Wake Forest hires Jake Dickert, Pac-12 HC and longtime assistant, as head football coach
Jake Dickert is the next head coach of Wake Forest football.
Just two days after Dave Clawson stepped down after 11 seasons, the Demon Deacons announced they’ve hired the Division I head coach as the program’s next leader.
Dickert, 41, has been the head coach at Washington State for the past three seasons. He initially became the Cougars’ interim coach during the 2021 season; and ultimately guided Wazzu to three bowl appearances in the past four years.
“I cannot tell you how excited, proud, and honored I am to be the head football coach at Wake Forest University,” Dickert said in a release. “... My No. 1 priority will be building relationships with our current student-athletes and earning their trust. We will have a clear focus on retaining our current roster while adding valuable pieces that fit our program and Wake Forest University.
“As I continued to learn more about this extraordinary university, I couldn’t help but notice how well Wake Forest’s core values align with our program principles. Together, we will build on the incredible foundation laid by Coach Dave Clawson, Coach Jim Grobe and those before them. Our team will compete at a championship level, excel in the classroom, and serve the community with pride.”
A former wide receiver at Wisconsin-Stevens Point between 2002-06, Dickert has coached on the staffs of his alma mater, North Dakota State, South Dakota, Southeast Missouri State, Augustana (S.D.), Minnesota State, South Dakota State and Wyoming before arriving in Pullman, Washington.
Washington State, which went 8-4 and plays No. 21 Syracuse in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 27 in San Diego, has been nationally ranked in each of the past two seasons under Dickert.
“Jake Dickert’s demonstrated commitment across his coaching career to fostering excellence and developing student-athletes with character and integrity are closely aligned with Wake Forest’s mission and values, ” Wake Forest president Susan R. Wente said. “Coach Dickert’s experiences and his coaching and leadership philosophies make him an excellent fit for Wake Forest at this important moment in our football program’s history. I look forward to welcoming Jake, his wife Candice, and their children Rylee, Jett and Jace to the Wake Forest and Winston-Salem communities.”
