| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | Wake Forest |
| Conference | ACC |
| Record | 9–4 |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | (1983-08-23)August 23, 1983 (age 42) Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 2002–2006 | Wisconsin–Stevens Point |
| Position | Wide receiver |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2007 | Wisconsin–Stevens Point (GA) |
| 2008 | North Dakota State (GA) |
| 2009–2010 | North Dakota State (S) |
| 2011 | South Dakota (ST/DB) |
| 2012 | Southeast Missouri State (DB) |
| 2013 | Augustana (SD) (DC) |
| 2014–2015 | Minnesota State (DC/LB) |
| 2016 | South Dakota State (co-ST/S) |
| 2017–2018 | Wyoming (S) |
| 2019 | Wyoming (DC/LB) |
| 2020–2021 | Washington State (DC/LB) |
| 2021 | Washington State (interim HC) |
| 2022–2024 | Washington State |
| 2025–present | Wake Forest |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 32–24 |
| Bowls | 1–2 |
Jacob Dickert (born August 23, 1983)[1] is an Americancollege football coach, who is the current head coach atWake Forest University. He was the head coach atWashington State University from 2021–2024. Dickert attended school and played football at theUniversity of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, and has coached at various colleges and universities since his graduation in 2007.
Dickert began his high school career atOconto High School inOconto, Wisconsin.[2] His father, Jeffrey Dickert, was the superintendent of the Oconto School District. The family moved toKohler, Wisconsin, for Jake's senior year after Jeffrey took the job of superintendent there,[3] and Jake finished his high school career atKohler High School.[2]
TheUniversity of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, then coached byJohn Miech, recruited Dickert to playquarterback, where he backed up futureCanadian Football League playerScott Krause. He converted towide receiver for the 2005 season. His senior year in 2006 was interrupted by a case ofappendicitis, but he returned to the playing field two weeks after surgery.[4] Dickert's seven receptions per game that year led theWisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) and he was named to the second team all-conference.[5][6]
Dickert graduated from Stevens Point in 2007 and joined Miech's staff as a graduate assistant for a year. He then moved toNorth Dakota State for the 2008 season, also as a graduate assistant. Head coachCraig Bohl promoted him to safeties' coach in 2009.[7][8] He left in 2011 to become special teams coordinator atSouth Dakota underEd Meierkort, in what turned out to be his last year as head coach. Dickert replacedChuck Morrell, who had left to become the head coach atMontana Tech.[9]
South Dakota fired Meierkort after the 2011 season.[10] Dickert spent a year onTony Samuel's staff atSoutheast Missouri State coaching defensive backs before returning to the state of South Dakota in 2013 to become defensive coordinator atAugustana University under first-year head coachJerry Olszewski. Under Dickert, Augustana ranked third in total defense in theNorthern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, and at the end of the seasonMinnesota State hired him away to become defensive coordinator there.[11][12]
Dickert coached the defense for the 2014 and 2015 seasons under head coachTodd Hoffner. Minnesota State compiled a 24–3 record over those two seasons, including losing the 2014NCAA Division II Football Championship toCSU–Pueblo. After two successful seasons, Dickert departed to become safeties coach atSouth Dakota State under long-time head coachJohn Stiegelmeier and defensive coordinatorClint Brown.[7] Dickert departed after the 2016 season to become safeties coach atthe University of Wyoming. The move reunited him with Craig Bohl, now Wyoming's head coach but previously the head coach at North Dakota State from 2003 to 2013.[13] In 2019, Wyoming promoted Dickert to defensive coordinator afterScottie Hazelton departed for the same job atKansas State.[14]
In 2020, Dickert received his firstPower Five coaching position when he was hired as defensive coordinator by newWashington State head coachNick Rolovich. Wyoming assistantsA. J. Cooper andJohn Richardson accompanied Dickert in his move to Pullman.[15]
In October 2021, Washington State fired Rolovich and four assistant coaches, including Richardson, for refusing to comply with the state'sCOVID-19 vaccination mandate. Dickert then took over as acting head coach.[16] On November 27, 2021, Washington State announced the naming of Dickert as their permanent head coach; the promotion came a day after the Cougars finished the regular season with a resounding 40–13 win over in-state rivalWashington in theApple Cup.
Wake Forest hired Dickert to be their head coach in December 2024, following the resignation ofDave Clawson.[17]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State Cougars(Pac-12 Conference)(2021–2024) | |||||||||
| 2021 | Washington State | 3–3[a] | 3–1 | 2nd (North) | LSun | ||||
| 2022 | Washington State | 7–6 | 4–5 | 7th | LLA | ||||
| 2023 | Washington State | 5–7 | 2–7 | T–9th | |||||
| 2024 | Washington State | 8–4 | 0–1 | 2nd | Holiday[b] | ||||
| Washington State: | 23–20 | 9–14 | |||||||
| Wake Forest Demon Deacons(Atlantic Coast Conference)(2025–present) | |||||||||
| 2025 | Wake Forest | 9–4 | 4–4 | T–7th | WDuke's Mayo | ||||
| Wake Forest: | 9–4 | 4–4 | |||||||
| Total: | 32–24 | ||||||||