Wake Forest head coach: Who is replacing Dave Clawson?

Dave Clawson served as the Wake Forest Demon Deacons head coach from 2014 to 2024. He led the team to a 67-69 record in 11 seasons. However, Clawson surprisingly resigned from his position and moved into an advisory role on Monday.

Wake Forest did not waste any time in naming a replacement. The Athletic reported on Wednesday that former Washington State Cougars head coach Jake Dickert is set to take over.

Dickert brings four years of head coaching experience to Wake Forest. He took over as interim head coach at Washington State in 2021 before being promoted to the full-time position. With the Cougars, he held a 23-20 record and led them to three bowl games.

At only 41 years old, Dickert is still viewed as an up-and-coming head coach in college football. Before becoming a head coach at Washington State, he spent time as a defensive assistant coach at several schools, including Wyoming, Minnesota State, North Dakota State and South Dakota State.

Why did Dave Clawson choose to resign as head coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons?

Dave Clawson's resignation came as a shock. Although Wake Forest (4-8) struggled this season, Clawson's tenure was a success for the most part. He led the team to seven consecutive bowl games from 2016 to 2022. That run included Top 10 appearances in the AP Top 25 Poll, the highest AP Poll rankings in school history.

Dave Clawson spoke about his decision to resign at a news conference on Tuesday.

"You can't do something successfully, and it's not fair to the players or the institution if you're doing something that your whole heart and soul isn't into," he said. "I did not want to do this, in my perfect world I'd be having this press conference in three or four years. But I just looked at kind of where the industry is right now, and I just felt like it was time."

Dave Clawson was mulling over the decision for several weeks and decided that it was best for him and the school for him to transition into a different position. In his new role, he is expected to play a big role in fundraising for the school.