Wake Forest hires Jake Dickert as coach after Dave Clawson’s unexpected departure: sources

Wake Forest is hiring Washington State coach Jake Dickert to replace Dave Clawson, just two days after Clawson’s unexpected resignation, two people briefed on the decision said Wednesday.

Dickert, 41, has coached the Cougars for 23-20 years over four seasons. He led them to an 8-4 record this season, the school’s first since the Pac-12 collapsed under the weight of conference realignment.

Clawson played for Wake Forest for 11 seasons but resigned after back-to-back four-win seasons. His .492 winning percentage was the highest of any coach at the school since the Demon Deacons joined the ACC in 1953.

Dickert, who played at Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point, spent most of his career in the Midwest, working at FCS and Division II schools. He got his first FBS job in 2017 at Wyoming as a defensive assistant under Craig Bohl.

In 2020, Washington State hired Dickert as defensive coordinator under head coach Nick Rolovich. The school then named Dickert interim coach to replace Rolovich, whom the Cougars fired for failing to comply with a vaccination requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dickert finished 3-3 in the final six games of the season and was promoted to head coach. He has led Washington State to bowl games in three of his four seasons.

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