Jake Dickert was elevated to the position of defensive coordinator in January of 2019. Dickert originally joined the Wyoming football staff in February 2017 as safeties coach. He coached the Cowboy safeties for the 2017 and ‘18 seasons. In 2019, Dickert will switch to coach the Wyoming linebackers. He will be entering his 13th season coaching at the collegiate level in 2019.
Wyoming’s 2018 defense was among the best in the nation. The Cowboys ranked No. 19 in the nation in total defense (allowing opponents only 326.2 yards per game), were No. 25 in the NCAA in rushing defense (129.5 yards per game), ranked No. 28 in scoring defense (giving up only 22.0 points per game) and were No. 32 in pass defense (196.7 yards per game). The UW defense also ranked No. 16 in the country in fewest first downs allowed to opponents (223).
In 2018, Dickert coached senior safeties Andrew Wingard and Marcus Epps. Wingard ended his career tying for the Mountain West Conference career tackle record with 454, which also ranked him No. 2 in Wyoming school history and No. 20 in NCAA history. Wingard earned First Team All-Mountain West honors for the third consecutive season. He was also named to the preseason watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik, Bronko Nagurski and Jim Thorpe Awards in both 2017 and ‘18. Epps concluded his career as the only three-time team captain in the modern era of Cowboy Football. Epps recorded 325 career tackles to rank No. 11 in school history, and he was also one of only three national finalists for the 2018 Burlsworth Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on. Epps was selected in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Wingard played in the 2019 East-West Shrine Game and was invited to the 2019 NFL Draft Combine. He signed a free-agent contract following the 2019 NFL Draft with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Cowboy defense enjoyed an exceptional season in 2017. Wyoming’s defense ranked No. 1 in the nation in takeaways in 2017, forcing 38 opponent turnovers. The Pokes ranked No. 9 in the country in scoring defense, allowing opponents only 17.5 points per game. UW ranked No. 1 in the NCAA in fumbles recovered (18), No. 2 in the nation in interceptions (20), No. 8 in defensive touchdowns scored (4 TDs), No. 13 in pass defense (174.9 passing yards allowed), and No. 23 in total defense (335.2 total yards allowed). Dickert coached First Team All-Mountain West strong safety Wingard. Dickert’s safety tandem of Wingard and Epps led the Pokes in interceptions in 2017, with five and four interceptions, respectively.
Before arriving at Wyoming, Dickert spent the 2016 season as the safeties coach and co-special teams coordinator at South Dakota State. Earlier in his career, Dickert was a part of Bohl’s coaching staff at North Dakota State from 2008-10.
In his one season on the South Dakota State coaching staff, Dickert helped guide the Jackrabbits to the 2016 Missouri Valley Football Conference Championship and a No. 8 seed in the 2016 NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs, where they advanced to the FCS National Quarterfinals.
As defensive coordinator and linebackers Coach at Minnesota State, Mankato for the 2014 and 2015 seasons Dickert was part of a coaching staff that led the Mavericks to back-to-back Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) championships and consecutive NCAA Division II Playoff berths, earning their way to the 2014 National Championship Game. Minnesota State posted a combined record of 24-3 over that two-year span. Dickert’s 2014 defense ranked No. 2 in the nation in scoring defense (allowing opponents only 12.9 points per game), No. 4 in turnovers gained, No. 12 in pass defense efficiency and No. 15 in total defense. In 2015, the Mavericks ranked No. 5 in the nation in scoring defense (16.1 points per game), No. 3 in rushing defense, No. 7 in pass defense efficiency and No. 6 in total defense. He coached 16 All-Conference players, three First Team All-Americans and a two-time Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
In his first season as a college defensive coordinator in 2013 at Augustana, Dickert’s defense ranked No. 20 in the nation at the NCAA Division II level in scoring defense, giving up only 19.5 points per game. Augustana ranked second in the NSIC in pass defense, third in rushing defense and third in total defense. He coached five All-Conference players at Augustana.
In 2012, he served as the defensive backs coach at Southeast Missouri State. The Redhawks ranked No. 18 in the nation in turnovers gained (25 total) and No. 23 in interceptions (13 total). Southeast Missouri State ranked No. 2 in the Ohio Valley Conference in pass defense. Dickert also coached a First Team All-Conference strong safety at Southeast Missouri.
Dickert spent the 2011 season as the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach at South Dakota, where the Coyotes ranked No. 2 in the Great West Conference in fewest passing yards allowed, pass defense efficiency and interceptions. He coached three All-Conference performers while at South Dakota. On special teams, the Coyotes ranked in the Top 10 in the nation in punting average and net punting and had an individual rank in the Top 10 in punt return yards.
He joined the North Dakota State coaching staff in 2008 as a defensive graduate assistant on Bohl’s staff. In 2009 and 2010, he was elevated to serve as safeties coach for the Bison. The 2010 NDSU team advanced to the FCS National Quarterfinals.
Dickert began his college coaching career in 2007 as a defensive graduate assistant at his alma mater, Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
He played football at Wisconsin-Stevens Point from 2002-06. Dickert earned All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) honors as a wide receiver his senior season of 2006. He also was named his team’s Wide Receiver of the Year both his junior and senior seasons. UW-Stevens Point was twice ranked in the nation’s Top 25 during his playing career.
Dickert earned his bachelor of science degree in secondary math education from Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2007, and completed his master’s degree in general education, also from UW-Stevens Point in 2009.
He and his wife, Candice, have three children, daughter Rylee and sons Jett and Jace.