North Carolina State University fired head football coach Dave Doeren on Saturday, one day after the program fell to a 3-4 record with a loss to Stanford. Todd Goebbel, the team’s running backs coach and special teams coordinator, was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
In a statement, Wolfpack athletic director Boo Corrigan expressed gratitude for Doeren’s contributions during his 14-year tenure, which included 98 wins and 10 bowl game appearances. Corrigan also noted Doeren’s representation of the university with pride. Doeren, who was signed through 2029 and owed more than $10 million, did not immediately comment publicly on his departure.
The firing follows a 1-3 start in Atlantic Coast Conference play and marks the second coaching change in the state this week, following Maryland’s dismissal of Mike Locksley on Wednesday. NC State’s next game is scheduled for October 31 against California.
Doeren’s Tenure and Legacy
Doeren, who joined NC State in 2013 after two seasons as head coach at Northern Illinois, led the Wolfpack to 11 bowl games in his 13 full seasons. His teams reached the postseason in each of the last six years, though the program struggled in 2024 with a 3-4 overall record. In a postgame statement after Friday’s loss, Doeren acknowledged accountability, saying, “The guys didn’t play well enough which means I didn’t have them ready.”
Under Doeren, NC State became a consistent contender in the ACC, finishing above .500 in 10 of his 14 seasons. His 98-73 record ranks as the most wins by a head coach in program history. The university did not specify a reason for the decision beyond the timing of the announcement.
Interim Leadership and Search Plans
Goebbel, who has been on NC State’s staff since 2019, will oversee the team for the remainder of the season. The school announced that a national search for a permanent replacement will begin immediately. Corrigan’s statement did not provide a timeline for the hiring process.
Potential Candidates and Former Players
Following the announcement, Philip Rivers, an eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback and NC State alum, was cited by CBS Sports’ John Talty as an “early name” under consideration for the position. Rivers, who played for NC State from 2000 to 2003, interviewed for the Buffalo Bills’ head coaching role in January and currently serves as head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama.
Rivers led St. Michael to a 12-2 record and a state semifinal appearance in 2024, following a 13-1 season in 2023. In his college career, he threw for 13,484 yards and 95 touchdowns, earning ACC Player of the Year honors in 2003 after a season with 4,491 passing yards and 34 TDs. Rivers was selected No. 4 overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft and played 18 seasons in the league before retiring in 2021. He briefly returned to play three games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2023 before retiring again.
Other candidates have not been publicly named, and the search process remains ongoing.