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THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: WSU made it official with Dickert — before someone else did

| November 29, 2021 1:10 AM

If you got it wrong, Pat Chun …

I’ll start the fundraising to collect money for a buyout.

But am I worried about all that time on the phone, working the computer, knocking on doors, yada, yada?

Nah.

I wrote several weeks ago that I thought Jake Dickert would be a terrific head coach for Washington State, and absolutely nothing has made me change my mind.

This may sound crazy, but I’d still believe it even if the Cougs had lost to U-Dub — although you could look at the two teams and the coaches taking them into that game, and see that WSU losing would have been close to impossible.

And here’s a little inside information (even though Chun no doubt already discovered it on his coaching search) …

If he hadn’t given Jake the keys to the program, someone else would have.

If not this year, then soon.

This was not just an unknown defensive coordinator who seemed to fall into a crazy situation and handle it masterfully.

Jake Dickert was on the radar of several schools, and for good reason.

YES, WE appreciate the nice (and appropriate) things Chun and university president Kirk Schulz said about Dickert once the decision was announced.

But they were just repeating what fans, alums, players — and even the media — already knew.

Jake is ready to be a head coach, and he proved it beyond all doubt.

If there was one quote that spoke to this situation, it came from Dickert after the Cougs had thrashed Washington 40-13.

“It was a proud moment,” the coach said.

“It’s a big moment for our program and it’s a big moment for our university. And our guys did it.”

Two points there …

Dickert gave credit to the players.

He also referenced the WSU program going forward, and even what the victory meant to the overall university community.

Coaches don’t always see that big picture, but at just 38 years old, Dickert gets it.

There is an irony here that many in the Northwest might not know, or remember.

President Schulz, who had to sign off on Chun’s decision to elevate Dickert and give him five years to put his own stamp on the program, has been part of a successful rescue operation in the past.

Schulz was handed the presidency of Kansas State University in February of 2009.

The legendary coach Bill Snyder had retired three years earlier, and successor Ron Stone was a disaster.

Schulz led the effort to bring Snyder out of retirement the very same year he became president, and Snyder promptly led K-State back to a power position in the Big 12.

NO ONE is saying Dickert’s job will be easy, at least in the short term.

When Nick Rolovich was escorted off the premises in midseason, recruiting hit the bricks.

In addition to losing a terrific senior class (those guys who humiliated U-Dub in Seattle), Dickert is behind in recruiting, and potentially could have some defections from players who liked or agreed with Rolovich.

Jake will surely get very familiar with the transfer portal, and hopefully use it to help reload.

In any case, the Coug community can feel comfortable that Dickert will build a strong program — even if it takes some time and patience.

The key, though, is this …

You’ve got the right guy.

With the exception of Lincoln Riley’s sudden move to USC and Oregon’s routine recruiting strength, almost all the rest of the Pac-12 is going backwards in terms of luring talent to the conference.

That plays into the hands of Dickert and Wazzu.

WSU has never lured dozens of five-star recruits, so success in Pullman historically has come down to coaching excellence.

And now …

I believe Dickert will be the next winner to make his mark on the Palouse.

Hope so, since I don’t have time to help Chun find an extra stash of money.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

He also writes Zags Tracker, a commentary on Gonzaga basketball which is published weekly during the season.