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From the Quad
12/18/2024 11:32:00 AM | General
Presented by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
Good Afternoon from Heart of DEACTOWN in Winston-Salem!
As we shared earlier this week, it has been an emotional week for Wake Forest University. But, with every chapter that ends, a new one starts and my note today brings tremendous excitement that Jake Dickert is joining us as our head football coach! He joins the Demon Deacon family following a tremendous amount of success at Washington State where he created numerous memorable moments for that community with multiple wins over ranked opponents and a couple of victories over the Cougars arch-rival Washington in the Apple Cup.
Meanwhile, those victories do not define Coach Dickert and his family, as the son of a longtime educator, he is driven by impacting young men's lives on the field, off the field and ensuring that they bring tremendous value to their respective communities. With that, his detail-oriented nature and proven leadership track record made him the ideal fit for our beloved Demon Deacons football program as we move forward.
His players excelled academically with 45 student-athletes earning Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll honors (3.3 GPA or higher) accolades in his first three seasons as head coach. Additionally, during Coach Dickert's time in Pullman, he has had multiple AFCA Good Works Team honorees, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Semifinalists for their work around the university and in the community as well as semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is awarded to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance.
He and I met with the team a short time ago via Zoom to share this news. During that meeting, while understandably anxious about the transition, our student-athletes were excited as Coach Dickert spoke to them about his philosophies for how the program will be run and how he will help them grow in the classroom, community, and on the field.
I know I speak for the entire Wake Forest & Winston-Salem communities when I say that we are thrilled to welcome Coach Dickert, his wife, Candice, and their children Rylee, Jett and Jace to Winston-Salem.
We know that this is a time of uncertainty for our student-athletes. Thanks to Coach Clawson's trust in me, seamless collaboration from our Board, led by chair Jeanne Whitman Bobbitt, President Susan R. Wente and the diligence and hard work of Deputy AD Scott Garrett and others pitching in throughout Athletics and multiple academic and University units, we were able to move quickly to secure an outstanding new head coach for our program. We are also grateful to Chad Chatlos from TurnkeyZRG for his trusted counsel throughout.
At Wake Forest intercollegiate athletics is an integral part of the institution. A perfect example of this occurred yesterday afternoon, when, with about three hours notice, academic and institutional leaders including Provost Michele Gillespie, Wake Forest University Faculty Senate President Saylor Breckenridge, Faculty Athletics Representative Pete Brubaker, Senate Athletics Committee John Sumanth, Divinity School Dean Corey D.B. Walker, history professor Nate Plageman, who chairs the college Faculty Athletics Committee, and Vice President for Campus Life Dr. Shea Kidd Brown all jumped on a Zoom interview with Coach Dickert to help me assess his fit for Wake Forest.
With vast experience at all levels of college football, Coach Dickert is the right person to lead the Deacs into next season and beyond. He will embrace our culture at Wake Forest and he, and his family, will be an excellent fit in our community. And, he is committed to building champions while relentlessly competing for championships through his core pillars of T.R.U.S.T. (Truth. Relationships. Understanding. Sharing. Togetherness.).
We will have a Welcome Event / Press Conference on Thursday at Bridger Field House in the Snead Room at 10 a.m. You all are encouraged to attend and stay tuned for more opportunities in the near future to engage directly with him. Please know, his immediate focus will be on player retention and recruitment while building out his staff.
As Coach Dickert intimated to us during one of our first conversations, being the head football coach at Wake Forest University is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and competing at the highest level of college athletics in the Atlantic Coast Conference was an easy sell.
So, with all that said, what's next and how can you help?
From the Quad Big 3
Here are three ways for you to help!
Go Deacs!
John Currie
Vice President & Director of Athletics
Good Afternoon from Heart of DEACTOWN in Winston-Salem!
As we shared earlier this week, it has been an emotional week for Wake Forest University. But, with every chapter that ends, a new one starts and my note today brings tremendous excitement that Jake Dickert is joining us as our head football coach! He joins the Demon Deacon family following a tremendous amount of success at Washington State where he created numerous memorable moments for that community with multiple wins over ranked opponents and a couple of victories over the Cougars arch-rival Washington in the Apple Cup.
Meanwhile, those victories do not define Coach Dickert and his family, as the son of a longtime educator, he is driven by impacting young men's lives on the field, off the field and ensuring that they bring tremendous value to their respective communities. With that, his detail-oriented nature and proven leadership track record made him the ideal fit for our beloved Demon Deacons football program as we move forward.
His players excelled academically with 45 student-athletes earning Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll honors (3.3 GPA or higher) accolades in his first three seasons as head coach. Additionally, during Coach Dickert's time in Pullman, he has had multiple AFCA Good Works Team honorees, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Semifinalists for their work around the university and in the community as well as semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is awarded to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance.
He and I met with the team a short time ago via Zoom to share this news. During that meeting, while understandably anxious about the transition, our student-athletes were excited as Coach Dickert spoke to them about his philosophies for how the program will be run and how he will help them grow in the classroom, community, and on the field.
I know I speak for the entire Wake Forest & Winston-Salem communities when I say that we are thrilled to welcome Coach Dickert, his wife, Candice, and their children Rylee, Jett and Jace to Winston-Salem.
We know that this is a time of uncertainty for our student-athletes. Thanks to Coach Clawson's trust in me, seamless collaboration from our Board, led by chair Jeanne Whitman Bobbitt, President Susan R. Wente and the diligence and hard work of Deputy AD Scott Garrett and others pitching in throughout Athletics and multiple academic and University units, we were able to move quickly to secure an outstanding new head coach for our program. We are also grateful to Chad Chatlos from TurnkeyZRG for his trusted counsel throughout.
At Wake Forest intercollegiate athletics is an integral part of the institution. A perfect example of this occurred yesterday afternoon, when, with about three hours notice, academic and institutional leaders including Provost Michele Gillespie, Wake Forest University Faculty Senate President Saylor Breckenridge, Faculty Athletics Representative Pete Brubaker, Senate Athletics Committee John Sumanth, Divinity School Dean Corey D.B. Walker, history professor Nate Plageman, who chairs the college Faculty Athletics Committee, and Vice President for Campus Life Dr. Shea Kidd Brown all jumped on a Zoom interview with Coach Dickert to help me assess his fit for Wake Forest.
With vast experience at all levels of college football, Coach Dickert is the right person to lead the Deacs into next season and beyond. He will embrace our culture at Wake Forest and he, and his family, will be an excellent fit in our community. And, he is committed to building champions while relentlessly competing for championships through his core pillars of T.R.U.S.T. (Truth. Relationships. Understanding. Sharing. Togetherness.).
We will have a Welcome Event / Press Conference on Thursday at Bridger Field House in the Snead Room at 10 a.m. You all are encouraged to attend and stay tuned for more opportunities in the near future to engage directly with him. Please know, his immediate focus will be on player retention and recruitment while building out his staff.
As Coach Dickert intimated to us during one of our first conversations, being the head football coach at Wake Forest University is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and competing at the highest level of college athletics in the Atlantic Coast Conference was an easy sell.
So, with all that said, what's next and how can you help?
From the Quad Big 3
Here are three ways for you to help!
- First, please join me in welcoming Coach Dickert, his wife, Candice, and their three children, daughter Rylee and sons Jett and Jace to Wake Forest! A simple social media post works or you can reach out to wfsports@wfu.edu with a special message for them!
- Second, secure your seats for the 2025 football season at Allegacy Stadium! Next fall, the Demon Deacons will battle for the Big Four crown with pivotal home games against North Carolina and NC State. The schedule also includes our first-ever ACC matchup with SMU, as well as regional clashes with Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, Western Carolina, and Delaware in their first FBS season. Stay tuned for announcements on Homecoming, Family Weekend, and other special events once the ACC releases full schedules in early 2025. With 11 sellouts since the 2021 season and many more expected next fall, season tickets are the best way for fans to optimize the value of all of Allegacy Stadium's seating options and pricing. Season ticket holders also receive earlier access to single game ticket sales and package opportunities. For questions or assistance, please contact the Wake Forest Ticket Office at 336-758-3322 ext 1 or tix@wfu.edu. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Finally, stay tuned for special events around our community for your chance to meet Coach Dickert and his family! While his immediate priority is to meet with our players and staff, he will be visible at upcoming basketball games and other University events - ensure you stop him and introduce yourself and tell him your favorite Wake Forest football memory!
Go Deacs!
John Currie
Vice President & Director of Athletics
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Football Media Availability (9/18/25)
Thursday, September 18
Matt Barrie SportsCenter at Wake Forest with Demond Claiborne
Wednesday, September 10
Matt Barrie SportsCenter on Wake Forest Campus (Arnold Palmer Complex)
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Football Media Availability (9/9/25)
Wednesday, September 10