Jake Dickert has tabbed a defensive coordinator with whom he has a history of coaching under to run his defense at Wake Forest.

Scottie Hazelton will be Wake’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, the program announced Thursday afternoon.

Hazelton and Dickert spent three seasons together on the defensive staff at North Dakota State from 2008-10, which is where Dickert went from graduate assistant to safeties coach. The pair reunited at Wyoming in 2017-18, with Hazelton as defensive coordinator and Dickert as safeties coach. When Hazelton departed for Kansas State (spent one season there, in 2019), Dickert replaced him as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach.

After Hazelton left Kansas State, he spent four seasons at Michigan State as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach (2020-23).

The 51-year-old Hazelton spent this season as special assistant to the head coach for Texas. Despite the Longhorns being one of the final four teams playing for a national championship, he will not remain with the team and has already started working at Wake Forest.

“I’m honored to join Coach Dickert and be a part of the Wake Forest and Winston-Salem community,” Hazelton said through a news release. “This is a program with a clear vision and a deep commitment to excellence, and I’m excited to contribute to its growth. Coach Dickert’s leadership and the culture he is just at the beginning of building will be truly special.”

Dickert was hired in a clandestine and fast-developing search a couple of weeks ago, which saw the resignation of Dave Clawson and Dickert’s hiring all occur in a matter of a few days.

“Scottie’s defenses are always near the top of the league in creating turnovers which happens from his aggressive and disciplined style that help our players succeed,” Dickert said through a news release. “More importantly, he’s a relationship-driven leader who understands how to inspire and mentor young men. I have no doubt he’ll bring out the best in our players and elevate our defense to new heights.”

Hazelton’s other coaching stops include three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2014-16), one-year stints with Nevada, USC and Michigan Tech, a two-year run at Missouri Southern State, two years at St. Olaf, and four years at Fort Lewis to begin his coaching career.