Wake Forest makes strange decision on next head coach

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have found their next head coach.

After former head coach Dave Clawson announced his resignation after 11 seasons at the program, Wake Forest hired Washington State’s Jake Dickert as its next head coach, per Dan Morrison of On3.

Washington State was Dickert’s first head coaching job, following previous stints in Division II, the FCS ranks and as Wyoming’s defensive coordinator under head coach Craig Bohl. 

Dickert joined the Cougars’ staff as defensive coordinator under former coach Nick Rolovich. After Rolovich was fired midway through the 2021 season, Dickert took over and became the permanent head coach following that season.

While the Cougars had the 11th-best scoring offense (36.8 PPG) in the country this season, behind QB John Mateer’s FBS-leading 44 total touchdowns, hiring Dickert is a strange choice, to say the least, for Wake Forest.

After starting the 2024 season 8-1, Washington State lost its last three games and had the 78th-ranked defense in the country, allowing 27.9 points per game, per TeamRankings.

In his career at Washington State, the 41-year-old Dickert compiled a 23-20 record. In his three full seasons at the helm, Washington State qualified for two bowl games, including the Holiday Bowl this season vs. No. 21 Syracuse on Dec. 27. However, the team failed to reach a bowl game in the 2023 season with a 5-7 record. 

Although Washington State played a Pac-12 schedule in each of Dickert’s prior seasons, 2024 was much different. The Cougars played in a two-team Pac-12 with Oregon State and a schedule primarily consisting of Mountain West opponents.

Washington State has been solid under Dickert, but the results have not been eye-opening. This makes this decision risky for the Cougars, considering Washington State is Dickert’s only prior head coaching experience. 

With that said, Dickert has coached QBs Cam Ward, who is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Mateer, who is a highly sought-after transfer after entering the portal on Monday. Dickert’s potential and experience coaching talented QBs are apparent, but it is a tall task nonetheless and an interesting choice by Wake Forest.

Dickert replaces Clawson and inherits a program coming off back-to-back 4-8 seasons. Even though Clawson led Wake Forest to seven bowl appearances during his 11 seasons on the sidelines and an 11-win season in 2021 that included the ACC’s Atlantic Division title, the Demon Deacons have struggled since then.

Dickert brings limited head coaching experience with him, and he takes over a program that only scored 23.9 points per game in 2024, which was 88th in the country, according to TeamRankings.

With so much roster overhaul these days, Dickert’s 2025 Wake Forest team will likely be much different from 2024. This job could prove difficult for someone with limited head coaching experience and a record barely above .500. 

Dickert may be able to turn the Wake Forest program around in the long term. Still, the hire raises some eyebrows at first glance, especially considering where the Demon Deacons currently stand in the ever-changing landscape of college football.