The WSU Cougars’ coaching search came to an end one day after their season finished.
WSU hired South Dakota State’s Jimmy Rogers as its next head football coach, the school announced Saturday. Rogers agreed in principle to a five-year contract, according to the release.
The school will hold a press conference to introduce Rogers as its 35th head coach the week of Jan. 6-10.
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Rogers spent the past 12 seasons and nearly all of his coaching career at South Dakota State, serving in various roles while working his way up from position coach to head coach at this alma mater. He became the program’s head coach in 2023 and led the Jackrabbits to their first FCS championship and an unbeaten 15-0 record in his debut season. South Dakota State went 12-3 and reached the FCS semifinals this year.
Rogers, a Chandler, Arizona, native, previously served as a graduate assistant, linebackers coach, defensive coordinator and associate head coach at South Dakota State. He joined the staff as a graduate assistant in 2010 and spent two years as a graduate assistant at Florida Atlantic before returning to the Jackrabbits as a linebackers coach in 2013. He became the co-defensive coordinator in 2019 and took over the defense full time in 2022.
Rogers played linebacker for the Jackrabbits, earning two all-conference selections.
Under Rogers, South Dakota State led the FCS in scoring defense the past two seasons and amassed a 29-game winning streak, the third-longest in FCS history.
The 37-year-old Rogers is set to replace Jake Dickert following the former Cougars coach’s departure for the same position at Wake Forest. Dickert went 23-20 and 0-2 in bowl games during his four years in Pullman.
Rogers will take over a depleted roster at WSU after a slew of players entered the transfer portal, including standout quarterback John Mateer and leading rusher Wayshawn Parker. Thirty-three Cougars have entered the transfer portal, according to 247Sports.
WSU went 8-5 this season and reached the Holiday Bowl, falling 52-35 to No. 22 Syracuse on Friday night.
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