The WSU Cougars coaching search appears to be complete one day after the season ends.

According to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberig and Chris Low, the Cougars will hire South Dakota State’s Jimmy Rogers as their next head coach. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic also reported on the expected hire. The deal is expected to close soon.

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Rogers spent the last 12 seasons and nearly his entire coaching career at South Dakota State, serving in a variety of roles and working his way up from position coach to head coach at that alma mater. He became the program’s head coach in 2023 and led the Jackrabbits to their first FCS championship and an undefeated record of 15-0 in his debut season. South Dakota State went 12-3 and reached the FCS semifinals this year.

Rogers, a native of Chandler, Arizona, previously served as a graduate assistant, linebackers coach, defensive coordinator and associate head coach at South Dakota State. He joined the team as a graduate assistant in 2010 and spent two years as a graduate assistant at Florida Atlantic before returning to the Jackrabbits as linebackers coach in 2013. He became co-defensive coordinator in 2019 and took over defense full-time in 2022.

Rogers played linebacker for the Jackrabbits and received two all-conference selections.

Under Rogers, South Dakota State led the FCS in scoring defense the last two seasons and posted a 29-game winning streak, the third-longest in FCS history.

The 37-year-old Rogers is expected to replace Jake Dickert after the former Cougars coach took the same position at Wake Forest. Dickert went 23-20 and 0-2 in bowl games in his four years at Pullman.

Rogers will take over a depleted roster at WSU after a number of players entered the transfer portal, including standout quarterback John Mateer and leading rusher Wayshawn Parker. According to 247Sports, 33 Cougars have entered the transfer portal.

WSU went 8-5 this season and reached the Holiday Bowl, falling 52-35 to No. 22 Syracuse on Friday night.

More on WSU Cougars football

• Jake Dickert makes a statement to Coug Nation after leaving WSU
• Klatt: The WSU Cougars QB transfer shows the system is “completely broken.”
• Former WSU Cougars coach Dickert likes Wake Forest’s stability

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