Washington State Cougars: Three reasons why WSU pulled the trigger on Jake Dickert
On the heels of an impressive Apple Cup win, Washington State University signed Jake Dickert to a five-year contract to be the Cougars’ next head football coach. Here are three reasons why.
Jake Dickert is now the Washington State Cougars, permanent head coach. After a 3-2 record in relief of former coach Nick Rolovich and a big Apple Cup win, WSU signed the 38-year-old to a five-year contract.
Considering there are some hot coaches on the market, the move was a little fast. I have three theories why Dickert got his contract so quickly after the regular season ended.
1. Known commodity
Over the past six weeks, the Washington State administration got to know Dickert up close and personal. They were impressed with the way he handled the team after Nick Rolovich’s termination. Dickert provided both stability and continuity. He also proved that coaching a Power-5 team wasn’t over his head, posting a 3-2 record to finish the 2021 regular season.
Sometimes it’s a matter of who you know over who you don’t.
2. Schulz’ guy
When Kirk Schulz became the Washington State University President in 2016, he inherited Mike Leach as the Cougars head football coach. For good or bad, Leach had a big personality, which sometimes overshadowed everything else.
At times Leach could be a loose cannon. Despite the prestige he and the Air Raid brought to WSU, Schulz probably wasn’t too upset when the coach left for Mississippi State in 2019.
AD Pat Chun understands that an entertaining and competitive team puts fannies in seats. Without relying on Leach’s coaching tree to continue the Air Raid, he found the next best thing Nick Rolovich and his version of the run and shoot. Chun hired him away from the University of Hawaii rather quickly. That turned out to be a mistake.
This time around, Schulz wanted a coach who was loyal to Washington State and him. This is Dickert’s first college head coaching job, and he has Kirk Schulz to thank for it.
3. Cheap
WSU’s Athletic Department is hemorrhaging money. Not as much as it was during the pandemic, but sports, especially the football team, aren’t generating money. A big name head coach wants big money. On the pay scale of P5 head coaches, Dickert, at 38 years old, with limited experience, is in the low-to-mid range.
Was it too soon?
It feels like Washington State pulled the trigger on this contract about a week early. Before I get flooded with complaints, let me start by saying Jake Dickert earned his spot. I’m not questioning whether or not he deserved the job. What I’m asking is, why so soon?
There is a huge shakeout going on in the college head coaching ranks. And as big as I thought it would be, when Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma for USC on Sunday, it was a big rock thrown in the pond with ripples that will extend for months.
The point is several coaches with more experience either are now or soon will be available. It doesn’t feel like Washington State went all out in their coaching search. For example, did they talk to Dan Mullen after he parted ways with Florida? The Palouse would be a great place to rebuild his brand without being in a pressure cooker.
Maybe Dickert’s signing came a little fast, but now he has his chance, and it’s up to him to prove he’s worth it. In the end, this might prove to be a bargain deal on an excellent young coach who will lead Washington State into a new era of success.
What do you think about Jake Dickert becoming the Washington State Cougars’ permanent head coach? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.