Dave Doeren has been fired as the head coach of the NC State Wolfpack following 14 seasons at the helm. The dismissal occurred on Saturday, just one day after a loss to Stanford dropped NC State’s record to 3-4 for the season.
Dave Doeren’s Tenure and Departure
Doeren leaves the program as the winningest coach in NC State history, holding a 98-74 record. During his tenure, he secured four bowl victories but did not capture any conference titles or achieve a final AP Poll ranking higher than 20th. With his departure, the university begins its first football coaching search since 2012.
Initial Candidates on the Hot Board
As reported by CBS Sports Headlines, the PackPower staff has identified James Madison head coach Billy Napier as a potential target. In his first season at JMU, Napier has led the Dukes to a 7-2 record, despite suffering consecutive losses to Appalachian State and Troy. Prior to his current post, he spent four seasons at Florida, posting a 22-23 record while reaching as high as No. 13 in the AP Poll.
Napier previously gained recognition during his tenure at Louisiana from 2018 to 2021, where he earned two Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors, recorded three seasons with double-digit wins, and won two bowl games. Throughout his head coaching career, he holds a 69-36 record with three victories against top-10 ranked opponents. A former Furman quarterback, Napier has extensive coaching and playing ties to the Carolinas, alongside coaching experience with Clemson, South Carolina State, and five seasons under Nick Saban at Alabama.
Additional candidates on the hot board include a coach described by the staff as a risky option who possesses the ability to generate significant NIL funding for the program.
The coaching search updates and the complete hot board remain accessible to subscribers on the PackPower platform.
