Dickert was introduced as Wash St football coach; 3-2 provisional

WASH, Rinse. – Jake Dickert was introduced Thursday as the new head coach of the Washington State soccer team and vowed to “bring the Pac-12 championship back here to Pullman, Washington.”

Dickert was promoted last week from interim coach after the Cougars beat rivals Washington 40-13 in the annual Apple Cup game in Seattle.

“My main goal is to re-energize and refocus on our program,” Dickert said during a press conference with former WSU coaches Mike Price and Jim Walden in front of an audience. “We’re going to have a lot of success.”

Dickert is a small-town Wisconsin product, and says the rural Pullman “fits in for me. I’m excited about getting to the roots.”

Dickert recorded a 3-2 record after he was appointed interim coach following Nick Rolovich’s dismissal on October 18.

Dickert, 38, was promoted from defensive coordinator after Rolovich and four assistant coaches were fired for refusing to respond to a state request for staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or exempted.

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Dickert has agreed to a five-year contract, the school announced. Terms were not disclosed.

Washington State (7-5, 6-3 Pac-12) has qualified for a bowl game and will find out Sunday where the team comes out on top.

Athletics director Pat Chun was asked how important winning the Apple Cup was in removing the temporary trademark from Dickert’s title.

“Apple Cup is the big moment,” Chun said, pointing to hundreds of Washington State fans celebrating midfield at Husky Stadium while the Cougars lifted the Apple Cup trophy.

Chun said the decision to keep Dickert was “quite obvious in the way the team operates.

Dickert said he will evaluate the existing team of assistant coaches and decide who will be retained. He said he expected to hire a defensive coordinator, rather than do the job himself.

“Washington State needs a real head coach,” he said.

Dickert also said he would consider various attack plans, not just run and shoot, installed by Rolovich.

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“Players are more than turns,” said Dickert, adding that the offense will bring out the talents of full-back Jayden de Laura, who has blossomed this year as a sophomore.

Dickert thanked his family for the sacrifices it made, noting that at one point it moved eight times in nine years as he climbed the training ladder.

He also thanked his players for being together during a controversial season over Rolovich’s vaccination status.

“Everybody comes together,” said Dickert. “Seven weeks ago, we said we had to write our own story.”

The Cougars will emphasize hiring in Washington state, he said.

He also challenges “every wheat farmer in Whitman County” and “everyone on the Fortune 500 Coug list” and every alumni in between to support the program, which faces economic challenges because of its remote location.

Dickert has never worked as a head coach in any of his previous stops. He came to Washington State from Wyoming, joining Rolovich’s staff when he was hired ahead of the 2020 season. Dickert worked at Wyoming for three seasons under mentor Craig Bohl, the first two seasons. He worked as a full-back coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator for the Cowboys.

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Prior to his time at Wyoming, Dickert attended several colleges including South Dakota State, Minnesota-Mankato State, Augustana, Southeast Missouri State, South Dakota, and North Dakota State.

Since taking over as interim coach, Dickert has treated his opportunity as an interview.

Under Dickert’s lead, the Cougars this season have seen an increase in points (6.5 points per game) and total fouls (36.4 meters per game), while allowing fewer points. and the total number of fouls committed by the opponent.

Cougar’s defense has been a big flash this season, leading the Pac-12 with 27 points, while also second in the Pac-12 in terms of revenue margin.

Dickert played wide receiver at Wisconsin-Stevens Point from 2002-06. He earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary math education from Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2007, and completed his master’s degree in general education, also from UW-Stevens Point in 2009.

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Dickert and his wife, Candice, have three children, daughter Rylee and sons Jett and Jace.

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