Jake Dickert had by no means stepped foot within the state of North Carolina earlier than he began the method of turning into the thirty third soccer coach at Wake Forest. He’d by no means labored within the Southeast both, having began his teaching profession within the Midwest earlier than making his method out to Wyoming and, most lately, Washington State.
So when the 41-year-old Dickert arrived in Winston-Salem in December 2024, he had some studying to do about life as a Southerner.
Almost three months later, he’s settling in like a real North Carolinian who loves Bojangles, is all the time in search of new barbecue spots and is pumped to have simply the place when he’s craving a candy deal with.
I’ll get to all of them however nice begin at Lexington BBQ!!#GoDeacs pic.twitter.com/BGqVkYmwGR
— Jake Dickert (@CoachDickert) January 30, 2025
“I’ve had extra Krispy Kreme than you may ever think about. I’m an enormous fan. An enormous, massive fan,” Dickert mentioned of the doughnut franchise, which was based in Winston-Salem in 1937. “My youngest, Jace, that dude will get a Krispy Kreme in entrance of him, look out. We had to try this instantly.”
However for as a lot enjoyable as Dickert is having exploring the culinary scene in his new state, there’s a job to be completed as he transitions to the ACC after three-plus years as the pinnacle coach at Washington State.
Recruiting at Wake Forest has typically been considered as a problem, contemplating the college’s small measurement, rigorous educational requirements and proximity to rivals as considered one of 4 ACC colleges within the state.
Dickert doesn’t see it that method.
“Doing all of your recruiting analysis, you’re dropped right into a hotbed of highschool soccer, in order that piece has all the time been thrilling,” he mentioned. “You may simply see that they take soccer very significantly and also you’ve acquired a bunch of nice ball coaches.
“I feel it’s going to begin in-state. (However I’ve) been at locations the place five-hour radiuses have been zero inhabitants. Right here, good lord. Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Atlanta, nearly Nashville, Richmond, D.C. — it’s simply fully completely different than our previous experiences. To have the ability to get a little bit simple windshield time, get a bag of sunflower seeds (and hit the street) — I’m able to go.”
Dickert, employed on Dec. 18 to exchange Dave Clawson, acquired a late begin and had simply 5 days within the quiet interval of the recruiting calendar earlier than the useless interval hit. It wasn’t till off-campus recruiting opened again up on Jan. 6 that he was capable of go to prospects.
By that point, nearly all of recruits in Wake Forest’s 2025 class — which ranked No. 62 nationally — had already signed beneath the earlier employees in early December. So whereas most school soccer coaches used that point to show their consideration towards Class of 2026 gamers, Dickert tweaked his plan to prioritize assembly the incoming gamers within the 2025 recruiting class.
Jerron Blackwell, a three-star prospect from close by Greensboro who was a Clawson signee, didn’t know a lot about Dickert earlier than his new coach stopped by for an in-home go to. He was impressed.
“It was loopy,” Blackwell mentioned. “That love, he picked it proper up. He got here to my home, to my aunt’s home, had a face-to-face. It was me, him. He simply got here by himself. That was actually loopy, too. Simply seeing him taking day trip, ensuring everyone’s doing effectively and maintaining the spirits excessive between the recruits, understanding that the coach that was recruiting them is now not there, I really feel like that was in all probability the very best factor he might have completed for this new recruiting class and making us really feel snug and needed there.
“He was simply very engaged and curious — it was simply his vibe. He had a very good vibe. He’s energetic.”
Dickert was drawn to the Wake Forest job due to the college’s willingness to speculate to the max of the approaching revenue-sharing cap. However challenges will stay. Wake Forest has the smallest enrollment amongst Energy 4 colleges and doesn’t have the nationwide model of a few of its rivals within the ACC, notably Clemson and Florida State.
Clawson thrived as a trainer and expertise evaluator — particularly on the quarterback place.
Dickert, too, is aware of a factor or two about diamonds within the tough.
John Mateer, his beginning quarterback at Washington State in 2024, was a three-star prospect from Texas who ranked within the 1,700s within the Class of 2022. After two years in a reserve function, Mateer final season was the one quarterback within the nation to prime 3,000 yards passing and 800 yards dashing. He transferred to Oklahoma within the offseason and would be the Sooners’ starter in 2025.
“Sensible, pushed, high-academic student-athletes are all over the place on this nation,” Dickert mentioned. “You’ve simply acquired to go discover them. I’m an enormous believer in that.
“Right here at Wake Forest, we do consider that we are able to develop gamers — and extra importantly, we’ve got to. This can by no means be a four- or five-star place. The quarterback place will probably be a premium as a result of whenever you discover and develop that man. The remainder of your group succeeds since you’re investing in a whole lot of completely different positions. So we’ll discover these guys.”
Wake Forest is considered one of 5 Energy 4 packages that don’t have a commit within the 2026 cycle. As soon as spring follow concludes in mid-April, coaches will hit the street seeking to change that.
In retaining Russ Kieselhorst, Cory Martin and Katie Bason from Clawson’s help employees — all of whom labored in recruiting and or personnel — Dickert may have loads of assist on the subject of making inroads in and round North Carolina. Kieselhost is now the assistant basic supervisor, Martin is the chief director of scouting and Bason is the director of participant personnel.
“I feel folks have seen obstacles right here at Wake Forest earlier than; we see alternative,” Dickert mentioned. “I feel it’s only a recent take a look at what we’ve got right here, the place we’re going and the way we are able to construct it out. There’s no shortcut to success. There simply isn’t. Even in as we speak’s world, at a spot like Wake, you’ve acquired to construct it the precise method. You’ve acquired to outlive the ebbs and flows. However ensuring you’re launching it the precise method has been our focus, so we’ll proceed to construct these relationships as we go.”
Three-star offensive deal with signee Aidan Martin, out of Denver, has little question Dickert will probably be simply nice on the subject of forming bonds with highschool prospects. Martin signed with Washington State in December however was granted a launch following Dickert’s departure. The extra he explored his choices as he re-opened his recruitment, the extra he felt like Wake Forest could be a pleasant match. So he reached out to Dickert and the employees to see if he might observe them to Winston-Salem, the place he’ll enroll this spring after signing with this system final month.
“If I ever want something from him, I do know I can go discuss to him,” Martin mentioned of Dickert. “You see what he did at Washington State. I do know what he’s able to.
“I feel we’ll be an important group and I do know he’s an individual that may get us there. He simply makes me excited. I’m simply actually glad to be part of this.”
(Picture courtesy of Wake Forest Athletics)
