Dave Doeren is OUT at NC State after 14 seasons, and the Wolfpack wasted zero time looking for his replacement. After a brutal Friday night loss at Stanford sealed his fate, the hunt is on to find someone who can finally make NC State a real threat in the ACC again. But who’s even on the radar? Well, get this: one name making huge waves is a bona fide Wolfpack legend.
Wolfpack Legend Philip Rivers: Is This The Ultimate High-Risk, High-Reward Move?
Yep, we’re talking about Philip Rivers. This dude, an NC State legend and NFL veteran, is apparently on the “hot list” for the head coaching gig. Crazy, right? He’s been coaching at St. Michael Catholic in Fairhope, Alabama since 2021, which is cool and all, but he has ZERO college coaching experience. Zip. Nada. The biggest kicker? His son, Gunner, is a 4-star QB in the 2027 class and he is ALREADY COMMITTED to NC State. Talk about stakes! Hiring Rivers isn’t just about getting a respected football mind, it’s about keeping Gunner in that Wolfpack uniform. Remember when Rivers came out of retirement for the Colts last year? There was already talk then about him eventually coaching in the NFL after his son graduated. But can he run a whole college program? That’s a total mystery. If NC State pulls the trigger on Rivers, they’d HAVE to build an ironclad support system around him, covering everything from NIL to fundraising, so he can just focus on football. It’d be a massive leap of faith, but man, imagine the buzz!
Dan Mullen: The Proven Winner Who’s Just Out of Reach?
Then there’s Dan Mullen, the current UNLV coach. This guy has a proven track record, plain and simple. He’s got UNLV crushing it in the Group of Six this year, and his phone is gonna be ringing off the hook. Mullen’s insisted he’s happy in Vegas and doesn’t wanna leave, but you know how these things go. NC State could be a perfect fit, feeling more like the Mississippi State program he built into prominence than the Florida machine where he famously struggled. Let’s not forget his resume: 69-46 over nine seasons at Mississippi State, then 34-15 at Florida (a job that’s tough for anyone), and now a solid 14-7 at UNLV. The dude wins. He’s got a winning record everywhere he’s coached. Is he the safe, experienced choice compared to Rivers? Absolutely.
So, what’s it gonna be, Raleigh? Do you swing for the fences with a Wolfpack legend who could reshape the program’s future, bringing his star QB son with him, but with a huge question mark on his college coaching ability? Or do you go for the steady, proven hand in Dan Mullen, who knows how to win at this level, even if he’s playing hard to get? This isn’t just about replacing a coach, it’s about charting a course for NC State to FINALLY get back to being an ACC contender. The pressure is ON, and whatever they decide, it’s gonna be huge for the Wolfpack!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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