Andersen Defined the Belief in Coach Dickert’s During Spring
7/10/2025 8:51:00 AM | Football
“I was sold after my first phone call with Coach Dickert.” - Nick Andersen
Returning to Wake Forest for one more season as a sixth-year senior and with all the choices collegiate athletes now have at their disposal, it probably would have been easy for Andersen to take a look at other venues to finish his career, but he gave head coach Jake Dickert a chance to win him over — and he did just that.
So far it's paying off. Andersen just capped what very well might have been the best spring camp of his career and he was recognized during the Spring Showcase as the Believe Award Winner.
"Anytime you're voted on for something by your teammates, it's a huge honor," Andersen said. "That's who you do it for—you do it for the team. For them to recognize that your hard work pays off—how you deal with other people, how you come to work every single day—it's a big honor for me. It's just an incentive to work even harder."
The work started well before Spring Camp kicked off in mid-March, as Andersen put in the time with new Wake Forest strength and conditioning coach Ben Iannacchione to help prepare for his final season in the ACC.
"Number one—bigger, faster, stronger," Andersen said. "That's always been my thing. I came in a lot different than I am now, just in terms of my body, the strength in the weight room, and then my knowledge of the game that comes with experience. When you have reps, you don't even have to think about stuff—you just feel it. Experience really helps with that.
The Believe Award claimed by Andersen was one of four handed out during the Spring Showcase as part of the B.E.S.T. culture installed by Dickert and his staff. Linebacker Aiden Hall won the Energy Award, running back Demond Claiborne and defensive back Davaughn Patterson both were awarded the Strain Award and long snapper Will Cobb got the Togetherness Award. Believe-Energy-Strain-Togetherness=B.E.S.T.
"We talk about being your best and holding a standard every single day," Andersen said. "There hasn't been one day I've been here where that's not how the coaches hold you accountable. The other players hold you accountable. And so that word "energy" that's coming around—that's just because we're trying to be our very best every single day. You have to step up to the plate and be your best every single day."
There's been a lot of internal chatter on defensive backs being somewhat interchangeable and learning multiple positions — especially experienced players like Andersen and Patterson.
"Not only for me but for all the secondary guys, it helps tremendously," Andersen said. "When you know what the guy next to you is doing, you can play a little bit heavier on this side or that side depending on where your help is going to be. It's a team game for a reason. So having the ability to know what the guy next to you is doing—or even what the guy on the other side of the field is doing—really eliminates guys just getting open so quickly. We can really work together."
As offensive coordinator Rob Ezell and defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton meticulously installed their systems, it gave both sides fresh looks to see daily during Spring Camp.
"We've been seeing different stuff and new stuff every single day, and it's been very fluid," Andersen said. "They've kept us on our toes. You don't try to game plan for the offense in spring ball, but just seeing the issues they're presenting to us—it gives us a head start going into the season. So from a defensive perspective, it's been unbelievable to go against this offense."
Andersen didn't just make a decision to return to Wake Forest after the coaching change, he emphatically declared he would be a leader for change and work to leave a lasting legacy as a Demon Deacon.
"I'd credit my close family—those who had my best interest at heart," Andersen said. "The important thing was not to make an emotional decision, but to get all the information I could. I was sold after my first phone call with Coach Dickert. I knew I always wanted to stay at Wake, and he just convinced me even more. And then coming along and being a leader—I just try to be myself, honestly. I try to come to work and show guys how to work, especially being an experienced guy.
"With the locker room being new, I've tried to go out of my way to introduce myself and mix and mingle with the younger guys and the transfers. At the end of the day, you compete with them—because to me, that builds the best relationships. You compete on the practice field, and then go into the locker room and chop it up. That's the best type of team, and that's going to be why our team is going to be good this fall."
So far it's paying off. Andersen just capped what very well might have been the best spring camp of his career and he was recognized during the Spring Showcase as the Believe Award Winner.
"Anytime you're voted on for something by your teammates, it's a huge honor," Andersen said. "That's who you do it for—you do it for the team. For them to recognize that your hard work pays off—how you deal with other people, how you come to work every single day—it's a big honor for me. It's just an incentive to work even harder."
The work started well before Spring Camp kicked off in mid-March, as Andersen put in the time with new Wake Forest strength and conditioning coach Ben Iannacchione to help prepare for his final season in the ACC.
"Number one—bigger, faster, stronger," Andersen said. "That's always been my thing. I came in a lot different than I am now, just in terms of my body, the strength in the weight room, and then my knowledge of the game that comes with experience. When you have reps, you don't even have to think about stuff—you just feel it. Experience really helps with that.
The Believe Award claimed by Andersen was one of four handed out during the Spring Showcase as part of the B.E.S.T. culture installed by Dickert and his staff. Linebacker Aiden Hall won the Energy Award, running back Demond Claiborne and defensive back Davaughn Patterson both were awarded the Strain Award and long snapper Will Cobb got the Togetherness Award. Believe-Energy-Strain-Togetherness=B.E.S.T.
"We talk about being your best and holding a standard every single day," Andersen said. "There hasn't been one day I've been here where that's not how the coaches hold you accountable. The other players hold you accountable. And so that word "energy" that's coming around—that's just because we're trying to be our very best every single day. You have to step up to the plate and be your best every single day."
There's been a lot of internal chatter on defensive backs being somewhat interchangeable and learning multiple positions — especially experienced players like Andersen and Patterson.
"Not only for me but for all the secondary guys, it helps tremendously," Andersen said. "When you know what the guy next to you is doing, you can play a little bit heavier on this side or that side depending on where your help is going to be. It's a team game for a reason. So having the ability to know what the guy next to you is doing—or even what the guy on the other side of the field is doing—really eliminates guys just getting open so quickly. We can really work together."
As offensive coordinator Rob Ezell and defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton meticulously installed their systems, it gave both sides fresh looks to see daily during Spring Camp.
"We've been seeing different stuff and new stuff every single day, and it's been very fluid," Andersen said. "They've kept us on our toes. You don't try to game plan for the offense in spring ball, but just seeing the issues they're presenting to us—it gives us a head start going into the season. So from a defensive perspective, it's been unbelievable to go against this offense."
Andersen didn't just make a decision to return to Wake Forest after the coaching change, he emphatically declared he would be a leader for change and work to leave a lasting legacy as a Demon Deacon.
"I'd credit my close family—those who had my best interest at heart," Andersen said. "The important thing was not to make an emotional decision, but to get all the information I could. I was sold after my first phone call with Coach Dickert. I knew I always wanted to stay at Wake, and he just convinced me even more. And then coming along and being a leader—I just try to be myself, honestly. I try to come to work and show guys how to work, especially being an experienced guy.
"With the locker room being new, I've tried to go out of my way to introduce myself and mix and mingle with the younger guys and the transfers. At the end of the day, you compete with them—because to me, that builds the best relationships. You compete on the practice field, and then go into the locker room and chop it up. That's the best type of team, and that's going to be why our team is going to be good this fall."
Players Mentioned
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