Coach Jake Dickert has coached his final football game at Washington State University (WSU) after accepting the head coaching job at Wake Forest. Dickert, 41, had a 23-20 record in three full seasons at WSU and led the Cougars to an 8-4 record this year, their first eight-win season since 2018.
Dickert will be replaced by Assistant Head Coach Pete Kaligis as interim head coach for the Holiday Bowl. Kaligis, who is in his third year at WSU, previously coached at Wyoming and will oversee the team’s preparation for the bowl game.
WSU Athletic Director Anne McCoy stated that Dickert informed her of his decision to leave earlier this morning, after a meeting with the team on Wednesday. The search for a new head coach will begin immediately. Despite Dickert’s departure, WSU plans to participate in the Holiday Bowl and McCoy expressed confidence in the team’s abilities.
The Cougars’ 2025 schedule is largely independent, and several key players have entered the transfer portal, including quarterback Steele Pizzella, running back Jamar Searcy, and linebacker AJ Tuitele. However, McCoy assured that the team will not pull out of the Holiday Bowl despite these losses.
With Dickert’s departure, WSU joins a list of recent coaching departures, including offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and quarterbacks coach John Kuceyeski, both of whom left for Oklahoma. Defensive coordinator Jeff Schmedding was also dismissed after the regular season.
Source: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/dec/18/coach-jake-dickert-leaving-washington-state-for-wa