Wake Forest Hires Jake Dickert as Football Coach

Wake Forest University has appointed Jake Dickert as the new head football coach, succeeding Dave Clawson, who recently resigned after 11 seasons. Dickert, who previously led Washington State to a 23-20 record over four years, is expected to revitalize a struggling program that has gone 4-8 in the past two seasons following the departure of star quarterback Sam Hartman. Although Dickert does not have significant ties to North Carolina, he brings a wealth of experience from various coaching positions, including defensive coordinator roles and head coaching stints at lower-tier programs. Meanwhile, the university also announced the dismissal of Randi Smart from her position as head volleyball coach after six seasons, citing the need for a change due to the program's trajectory, despite some recent successes. Smart leaves the program with a 77-88 overall record, having never led the team to the NCAA tournament. The decisions mark a new chapter for Wake Forest athletics as they seek improvement in both football and volleyball.