Coach Dickert Names Dyrell Roberts to The Balogh Family Football Assistant Coach for Wide Receivers at Wake Forest
12/29/2025 2:45:00 PM | Football
Coach Roberts comes to Winston-Salem after spending the last three seasons at East Carolina and has previous experience in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest head football coach Jake Dickert announced Monday that Dyrell Roberts has been added to the coaching staff as The Balogh Family Football Assistant Coach for Wide Receivers.
Roberts comes to Winston-Salem after spending the past three seasons at East Carolina, where he coached wide receivers and played a key role in one of the American Athletic Conference's most productive passing attacks. He also brings prior Atlantic Coast Conference experience and a reputation for developing dynamic, explosive skill players.
"We are really excited to add Dyrell to our coaching staff," said Coach Dickert. "He is an outstanding teacher and a genuine leader who is intentional about developing players on and off the field. Dyrell believes in what we're building at Wake Forest and wants to be part of something special, and that alignment is exactly what we look for in our program. We're excited to welcome him and his family to Winston-Salem."
Roberts was selected to the 2026 AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute, a prestigious national program designed to identify and develop future leaders in the football coaching profession.
"My family and I are incredibly grateful to Coach Dickert for the opportunity to join Wake Forest and for the trust he's placed in me," Roberts said. "From our first conversations, it was clear how special this place is and how intentional the vision is for building something sustainable and meaningful. Wake Forest values development, relationships and excellence, and I'm excited to be part of what Coach Dickert and this staff are building while working with an outstanding group of young men."
During his time at East Carolina, Roberts' wide receiver units consistently ranked among the league's most productive. In 2025, Pirate receivers combined for 423 receptions, 3,368 yards and 20 touchdowns, while in 2024 the unit helped ECU rank 27th nationally in passing offense. Roberts played a central role in the development of multiple All-Conference and All-American performers, including Anthony Smith, Winston Wright Jr, Chase Sowell, and Yannick Smith.
Prior to ECU, Roberts served as wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator at Western Illinois, where his offense led the Missouri Valley Football Conference in passing and produced multiple national leaders at the FCS level. He also held assistant coaching roles at Eastern Michigan, Virginia Tech, Norfolk State, Saint Joseph's College, Earlham College and ASA College.
A former standout at Virginia Tech, Roberts was a member of three ACC Championship teams under legendary head coach Frank Beamer and remains the Hokies' all-time leader in career kick return yardage and kick return average.
Roberts and his wife, LaTrese, have three sons: Dyrell Jr., Major and Chief.
East Carolina (2023-2025)
In 2025, Pirate receivers hauled in 429 passes for 3,545 and 22 touchdowns, led by Smith's 1,053 yards and seven touchdowns. Smith was also named the 2025 Military Bowl MVP and set a bowl record for receiving yards. Anthony Smith earned first team All-Conference honors, and Yannick Smith earned third team All-Conference honors.
In year two with ECU, Roberts' group caught 197 passes for 2,872 yards (14.6 ypc) with 21 touchdowns. Winston Wright Jr. led the team in receptions (54) and receiving touchdowns (8) while ranking third in yards (556) on his way to earning All-America and All-Conference accolades as a returner/receiver. Anthony Smith, who was an American Conference Honorable Mention selection, led the team in receiving yards (799) hauling down 41 passes and scoring six times. Second-Team All-American Conference performer Chase Sowell caught 34 passes for 678 yards with three scores. Jhari Patterson (32 for 281, 1 TD) and Yannick Smith (25 for 434, 3 TDs) rounded out the receiving corps that helped ECU rank 27th nationally in passing offense (264.0 ypg).
During first year with the Pirates, Roberts mentored a unit that caught 208 passes for 1,967 yards (9.5 ypc) with seven scores, while also working with the special team's unit. Chase Sowell, a freshman in 2023, led the group in receptions (47) and receiving yards (622), while scoring one touchdown. He set personal bests during his initial campaign with seven catches against Rice and SMU and posted a pair of 100-yard receptions contests versus SMU (120) and Tulsa (105).
Senior Jaylen Johnson caught a team second-best 45 passes for 466 yards and two touchdowns. He hauled in a season-high eight passes against UTSA for 105 yards and signed an undrafted free agent contract with the San Diego Chargers in 2023.
Eastern Michigan (2022)
Helped the Eagles to a 9-4 overall mark that included a 41-27 win over San Jose State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 2022.
Serving as the pass game coordinator as well as working with the receivers and return units, he mentored three players that earned MAC All-Conference honors in returner Jaylon Jackson (first team) and receivers Hassan Beydoun (third team) and Tanner Knue (third team). Jackson, who returned 22 kickoffs for 571 yards and a touchdown, ranked in the nation's Top 20 in kickoff return touchdowns (second), kickoff return average (18th/24.8) and combined kick return yards (19th).
His receiving corps caught 244 passes for 2,911 yards with 23 touchdowns and registered an 11.93 average standing fourth in the conference. Knue led the squad with 632 receiving yards and nine scores, while standing second in receptions with 45, while Beydoun caught a team-high 49 passes for 473 yards and four touchdowns.
Tanner Knue is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dylan Drummond is currently a member of the Atlanta Falcons.
Virginia Tech (2022)
Spent three months at Virginia Tech, his alma mater, working as an offensive analyst.
Western Illinois (2019-2021)
Coached three seasons at Western Illinois University (2019-21) serving as the wide receivers coach in March 2019, before being promoted to the Pass Game Coordinator in December of 2020. He added the title of Special Teams Coordinator a year later (Dec. 2021).
The Leathernecks' 2021 fall season's offense finished first in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) and 10th nationally in passing offense (301.0 ypg) and completion percentage (65.4%), with FCS receptions leader Dennis Houston and Tony Tate rated as the top WR duo in the nation in receptions.
Western Illinois' 2021 spring season's offense finished first in the MVFC and 11th nationally in passing offense (293.5 ypg) and second in the league and 13th nationally in completion percentage (64.6%). Meanwhile, the special teams ranked fifth in the MVFC and 27th nationally in kick returns at 21.7 yards per try. Houston was selected as a HERO Sports 2021 Third Team All-American Wide Receiver and earned First Team All-MVFC accolades. He also collected MVFC Second Team All-Academic honors in back-to-back seasons after ranking first in the nation in receptions per game (8.2), 11th at the FCS level in receiving yards per game (92.3), and 14th nationally in receiving yards (1,015) in the 2021 fall season.
Tate grabbed First Team All-MVFC honors as a return specialist while adding second team accolades as wide receiver. During the 2021 spring season, he led the conference in all-purpose yards per game (129.0), was second in kick return (24.5), and ninth in total touchdowns (5). Dallas Daniels was selected Honorable Mention All-MVFC and received MVFC All-Newcomer honors in the 2021 spring season. He ranked fifth in the conference and 33rd in the nation in receptions per game (5.7), and 68th in receiving yards per game (61.3).
Dennis Houston is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Norfolk State (2017-2018)
A native of Smithfield, Va., Roberts completed two seasons on the football staff at Norfolk State University (2017-18). Wearing multiple hats, he was the program's wide receivers coach, special team's coordinator, and co-recruiting coordinator. The Spartans' 2018 team's punt return unit ranked first nationally in the FCS with an average of 21.86 yards per return. Roberts helped develop Isaiah Winstead, who ranked second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in receptions per game (4.9) and fifth in receiving yards (633) before transferring to Toledo.
Saint Joseph's College (2016)
During his stint with the Pumas, he helped sophomore Tremel Glasper earn all-conference honors after Glasper caught 64 passes for 936 yards and six touchdowns, which included separate games of 17 receptions (a SJC record) and 218 receiving yards during the 2016 season.
Earlham College (2015)
Spent the 2015 season at Division III Earlham College in Richmond, Ind., where he coordinated the team's passing game, special team's units, and strength and conditioning program in addition to serving as quarterbacks coach. As special team's coordinator, one of Roberts' pupils, Lajay Kelly, led all of Division III with seven blocked kicks. In addition, quarterback Westley Hundley earned honorable mention All-Heartland Athletic Conference (HCAC) honors while leading the Quakers in both passing and rushing yards under Roberts' tutelage.
ASA College (2014)
Roberts spent five months as assistant football coach at ASA College, a junior college located in Brooklyn, N.Y. While at ASA, Roberts coached both the varsity and junior varsity wide receivers while also acting as the co-special teams coordinator and assisting with the team's strength and conditioning program.
Smithfield High School (2013)
Roberts began his coaching career at his high school alma mater, Smithfield High School, where he served as the assistant head coach and co-offensive coordinator for the varsity football team. In all, he developed and coached three players who went on to have professional careers – Dennis Houston (Dallas Cowboys), Justin Smith (Houston Roughnecks) and Marcus Taylor (Montreal Alouettes). he was a 2021 NCAA and NFL Coaches Academy selection.
As a player:
Roberts, who earned his bachelor's degree in human development from Virginia Tech in 2012, spent five years as a member of the Hokies' football program under legendary head coach Frank Beamer. As a Hokie, Roberts was a member of three Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship teams (2008, 2010, 2011) and went to bowls all five of his years in Blacksburg, winning the 2008 Orange Bowl, 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl, and 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl. In 2010, he ranked fourth nationally in kick return average at 31.9 yards per return, which included a 98-yard touchdown return against No.5 Alabama, Sept. 5, 2009.
He left Virginia Tech as its all-time leader in both career kick return yardage (1,577) and kick return average (25.9). Also caught 96 passes for 1,363 yards and six touchdowns as a Hokie.
Family
Roberts and his wife LaTrese have three sons Dyrell, Jr., Major and Chief.
Postseason History
Coaching History
Personal Information
Roberts comes to Winston-Salem after spending the past three seasons at East Carolina, where he coached wide receivers and played a key role in one of the American Athletic Conference's most productive passing attacks. He also brings prior Atlantic Coast Conference experience and a reputation for developing dynamic, explosive skill players.
"We are really excited to add Dyrell to our coaching staff," said Coach Dickert. "He is an outstanding teacher and a genuine leader who is intentional about developing players on and off the field. Dyrell believes in what we're building at Wake Forest and wants to be part of something special, and that alignment is exactly what we look for in our program. We're excited to welcome him and his family to Winston-Salem."
Roberts was selected to the 2026 AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute, a prestigious national program designed to identify and develop future leaders in the football coaching profession.
"My family and I are incredibly grateful to Coach Dickert for the opportunity to join Wake Forest and for the trust he's placed in me," Roberts said. "From our first conversations, it was clear how special this place is and how intentional the vision is for building something sustainable and meaningful. Wake Forest values development, relationships and excellence, and I'm excited to be part of what Coach Dickert and this staff are building while working with an outstanding group of young men."
During his time at East Carolina, Roberts' wide receiver units consistently ranked among the league's most productive. In 2025, Pirate receivers combined for 423 receptions, 3,368 yards and 20 touchdowns, while in 2024 the unit helped ECU rank 27th nationally in passing offense. Roberts played a central role in the development of multiple All-Conference and All-American performers, including Anthony Smith, Winston Wright Jr, Chase Sowell, and Yannick Smith.
Prior to ECU, Roberts served as wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator at Western Illinois, where his offense led the Missouri Valley Football Conference in passing and produced multiple national leaders at the FCS level. He also held assistant coaching roles at Eastern Michigan, Virginia Tech, Norfolk State, Saint Joseph's College, Earlham College and ASA College.
A former standout at Virginia Tech, Roberts was a member of three ACC Championship teams under legendary head coach Frank Beamer and remains the Hokies' all-time leader in career kick return yardage and kick return average.
Roberts and his wife, LaTrese, have three sons: Dyrell Jr., Major and Chief.
East Carolina (2023-2025)
In 2025, Pirate receivers hauled in 429 passes for 3,545 and 22 touchdowns, led by Smith's 1,053 yards and seven touchdowns. Smith was also named the 2025 Military Bowl MVP and set a bowl record for receiving yards. Anthony Smith earned first team All-Conference honors, and Yannick Smith earned third team All-Conference honors.
In year two with ECU, Roberts' group caught 197 passes for 2,872 yards (14.6 ypc) with 21 touchdowns. Winston Wright Jr. led the team in receptions (54) and receiving touchdowns (8) while ranking third in yards (556) on his way to earning All-America and All-Conference accolades as a returner/receiver. Anthony Smith, who was an American Conference Honorable Mention selection, led the team in receiving yards (799) hauling down 41 passes and scoring six times. Second-Team All-American Conference performer Chase Sowell caught 34 passes for 678 yards with three scores. Jhari Patterson (32 for 281, 1 TD) and Yannick Smith (25 for 434, 3 TDs) rounded out the receiving corps that helped ECU rank 27th nationally in passing offense (264.0 ypg).
During first year with the Pirates, Roberts mentored a unit that caught 208 passes for 1,967 yards (9.5 ypc) with seven scores, while also working with the special team's unit. Chase Sowell, a freshman in 2023, led the group in receptions (47) and receiving yards (622), while scoring one touchdown. He set personal bests during his initial campaign with seven catches against Rice and SMU and posted a pair of 100-yard receptions contests versus SMU (120) and Tulsa (105).
Senior Jaylen Johnson caught a team second-best 45 passes for 466 yards and two touchdowns. He hauled in a season-high eight passes against UTSA for 105 yards and signed an undrafted free agent contract with the San Diego Chargers in 2023.
Eastern Michigan (2022)
Helped the Eagles to a 9-4 overall mark that included a 41-27 win over San Jose State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 2022.
Serving as the pass game coordinator as well as working with the receivers and return units, he mentored three players that earned MAC All-Conference honors in returner Jaylon Jackson (first team) and receivers Hassan Beydoun (third team) and Tanner Knue (third team). Jackson, who returned 22 kickoffs for 571 yards and a touchdown, ranked in the nation's Top 20 in kickoff return touchdowns (second), kickoff return average (18th/24.8) and combined kick return yards (19th).
His receiving corps caught 244 passes for 2,911 yards with 23 touchdowns and registered an 11.93 average standing fourth in the conference. Knue led the squad with 632 receiving yards and nine scores, while standing second in receptions with 45, while Beydoun caught a team-high 49 passes for 473 yards and four touchdowns.
Tanner Knue is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dylan Drummond is currently a member of the Atlanta Falcons.
Virginia Tech (2022)
Spent three months at Virginia Tech, his alma mater, working as an offensive analyst.
Western Illinois (2019-2021)
Coached three seasons at Western Illinois University (2019-21) serving as the wide receivers coach in March 2019, before being promoted to the Pass Game Coordinator in December of 2020. He added the title of Special Teams Coordinator a year later (Dec. 2021).
The Leathernecks' 2021 fall season's offense finished first in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) and 10th nationally in passing offense (301.0 ypg) and completion percentage (65.4%), with FCS receptions leader Dennis Houston and Tony Tate rated as the top WR duo in the nation in receptions.
Western Illinois' 2021 spring season's offense finished first in the MVFC and 11th nationally in passing offense (293.5 ypg) and second in the league and 13th nationally in completion percentage (64.6%). Meanwhile, the special teams ranked fifth in the MVFC and 27th nationally in kick returns at 21.7 yards per try. Houston was selected as a HERO Sports 2021 Third Team All-American Wide Receiver and earned First Team All-MVFC accolades. He also collected MVFC Second Team All-Academic honors in back-to-back seasons after ranking first in the nation in receptions per game (8.2), 11th at the FCS level in receiving yards per game (92.3), and 14th nationally in receiving yards (1,015) in the 2021 fall season.
Tate grabbed First Team All-MVFC honors as a return specialist while adding second team accolades as wide receiver. During the 2021 spring season, he led the conference in all-purpose yards per game (129.0), was second in kick return (24.5), and ninth in total touchdowns (5). Dallas Daniels was selected Honorable Mention All-MVFC and received MVFC All-Newcomer honors in the 2021 spring season. He ranked fifth in the conference and 33rd in the nation in receptions per game (5.7), and 68th in receiving yards per game (61.3).
Dennis Houston is currently a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Norfolk State (2017-2018)
A native of Smithfield, Va., Roberts completed two seasons on the football staff at Norfolk State University (2017-18). Wearing multiple hats, he was the program's wide receivers coach, special team's coordinator, and co-recruiting coordinator. The Spartans' 2018 team's punt return unit ranked first nationally in the FCS with an average of 21.86 yards per return. Roberts helped develop Isaiah Winstead, who ranked second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in receptions per game (4.9) and fifth in receiving yards (633) before transferring to Toledo.
Saint Joseph's College (2016)
During his stint with the Pumas, he helped sophomore Tremel Glasper earn all-conference honors after Glasper caught 64 passes for 936 yards and six touchdowns, which included separate games of 17 receptions (a SJC record) and 218 receiving yards during the 2016 season.
Earlham College (2015)
Spent the 2015 season at Division III Earlham College in Richmond, Ind., where he coordinated the team's passing game, special team's units, and strength and conditioning program in addition to serving as quarterbacks coach. As special team's coordinator, one of Roberts' pupils, Lajay Kelly, led all of Division III with seven blocked kicks. In addition, quarterback Westley Hundley earned honorable mention All-Heartland Athletic Conference (HCAC) honors while leading the Quakers in both passing and rushing yards under Roberts' tutelage.
ASA College (2014)
Roberts spent five months as assistant football coach at ASA College, a junior college located in Brooklyn, N.Y. While at ASA, Roberts coached both the varsity and junior varsity wide receivers while also acting as the co-special teams coordinator and assisting with the team's strength and conditioning program.
Smithfield High School (2013)
Roberts began his coaching career at his high school alma mater, Smithfield High School, where he served as the assistant head coach and co-offensive coordinator for the varsity football team. In all, he developed and coached three players who went on to have professional careers – Dennis Houston (Dallas Cowboys), Justin Smith (Houston Roughnecks) and Marcus Taylor (Montreal Alouettes). he was a 2021 NCAA and NFL Coaches Academy selection.
As a player:
Roberts, who earned his bachelor's degree in human development from Virginia Tech in 2012, spent five years as a member of the Hokies' football program under legendary head coach Frank Beamer. As a Hokie, Roberts was a member of three Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship teams (2008, 2010, 2011) and went to bowls all five of his years in Blacksburg, winning the 2008 Orange Bowl, 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl, and 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl. In 2010, he ranked fourth nationally in kick return average at 31.9 yards per return, which included a 98-yard touchdown return against No.5 Alabama, Sept. 5, 2009.
He left Virginia Tech as its all-time leader in both career kick return yardage (1,577) and kick return average (25.9). Also caught 96 passes for 1,363 yards and six touchdowns as a Hokie.
Family
Roberts and his wife LaTrese have three sons Dyrell, Jr., Major and Chief.
Postseason History
| Season | Bowl Game | Opponent | Result |
| 2025 | Military Bowl | Pittsburgh | W, 23-17 |
| 2024 | Military Bowl | NC State | W, 26-21 |
| 2022 | Potato Bowl | San Jose State | W, 41-27 |
Coaching History
| Seasons | School/Team | Title/Position Coached |
| 2026 | Wake Forest | The Balogh Family Football Assistant Coach for Wide Receivers |
| 2023-2025 | East Carolina | Wide Receivers |
| 2022 | Eastern Michigan | Wide Receivers |
| 2022 | Virginia Tech | Offensive Analyst |
| 2019-2021 | Western Illinois | Pass Game / Special Teams Coordinator / Wide Receivers |
| 2017-2018 | Norfolk State | Recruiting / Special Teams Coordinator / Wide Receivers |
| 2016 | Saint Joseph's College | Wide Receivers |
| 2015 | Earlham College | Pass Game / Special Teams Coordinator / Quarterbacks / Strength and Conditioning |
| 2014 | ASA College | Special Teams Coordinator / Wide Receivers / Strength and Conditioning |
| 2013 | Smithfield High School | Assistant Head Coach / Co-Offensive Coordinator |
Personal Information
- Hometown: Smithfield, Va.
- Education: BA, Human Development, Virginia Tech, 2012
- Wife: LaTrese
- Children: Sons, Dyrell Jr., Major and Chief
Football Media Availability (12/23/25)
Tuesday, December 23
Wake Forest Women's Basketball Highlights vs Gardner-Webb (Dec. 22, 2025)
Monday, December 22
Steve Forbes - Postgame Presser vs. Vanderbilt
Sunday, December 21
Steve Forbes - Postgame Presser vs. Longwood
Thursday, December 18