NC State has fired football coach Dave Doeren, ending the longest coaching tenure in Wolfpack history less than 24 hours after a 31-28 loss at Stanford.
Athletic director Boo Corrigan announced the decision Saturday, Oct. 24, with the Wolfpack sitting at 3-4 overall and 1-3 in ACC play.
Doeren, who took over the program in 2013, compiled a 98-74 record over 14 seasons, becoming the winningest coach in NC State football history.
“I want to thank Coach Doeren for his service and contributions to NC State, and for always representing the university with pride,” Corrigan said in a 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.”
Doeren led the Wolfpack to 11 bowl selections, three Top-25 finishes and four nine-win seasons but never reached the ACC championship game or recorded a 10-win season. He was 9-4 all-time against the rival UNC Tar Heels.
NC State entered 2026 with hopes of competing for an ACC championship, but losses to Virginia, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest and Stanford have left the Wolfpack facing an uphill battle to reach bowl eligibility.
Running backs coach and special teams coordinator Todd Goebbel, who has been on the NC State staff since 2019, will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
NC State also dismissed general manager Andy Vaughn, according to WRAL reporting. Vaughn served as the Assistant Athletics Director and General Manager starting in February 2023, overseeing recruiting and personnel.
What’s next for NC State?
NC State announced that a national search for Doeren’s replacement will begin immediately.
Former Wolfpack quarterback Philip Rivers has emerged as one potential candidate. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Rivers is “a name expected to be in the mix in the NC State process.”
Rivers, who enjoyed a 17-year NFL career, currently coaches high school football at St. Michael Catholic in Alabama. His son, Gunner Rivers, is a four-star quarterback committed to NC State’s 2027 recruiting class.
Expect to hear names of a lot of other potential candidates thrown around early in the process. Names mentioned Saturday by national outlets like ESPN and CBS Sports included Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield, Memphis coach Charles Huff, Wake Forest coach Jake Dickert, Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, UNLV head coach Dan Mullen and Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines.
The Wolfpack will return to action Saturday, Oct. 31, hosting California in the first of five remaining regular-season games.
