Washington State University Athletics

Brent Vernon begins his second season as the chief of staff for Head Coach Jake Dickert. Dickert and Vernon spent three seasons together (2017-19) when both worked on Craig Bohl’s staff at Wyoming. Vernon’s role at WSU includes the administrative operations of the team, including oversight of team budget, serving as liaison with the athletic administration as well as academic and Cougar medical staffs. In his first season with the Cougars, WSU earned a trip to the LA Bowl.
 
Vernon arrived in Pullman after spending the previous 13 seasons at Wyoming. Vernon was promoted to Associate A.D. for Football Operations in the summer of 2018.  He was previously promoted to the position of Assistant Athletics Director for Football Operations in the spring of 2017.  He previously served in the roles of Executive Assistant to the Head Coach and Assistant Director of Football Operations in 2012.   In 2011, Vernon served as Wyoming’s Director of Recruiting, being promoted from his previous position as the Cowboys’ offensive graduate assistant in 2009 and ‘10. 
 
In 2021, Vernon was a member of Wyoming’s victorious Famous Idaho Potato Bowl squad after Wyoming defeated Kent State, his 10th bowl game of his young career. He helped the Cowboys to the 2019 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl while helping in Wyoming’s win in the 2017 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, appearance in the 2016 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, its appearance in the 2011 Gildan New Mexico Bowl and its 2009 New Mexico Bowl Championship, as the Cowboys defeated Fresno State 35-28 in double overtime.  While a student assistant at Missouri, the Tigers appeared in four consecutive bowl games from 2005-08. 
 
While at Wyoming, Vernon coordinates a variety of administrative duties for Cowboy Football, including: planning team travel, monitoring the football budget, serving as a liaison with the academic counseling staff and helping coordinate team functions.
 
While serving as the Director of Recruiting in 2011, Vernon was responsible for coordinating all recruiting efforts for Cowboy Football, including: implementing Wyoming’s recruiting plan for the year, scheduling recruiting travel, organizing recruiting weekends, assuring compliance with NCAA rules relative to recruiting and managing the recruiting budget. 
 
Vernon was Wyoming’s offensive graduate assistant in 2009 and 2010.  He assisted with practice preparation, scout team coordination and a variety of other administrative and coaching duties for the Cowboy Offense.  He also was involved in signaling plays from the sideline on game days.  
 
Prior to Wyoming, Vernon was at the University of Missouri where he was a student assistant with the Mizzou Football program for five seasons from August 2004 to December 2008.  At Missouri, he assisted the tight ends’ coach, broke down practice and game film and prepared scouting reports.  During that five-year span, Missouri enjoyed unprecedented success.  The Tigers won the 2005 Independence Bowl over South Carolina, played Oregon State in the 2006 Sun Bowl, won the Cotton Bowl over Arkansas at the conclusion of the 2007 season and defeated Northwestern in the 2008 Alamo Bowl.  
 
Vernon completed his bachelor of science degree in business administration, with an emphasis in management, at Missouri in December of 2008.  Vernon achieved Dean’s List honors all four years of college.  
 
He and his wife, Emily, were married in the summer of 2017.  They have a son, Theo and daughter, Sophie.