Less than 24 hours after a gut-wrenching 31-28 loss to Stanford on Friday night, NC State dropped a bombshell: they fired long-time head coach Dave Doeren. The news broke Saturday, signaling a dramatic shift for the Wolfpack program that had been under Doeren’s leadership for over a decade. It was a move that clearly shows the university is ready to turn the page.
A Decade of ‘Good Enough’ Wasn’t Enough
The loss to Stanford was a tough pill to swallow, marking the Wolfpack’s fourth defeat of the season and pushing their record to 3-4. That’s a significant slide when you consider they are now just one loss away from matching their entire 2025 season total, and still a full five wins shy of reaching last year’s eight-win mark. For a program looking for more, that kind of performance just doesn’t cut it.
Doeren had been at NC State since the 2013 season, making him one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the country with a 14-year run. He only produced losing seasons three times during that span, which sounds respectable on paper. But here’s the kicker: he *never* reached 10 wins in any single season. It looks like the Wolfpack brass, specifically AD Boo Corrigan, decided they had seen enough of the “similar results” that defined more than a decade of Doeren’s tenure. Corrigan offered a classy exit, saying, “I want to thank Coach Doeren for his service and contributions to NC State, and for always representing the university with pride. I appreciate his leadership during his 14-year tenure and the passion he brought to this role.”
Who’s Stepping Up?
With Doeren out, the team wasted no time in naming his interim replacement: special teams and running backs coach Todd Goebbel. Goebbel has been with NC State since 2019, so he knows the program. However, this is a massive step up for him; he has never been a head coach in any capacity before this. It’s a trial by fire, pure and simple.
So, with Goebbel at the helm, even if it’s just for now, the Wolfpack is staring down a new chapter. Will this move ignite a spark, or is this just the first tremor of a much larger shift for NC State football? We are all watching to see what comes next for Raleigh.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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