After Record-Setting 9-4 Debut,
Dickert Seeks Sustained Success
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
(last updated Aug. 21, 2026)

Since the creation of the Atlantic Coast Conference more than 70 years ago, no Wake Forest football coach has finished his career with the Demon Deacons with more victories than defeats.

Perhaps Jake Dickert, a sparkling 9-4 after just one season in Winston-Salem, is going to change that.

Dickert’s two most recent Wake Forest predecessors came close.

Jim Grobe, who led the Demon Deacons to the 2006 ACC title, finished 77-82 from 2001-13. Dave Clawson, who led the Deacs to a program-record seven consecutive bowl games, finished 67-69 from 2014-24.

When Dickert won nine games in 2025, capped by a 43-29 triumph over Mississippi State in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, he set the program record for most victories by a first-year coach.

That completely unexpected accomplishment — the Demon Deacons were picked 16th (among 17 teams) in last year’s preseason media poll — felt like an endorsement of the idea that Wake Forest has chosen wisely during its football head coaching searches for the entirety of this century. The Deacons hired Grobe away from Ohio in 2001, Clawson away from Bowling Green in 2014, and Dickert away from Washington State in 2025.

Obviously, Dickert still has to prove he can be a consistent winner by Wake’s relatively modest standards, as Grobe and Clawson certainly were, but last year’s debut — which included brilliant defense, huge special-teams plays, and a lot of really high football IQ — was extremely impressive.

Remember, those nine wins included one over a really good SMU team in Winston-Salem and another over a #14-ranked Virginia squad in Charlottesville. But for an egregious officiating error, the Deacons would have defeated #16 Georgia Tech, too.

“The one thing I’ve told the team that I can’t recreate,” Dickert said, “is last year’s hunger.”

Another concern heading into this season is that Wake lost four important offensive players to the transfer portal and several more highly productive guys — on both sides of the ball — to the National Football League. (See below for the complete details.) On the other hand, Wake’s defense has as many returning starters (eight) as any offense or defense in the entire conference, and the Deacons’ defense definitely was the foundation of their success last season.

The team’s most intriguing newcomer, meanwhile, is UNC quarterback transfer Gio Lopez, who had a rough season for the Tar Heels a year ago but is being reunited in Winston-Salem with offensive coordinator Rob Ezell, who helped him to a breakout campaign at South Alabama back in 2024.

Lopez will take over an offense that has only two returning starters and lost a pair of big-time playmakers in running back Demond Claiborne (NFL) and wide receiver Chris Barnes (transfer to Oklahoma State).

“I believe in the best version of Gio Lopez, period,” Dickert said. “We can recreate that.”

Thanks largely to its apparently sturdy defensive foundation, Wake does look like a bowl-caliber team entering this season, but if the Demon Deacons are going to truly thrive for the second year in a row, they’re going to have to find and showcase a new generation of stars, with guys such as Claiborne, Barnes, wideout Sterling Berkhalter, offensive tackle Melvin Siani, safety Nick Andersen, cornerback Karon Prunty and other difference-makers now playing elsewhere.

While the Wake players and coaches have their sights set much higher, even a second straight winning season would allow Dickert to maintain the best winning percentage in modern program history.

2026 WAKE FOREST FOOTBALL

Head Coach: Jake Dickert, 2nd season (9-4 overall, 4-4 ACC, Duke’s Mayo Bowl victory)

Offensive Coordinator: Rob Ezell (2nd season with Demon Deacons, 2nd season as Deacons’ OC)

Defensive Coordinator: Scottie Hazelton (2nd season with Demon Deacons, 2nd season as Deacons’ DC)

Returning Starters/Offense (2): senior WR Carlos Hernandez, senior G George Steih

Returning Starters/Defense (8): senior DT Dallas Afalava, senior LB Aiden Hall, fifth-year DE Langston Hardy (HM All-ACC), senior CB Braylon Johnson, fifth-year DE Gabe Kirschke, fifth-year DT Zach Lohavichan, senior S Davaughn Patterson (HM All-ACC), senior CB Travon West

Returning Starters/Special Teams (2): junior K Connor Calvert, senior WR/PR Carlos Hernandez

Most Accomplished Incoming Transfers (7): fifth-year Florida International CB Brian Blades II (HM All-CUSA, 3-year starter), senior North Carolina QB Gio Lopez (23 career starts, 4,781 passing yards, 32 TD), senior Cal LB Buom Jock (2024 2nd-team All-MWC at Colorado State), senior North Dakota RB/KR Sawyer Siedl (2nd-team All-MVFC, 1,475 career rushing yards, 21 TD), fifth-year Bucknell OC John Ohnegian (2x All-Ivy, 3-year starter), fifth-year New Hampshire OT Tolu Olajide (1st-team All-CAA, 2-year starter), senior Rice LS Wyatt Freeman (3-year starter)

Other Intriguing Incoming Transfers (13): junior LSU OT Ethan Calloway, junior Miami WR Ny Carr, junior Florida RB Kahnen Daniels, junior UTEP WR Wondame Davis Jr., senior Rice WR Drayden Dickmann, senior Dayton S Vincent Firenze, fifth-year Weber State DT Matt Herron, junior New Hampshire DE DJ Johnson, junior UAB LB Tylan McNichols, fifth-year Louisville WR Antonio Meeks, senior LSU DT Sydir Mitchell, fifth-year Cal TE Landon Morris, senior Arkansas WR/PR Kam Shanks

NFL Draft Departures (2): CB Karon Prunty (fifth round, Patriots), RB Demond Claiborne (sixth round, Vikings)

NFL Free Agent Departures (4): S Nick Andersen (Rams), TE Eni Falayi (Packers), DT Jayden Loving (Bears), S Lardarius Webb Jr. (Ravens)

Key Transfer Portal Departures (5): WR/KR Chris Barnes (3rd-team All-ACC KR, HM All-ACC all-purpose), Oklahoma State; WR Sterling Berkhalter (24 career starts, 1,083 receiving yards, 5 TD), Texas; WR Micah Mays Jr. (13 career starts), Florida; LT Melvin Siani (24 career starts), Texas; DT Mateen Ibirogba (75 career tackles, 14.5 TFL), Texas Tech

2026 Wake Forest Schedule

Thurs., Sept. 3—Akron, 7 p.m. (ACCN)
Sat., Sept. 12—at Purdue, noon (FS1)
Fri., Sept. 18—Miami, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Sat., Sept. 26—at Louisville
Sat., Oct. 3—Stanford
Sat., Oct. 10—at NC State
Sat., Oct. 17—at Cal
Sat., Oct. 24—OPEN
Sat., Oct. 31—Virginia
Sat., Nov. 7—Merrimack/FCS
Sat., Nov. 14—at SMU
Sat., Nov. 21—at Georgia Tech
Sat., Nov. 28—Duke

Preseason Media Poll: Wake = 13th among 17 ACC teams
DG/NCSN Regular-Season Prediction: 7-5