Jake Dickert isn’t going anywhere.
Wake Forest has agreed to a new contract with its head coach, locking him in long term and giving the program a bigger financial commitment to both staff and roster support. The deal also shuts down the buzz that had Dickert tied to some of the biggest openings in the coaching market.
The move comes after a sharp run in Winston-Salem. Dickert is 17-5 at Wake Forest, including an 8-1 start this season.
The only loss has come against Miami. His first year on the job, a 9-4 debut, set the school record for wins by a first-year Wake Forest coach.
The Demon Deacons are also sitting at No. 13 in the latest College Football Playoff Rankings.
“Wake Forest University is committed to football success at the highest level and Coach Dickert has done an extraordinary job of inspiring belief among our players, fans and the entire Demon Deacon community,” Wake Forest athletic director John Currie said in a statement. “I am grateful for his and Candice's commitment and trust and especially appreciate President Rodriguez and our Board leadership recognizing that now was the time to go ahead and eliminate any outside speculation so that our team and Deacon Nation can put all our energy into the stretch run of this special season.”
With Dickert secured, attention shifts to the people helping drive this season’s surge. Offensive coordinator Rob Ezell is in his first year calling plays at the Power Four level, and Wake Forest’s offense ranks No. 9 in the sport.
Quarterback Gio Lopez has been just as central to the rise, posting an 18-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and the No. 8 QBR nationally.
Wake Forest’s next test comes Saturday at SMU, where the stakes are straightforward: the winner will move into the driver’s seat as the new favorite to reach the ACC Championship Game against Miami.
Dickert’s new deal also resets part of the coaching market. He had been a frequent name in carousel chatter after his work at Wake Forest, and his rise had made him a target for Florida State as the Seminoles looked for help stabilizing their program. Dickert’s background added to the appeal - he was elevated to head coach at Washington State in 2021 and finished with an 8-4 record there, along with three bowl games in four years.
Now that he’s off the board, Florida State’s search turns elsewhere, including former coach Jimbo Fisher. Duke’s Manny Diaz and Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham have also been mentioned as possibilities.
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Miamis ACC Path Just Got Tougher With Another QB Rising
Week 11 in the ACC brings another round of quarterback movement, and the leagues pecking order is starting to tighten. The latest review of the conferences top passers puts names like Ethan Grunkemeyer, Kevin Jennings and CJ Carr in the spotlight after a week of notable performances and a slate of games that could reshape the race down the stretch.
For Wake Forest fans, the interest is obvious because the Deacons are part of that larger quarterback conversation, and the upcoming matchup with SMU carries real weight in the standings. Both offenses have been reliable all season, and with championship implications hanging over the game, the focus now shifts to whether the new rise in the ACCs QB ranks changes the path ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Faces A Passing Test That Could Decide Its ACC Hopes
Wake Forest is staring at one of those late-season games that can say a lot about where the program really stands. SMU arrives with a 7-2 record and a passing game that has given opponents problems all season, built around a quarterback who has turned the Mustangs into one of the more dangerous aerial teams in the country. The challenge for the Demon Deacons is obvious: hold up against a spread attack with multiple receiving options and keep the game from turning into a track meet.
The stakes around this one go well beyond a single Saturday result. For Wake Forest, the ACC picture is tight enough that every conference game seems to carry its own layer of consequence, and this matchup could shape how the rest of the league race unfolds. A win would keep the path clean, while a loss would leave the Deacs needing help and sorting through a crowded logjam in the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forest Faces Its Biggest Credibility Test Yet At SMU
Wake Forest heads to Dallas with a chance to turn a strong season into something even bigger. At 8-1 and riding a six-game winning streak, the Demon Deacons are ranked 13th in the College Football Playoff rankings and suddenly find themselves in a spot where every big-stage game matters twice as much. A win over SMU would do more than keep the momentum rolling. It would strengthen Wake Forests place in the ACC title race and add real weight to the idea that this team belongs in the national championship conversation.
SMU brings plenty of resistance into the matchup, sitting at 7-2 and unbeaten at home. The Mustangs have been tough to handle in Dallas, and quarterback Kevin Jennings has been a major reason why. For Wake Forest, this is the kind of test that can either validate the season so far or leave questions hanging over how far the Deacons can really go. [Read more 🡒]