By the Tobacco Road Scribe
Charlotte, NC – Wake Forest football coach Jake Dickert arrived at the 2026 ACC Kickoff with a clear-eyed assessment of his program’s place in an increasingly expensive sport: The Demon Deacons may not possess the largest payroll in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but they intend to compete through player development, coaching continuity, disciplined evaluation and a stronger connection with Winston-Salem.
During a wide-ranging breakout session Friday, July 17, Dickert addressed nearly every major question surrounding his second Wake Forest team. He discussed the financial disparities reshaping college football, the challenge of building an offensive line with young players, the value of returning nearly an entire defensive coaching staff, the arrival of quarterback Gio Lopez and the lessons carried forward from a nine-win debut season.
His message was consistent throughout the session. Wake Forest cannot control what wealthier programs spend, but it can control its identity, preparation and willingness to develop players others may overlook.
“We’re a developmental program,” Dickert said. “There’s a disadvantage to doing it that way in today’s world. We don’t just get to go pull and pluck players, but we’ve got to believe and be more convicted in who we are more than ever.”
The 2026 ACC Kickoff brought all 17 conference head coaches and more than 50 players to Charlotte from July 15-17. Dickert represented Wake Forest alongside quarterback Gio Lopez and defensive leaders Langston Hardy and Davaughn Patterson.
For Dickert, the event offered an opportunity to explain how Wake Forest plans to build on a successful first season without pretending the program operates under the same financial conditions as the largest brands in the sport.
A Nine-Win Foundation, but No Victory Lap
Dickert’s first Wake Forest team finished the 2025 season with nine victories and a Duke’s Mayo Bowl championship. The Demon Deacons defeated Mississippi State 43-29 in the bowl game, with quarterback Robby Ashford producing 353 total yards and five touchdowns. The victory completed a significant turnaround after consecutive 4-8 seasons before Dickert’s arrival.
Wake Forest also finished 4-4 in ACC play, demonstrating that it could compete with the conference’s stronger teams while remaining vulnerable to inconsistency. The Demon Deacons defeated SMU and Virginia Tech, kept nationally ranked Virginia out of the end zone in a 16-9 road victory and took Georgia Tech to overtime before losing 30-29.
Dickert repeatedly described 2025 as a season of missed opportunities despite the nine victories.
“We had nine wins, but there was opportunity for more,” he said. “We’ve got to be better coaches in those moments and have the team prepared and ready to go.”
That combination of pride and dissatisfaction appears central to the program’s approach entering 2026. Dickert does not want nine wins treated as a destination. At the same time, he does not want Wake Forest to assume that last season’s success will automatically carry forward.
He called himself “cautiously optimistic” about the new team and warned that a coach’s second season can sometimes be more difficult than the first.
“I’m just a big believer that year two is always harder than year one,” Dickert said. “I don’t know why. It’s just sustaining success.”
His concern is rooted partly in experience. Dickert went 7-6 in his first full season as Washington State’s head coach before the Cougars slipped to 5-7 the following year. He later navigated the collapse of the Pac-12 before accepting the Wake Forest position in December 2024.
Those experiences have made him wary of complacency. Wake Forest may have more depth than it did at the same point last summer, but it is also younger at several positions. The task is not merely to repeat the formula from 2025. It is to determine which parts of the formula still fit.
Competing Without the Largest Payroll
The most consequential subject Dickert addressed was the financial transformation of college athletics.
Following approval of the House settlement in June 2025, participating Division I schools were permitted to share revenue directly with athletes. The initial annual cap was established at approximately $20.5 million per institution, subject to future increases. Scholarship limits were also replaced with roster limits, changing how schools allocate resources and construct teams.
Dickert was asked how Wake Forest can compete when some teams appear willing to spend far beyond the official revenue-sharing framework through a combination of institutional payments and outside name, image and likeness arrangements.
His first response was not about accounting. It was about attitude.
“The biggest thing is you’ve got to control your mindset with it,” he said.
Dickert said one of his frustrations with modern college football is the temptation to explain every defeat by citing a financial disadvantage.
“If we’re not good next year, I just get to come up here now with a free excuse and say we don’t have this and that,” he said. “Sometimes it’s hard to see who are the good coaches or who just has the best payroll.”
The comment captured a central tension in the sport. Money affects recruiting, retention, depth and access to established players. Yet Dickert does not want financial reality to become a substitute for accountability.
Wake Forest’s solution, as he described it, begins with evaluation. A program unable to sign every highly rated recruit must identify traits before they become obvious to the rest of the market.
“You’ve got to be a better evaluator,” Dickert said. “You’ve got to know what you’re looking for more than the next guy. You’ve got to find the traits that maybe aren’t there yet that you can develop.”
That approach requires patience, stability and confidence in the coaching staff. It also creates risk. Players who develop into stars can enter the transfer portal and attract lucrative offers elsewhere. Conversely, programs with greater financial resources can fill immediate needs by signing proven college players rather than waiting for freshmen to mature.
Dickert acknowledged the disadvantage but maintained that Wake Forest cannot abandon its identity simply because the market has changed.
“We’ve done a really good job of staying true to our process of identification and, more importantly, our process of development,” he said. “In two years, everyone looks at it and says, ‘Man, how did Wake Forest get this guy?’”
Young Players and a Three-Year Plan
Dickert said he presented a three-year plan when he took the Wake Forest job. The plan combines immediate competitiveness with the longer process of developing the roster.
That balance becomes especially important along the offensive line, where Wake Forest may rely on young players, including redshirt freshmen, in meaningful roles.
“A lot of people in today’s world are a little afraid that we might start two redshirt freshman offensive tackles,” Dickert said. “Just saying it out loud is scary.”
His response is to embrace rather than conceal the situation.
“Let’s lean into their strengths,” he said. “Let’s know that we’re going to reap the rewards in a couple years.”
The offensive line competition will be among the most important developments of preseason camp. Dickert mentioned established lineman Clint Richards, the positional flexibility of George Tai and the progress of Jack Hines, Ethan Elliott and other younger players.
Wake Forest’s veteran defensive front should provide a severe daily test. Dickert said there will be no easy practices or protected one-on-one periods for the offensive linemen.
“These guys just every day jump into the defense,” he said. “There is no easy day. There is no light practice.”
That physical competition creates both opportunity and danger. Dickert said the staff must find the correct balance between exposing young blockers to a veteran defense and keeping the roster healthy.
The larger objective is to understand the offense’s strengths before the opening game. Dickert said Wake Forest took too long last season to determine what it did best.
“We have to know who we are better in Game 1 than we did last year,” he said.
That process will involve identifying whether the line is best suited for gap runs, zone concepts or outside runs and then building the offense around the personnel rather than forcing players into a predetermined system.
“We’ve got to shape our offense once again to what our guys do best,” Dickert said.
Gio Lopez Brings a Different Style at Quarterback
The most visible new piece of Wake Forest’s offense is Gio Lopez, a redshirt junior quarterback who previously played at South Alabama and spent time at North Carolina.
Wake Forest lists Lopez at 6 feet and 203 pounds. He entered spring practice as a leading candidate to replace Ashford and showed his dual-threat ability with a rushing touchdown during the program’s spring showcase.
Dickert described Lopez as an “elite pocket passer,” noting that the phrase is not always associated with a quarterback of his height.
“He’s very comfortable in control of the huddle — in the way he speaks it, the way he sees it, the way he controls protections,” Dickert said.
Lopez gives Wake Forest the possibility of a more consistent drop-back passing game while preserving a quarterback-running component. Dickert emphasized, however, that the coaching staff must protect him better than he was protected in previous stops.
“When you really study the tape, he was hit more than any player in college football,” Dickert said. “We know his strengths. We know his toughness.”
Dickert does not want Lopez to approach the position as though every victory depends on him creating a spectacular play.
“You don’t have to win a game by yourself,” Dickert said. “Go do what we ask you to do. Be really successful, be tough and physical and demanding, and it’s amazing what you can accomplish at that position.”
The coach also praised Lopez’s personality. He said the quarterback enters the facility smiling, loves football and has fully embraced the Wake Forest program.
“He’s really authentic to himself,” Dickert said. “The best leaders in this world are. He’s not trying to be someone else. He’s not trying to chase the ghost of the past.”
Lopez’s relationship with offensive coordinator Rob Ezell could accelerate the transition. Dickert said the two interacted like “long-lost brothers” when reunited and that Lopez responds well to demanding coaching.
“He owns the past,” Dickert said. “He hasn’t run from the past. The past has shaped him, and he’s ready to write another chapter in his story.”
Defense Provides Stability and Leadership
While the offense searches for its best combination, the defense enters the season with greater continuity.
Dickert said Wake Forest did not lose a single defensive assistant after the 2025 season. He credited that stability with helping retain veteran players who wanted to continue working together.
“Those guys are elite teachers, unbelievable coaches, great schematically,” Dickert said. “Then those players looked at each other and said, ‘Let’s do this together one more time.’”
The defense’s returning production could become the team’s most dependable advantage. Langston Hardy, Davaughn Patterson, RuShaun Tongue and other experienced players form the core of a unit that helped Wake Forest win close, low-scoring games last season.
Dickert singled out Tongue, a safety who played only two games because of injury, as a significant returnee.
“Ru is an all-conference safety, in my opinion,” he said. “That’s like getting another starter back.”
The coach also expressed confidence in a linebacker room led by players such as Aiden Hall. Dickert called Hall the catalyst of the team’s leadership group.
The spring injuries to Hall and several other veterans created practice opportunities for younger linebackers. Rather than viewing those absences only as setbacks, Dickert believes the additional repetitions strengthened the unit’s depth.
“We’re going to leverage it,” he said. “We’re going to play a lot of guys again.”
Cornerback remains one of the more unsettled defensive areas. Dickert praised Deuce Blades II and Rashad Williams while also mentioning the return of players who missed portions of spring practice.
The staff believes it has enough talent in the room, he said, but preseason camp must reveal which players can handle game-day pressure.
“It’s going to be a really intense, competitive battle,” Dickert said.
Leadership Means Holding the Door Open
Dickert repeatedly returned to leadership as a daily action rather than a ceremonial title.
He cited veteran defenders who voluntarily teach schemes to younger players when coaches have not required them to be present. He compared effective leadership to walking through a door and holding it open so others can follow.
“Great leaders, when they walk through a door, they keep the door open,” Dickert said. “They don’t close it and not want other people to achieve the same things.”
That belief appears in the way Wake Forest teaches players to communicate with one another. Dickert said coaches discuss how each player wants to be coached and how individuals respond differently to criticism, encouragement and pressure.
The goal is not to lower expectations. It is to deliver coaching in a way the player can receive and apply.
Dickert praised Hardy for learning more about young defensive ends by working beside them during demanding summer workouts. A player may know a teammate socially, the coach explained, but strenuous practices reveal how that teammate responds to fatigue and adversity.
That knowledge allows veteran players to lead more effectively.
“We’ve got a really strong leadership group on this team,” Dickert said. “We’ve got to leverage that.”
The emphasis also reflects Dickert’s broader coaching philosophy. Asked whether he treats players differently at the Power Four level than he treated athletes at smaller schools, he answered firmly that he does not.
“We love them tough. We coach them hard. We believe in them,” he said. “We speak that belief into existence, and we’re there for them on their worst days. I think that’s coaching.”
Lessons From Narrow Margins
Wake Forest’s 2025 season provided Dickert with examples of both resilience and inconsistency.
The overtime loss to Georgia Tech was one of the most painful. Wake Forest attempted a two-point conversion that could have won the game, but Ashford’s pass was intercepted at the goal line.
Dickert said the team refused to seek sympathy and responded by winning at Virginia Tech the following week.
The lesson was not merely how to recover from failure. The team also had to learn how to respond to success.
Wake Forest’s victory over SMU was followed by what Dickert called a “dud” against Florida State.
“Failure is an easy motivator,” he said. “Success has to be the same thing, and you’ve got to stay very humble in your approach.”
The SMU victory nevertheless remains one of the defining results of Dickert’s first season. He called it one of the ugliest games he had coached, while adding that ugly games become beautiful when a team finds a way to win.
What stayed with him was the absence of finger-pointing. The defense did not blame the offense. The offense remained patient. The special teams unit delivered when the game reached its decisive moment.
“Our team never wavered,” Dickert said. “They made the play when it mattered.”
The game reinforced how narrow the margins are within the ACC. One field goal, one turnover or one failed assignment can separate a contender from a middle-of-the-pack team.
Dickert said ball security will be among the most important steps if Wake Forest is to improve on its 4-4 conference record.
“We’ve got to take care of the football,” he said. “First and foremost, that’s one of the biggest things that we did not do last season.”
Special Teams as a Program Identity
Dickert began his coaching career with extensive defensive and special-teams responsibilities, and those experiences continue to shape his approach as a head coach.
He expressed confidence in returning kicker Connor Calvert, whom he described as a freshman All-American who has become bigger and stronger rather than resting on his early success.
“Anytime you have elite confidence in your kicker, that’s a great place to be as a head coach,” Dickert said.
Wake Forest also added Australian punter Ethan Hines, who is expected to contribute to the team’s rollout punting schemes.
Dickert said special teams offer a coach the unusual opportunity to work with players from every position group. That involvement can strengthen the coach’s connection with the full roster while emphasizing the importance of less-publicized roles.
He also said Wake Forest will continue searching for strategic advantages through aggressive and unconventional special-teams decisions.
“We look for edges,” he said. “We’re going to be aggressive. We’re going to do different things that are really outside the box.”
Specialists, Dickert added, must know their head coach believes in them. He makes a point of knowing them by name and communicating his confidence directly.
“That breeds confidence in them,” he said.
Building a Stronger Bond With Winston-Salem
Dickert’s program-building vision extends beyond recruiting and game planning.
He said one of his primary missions is to strengthen the connection between Wake Forest football and Winston-Salem. The coach wants team logos to be visible throughout the community and residents to see the Demon Deacons as their home team.
“We need Winston-Salem,” Dickert said.
Wake Forest players and coaches were scheduled to participate in community activities following the ACC Kickoff, including youth events and public appearances. Dickert said approximately 3,000 “Built in the Dark” shirts had already been distributed through camps, clinics and other community programs.
He connected service to humility.
“I think humility comes from action and from serving others,” he said.
The relationship is not intended to operate in only one direction. Wake Forest will serve and engage with residents, but Dickert also wants the community to fill Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium.
The program drew an average announced home attendance of 29,433 during the 2025 season. Wake Forest’s stadium has a capacity of roughly 31,500, though Dickert used the figure of approximately 36,000 while speaking broadly about the need for full stands.
“We need [the stadium full] every week,” he said. “That’s the new challenge for Wake Forest football.”
The distinction matters at a smaller private university. Wake Forest cannot rely exclusively on a massive alumni base or statewide brand recognition. Attendance, recruiting energy and program visibility depend heavily on winning the support of the Triad.
Dickert said the staff has spent considerable time building relationships with North Carolina high school coaches, particularly those in the Winston-Salem area.
“We always wanted to put some respect on the ‘WF’ in North Carolina,” he said.
Recruiting the Region and Fighting “Logo Power”
Wake Forest’s location is one of the advantages that attracted Dickert after years of coaching in less densely populated recruiting territories.
He spoke warmly about previous stops in Fargo, North Dakota; Laramie, Wyoming; and Pullman, Washington, but said Winston-Salem provides access to a deeper regional talent base.
“To be in this area of the country and the recruiting bases, you’ve got to lean into the advantage of who we are,” he said.
Wake Forest will continue to recruit within its core territory even as revenue sharing and NIL opportunities expand the range of possible targets.
Dickert said the program is entering recruiting conversations it could not access a year earlier. Wake Forest’s 2026 signing class was reported as the program’s highest-rated class in the 247Sports era, an indication that the staff has begun to broaden its reach.
Still, Dickert expects Wake Forest to fight what he called “logo power” — the built-in appeal of programs with larger fan bases, more national championships or more prominent brands.
“We always will,” he said.
His answer is to make Wake Forest’s value clear: player development, relationships, education, coaching stability and an opportunity to build something rather than simply join something already established.
The process requires constant progress.
“We need to continue to move the needle to be better at this point next year than we are now,” Dickert said.
Why Dickert Still Coaches
Near the end of the session, Dickert was asked a basic but revealing question: Why does he coach?
His answer moved beyond the usual references to competition, family and love of football, although he acknowledged each of those factors.
“There’s no competitive atmosphere in the world like this,” Dickert said. “To sit in these rooms, to be at the practices, to mentor and motivate and lift people up — you don’t get that in life.”
Dickert began his coaching career in 2007 and has worked at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, North Dakota State, South Dakota, Southeast Missouri State, Augustana, Minnesota State, South Dakota State, Wyoming, Washington State and Wake Forest. The 2026 season will be his 18th in coaching, and the moves required by that climb have shaped his appreciation for stability.
He said Winston-Salem has given his family a place that feels like home after 10 moves.
The responsibility of leading a program also energizes him. He understands that his decisions affect not only players but assistant coaches, staff members and their families.
“It’s an awesome pressure,” he said. “I have our coaching staff’s families in my hands and in my decisions. I love that.”
Dickert added that he does not expect to coach for another 30 years. For now, however, he remains drawn to the daily challenge.
“Some days are hard,” he said. “But that really energizes me to say, ‘Let’s do this.’”
Wake Forest’s Next Test
The Demon Deacons enter 2026 with a stronger foundation than they possessed a year earlier. Dickert has a nine-win season, a bowl championship, coaching stability, veteran defensive leadership and a quarterback whose passing ability may expand the offense.
They also face substantial questions.
Can an inexperienced offensive line develop quickly enough? Can Lopez remain healthy and avoid the punishment he absorbed earlier in his career? Can Wake Forest repeat last season’s defensive success while replacing contributors at selected positions? Can the Demon Deacons handle success more consistently? And can a developmental program retain its best players in an environment where wealthier teams can continually shop for proven talent?
Dickert did not offer guarantees. Instead, he returned to preparation, identity and accountability.
Wake Forest must take care of the football. It must determine what its players do best before the first game. Veterans must bring young players with them. Coaches must develop rather than complain. The university must deepen its relationship with Winston-Salem, and the community must respond by filling the stadium.
Most of all, the program must resist the temptation to measure itself only by the money other schools possess.
Dickert openly acknowledged that Wake Forest remains in what he considers the lower of three competitive brackets within the ACC. His objective is to move the Demon Deacons upward.
“We’ve got a plan to go do that,” he said. “I think our people are more energized than ever.”
The path will not be easy, and the financial realities of college football will not disappear. Wake Forest’s 2026 season will test whether a program built on evaluation, development, continuity and belief can continue to close the gap.
The season will reveal whether Dickert’s second team can turn last year’s progress into something sustainable — and whether “Built in the Dark” can become more than a slogan in Winston-Salem.