Wake Forest has struggled for the past few seasons, going 4-8 in both 2023 and 2024. Demon Deacon fans have been hoping that the program will turn it around quickly after the departure of head coach Dave Clawson.
In the wake of Clawson stepping down, the Demon Deacons brought in Jake Dickert to be the new leader of the program, and while Wake Forest fans may want wins, Dickert values something else more.
Jake Dickert Is Building a New Culture at Wake Forest
Jake Dickert, who was the head coach of Washington State from 2021 to 2024, left the Cougars this offseason to take over at Wake Forest.
Sources: Wake Forest is closing in on hiring Washington State’s Jake Dickert the school’s new head coach. He’d replace Dave Clawson, who stepped down earlier this week. The deal is expected to be finalized today. The Athletic first reported.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 18, 2024
Dickert had success at Washington State, his first head coaching gig. He led the Cougars to a 20-17 record during his tenure there. While wins matter, they’re reportedly not Dickert’s goal, according to Wake Forest assistant defensive line coach Peter Kaligis, who has worked with Dickert for eight years.
In an interview with Wake Forest reporter Les Johns, Kaligis broke down what Dickert’s mission is as a head coach.
“But being with Coach Dickert, he’s transformational. He’s going to change lives. He’s truthful with everybody, and it’s about building young men,” Kaligis told Johns. “The game’s the game, but we got into coaching to grab the souls of young men, to love them, and to show them that their identity is not just football. Their identity is who they are beyond the game.”
A lot of college football coaches seem to have this approach to the game, but from what Kaligis detailed, it sounds like it’s truly Dickert’s goal to build up young men rather than win football games.
Similar to former LSU head coach Ed Orgeron, when coaches are able to connect with their players and shape their foundation as men, the wins usually follow, and it seems like that is what Dickert wants at Wake Forest.
Dickert is a young coach and, for the most part, unproven. But if he and his staff truly care about the young men on the team rather than the athlete, then there’s no doubt that the Demon Deacons will see success under his and his staff’s leadership.
