NC State Fires Dave Doeren After 14 Seasons and Loss at Stanford

NC State fired head coach Dave Doeren on Saturday, ending a 14-season run that made him the winningest coach in program history. The school announced the decision less than a day after the Wolfpack lost 31-28 at Stanford on Friday night, Oct. 23, a result that dropped the team to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Athletic director Boo Corrigan announced the move in a school statement. "I want to thank Coach Doeren for his service and contributions to NC State, and for always representing the university with pride," Corrigan said. "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."

Running backs coach and special teams coordinator Todd Goebbel will serve as interim head coach for the rest of the season, the school said. Goebbel has been on the Wolfpack staff since 2019. The school said a national search for a permanent replacement will begin immediately.

How the day unfolded

The Wolfpack flew back from California after the Stanford loss and landed in North Carolina early on Saturday morning. Staff and team meetings were held at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, and Corrigan sent a team-wide message at 5:50 p.m. Eastern saying Doeren had been fired, according to reporting by USA TODAY Sports.

The Stanford loss was the last in a run of results that turned a hopeful season into a 3-4 start. NC State opened with a 34-8 loss at Virginia, lost at Vanderbilt on the final play, and fell 38-14 at home to Wake Forest before Friday night. Three of the four losses came against ACC opponents. Stanford, picked to finish last in the ACC, got its first win over a Power Four opponent this season in the game.

A long run that never broke through

Doeren took the job in 2013 and finished with a record of 98-74. He passed the program wins record with a victory over Miami in 2023 and led the Wolfpack to 11 bowl games. He entered this season as the fourth-longest-tenured coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision and the second-longest-tenured coach in the ACC, behind Clemson coach Dabo Swinney.

The recent record stayed steady without reaching the top of the league. NC State was bowl eligible in each of the last six seasons, dating to 2020, and won at least eight games in five of the last six years. The team finished 6-7 in 2024 and still reached the Military Bowl. This season was expected to push higher, with quarterback CJ Bailey back after throwing for 3,105 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions last year. Bailey and the offense produced less this fall, and the losses built up by late October.

What happens next

Goebbel leads the team through its last five games while the search runs. NC State is the second Power Four program to fire its coach this season. Maryland parted ways with Mike Locksley on Oct. 21. The opening will draw a wide list of candidates, and the school has time before the early signing period to name a permanent coach.