NC State Fires Head Coach Dave Doeren: Winningest Coach in School History Out After 14 Seasons
North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, announced on October 24 that Wolfpack head football coach Dave Doeren has been relieved of his duties, effective immediately. The decision came one day after the Wolfpack lost 31-28 on the road at Stanford on Friday night, dropping to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play.
"I want to thank Coach Doeren for his service and contributions to NC State, and for always representing the university with pride," athletic director Boo Corrigan said in the school's statement. "I appreciate his leadership during his 14-year tenure and the passion he brought to this role. We wish Dave, Sara and his family the best in the future." The school said a national search for its next head coach will begin immediately.
Doeren, 54, took over at NC State in 2013 and went 98-74 over 14 seasons, leaving as the winningest coach in school history and one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the FBS. He previously went 23-4 in two seasons at Northern Illinois, for a career record of 121-78. The Wolfpack reached bowl eligibility repeatedly under Doeren, including in each of the recent seasons dating back to 2020, but never posted a double-digit win season.
NC State's four losses this season have come against Virginia (34-8), Vanderbilt, Wake Forest (38-14) and Stanford, three of them in conference play. After Friday's loss, Doeren said the responsibility started with him, saying the players had not played well enough, which meant he had not had them ready.
Todd Goebbel, the Wolfpack's running backs coach and special teams coordinator, who has been on the staff since 2019, will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. His first game in charge is on October 31, when NC State hosts California. Doeren's contract ran through the end of 2029; local media have estimated the school could owe about $9.75 million in remaining base salary in a without-cause firing, a figure the school has not confirmed.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：北卡州立大学狼群队主场 Carter-Finley Stadium 比赛日航拍（资料图）。SMaloney 摄，CC BY 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。
