons as the offensive line coach for Central Arkansas. Best spent six seasons at West Texas A&M, beginning his career with the Buffs in 2006 as a graduate assistant before being elevated to associate head coach and offensive line coach in 2007. In 2011 he served as offensive coordinator for the Buffaloes.

Best spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Ranger College (2004-05) after beginning his coaching career at the high school level in Louisiana.

He played at Millsaps College and Louisiana Monroe.

The File on Bill Best
Born: Jan. 29, 1979
Hometown: Rayville, La.
Family: Wife – Jennifer; Daughter – Hannah; Sons – Brady, James
Education: Bachelor's, Louisiana-Monroe (2001)
Master’s, West Texas A&M (2007)
 
Coaching Experience
2020-present: Assistant Coach/OL, Nevada
2018-19: Assistant Coach/TEs, Rice
2014-17: Run Game Coordinator/OL, Stephen F. Austin
2012-13: Assistant Coach/OL, Central Arkansas
2006-11: Associate Head Coach/OL, West Texas A&M
2004-05: Offensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator, Ranger College
 
Playing Experience
1998: Louisiana-Monroe, Offensive Line
1997: Millsaps, Offensive Line