Former North Carolina State football coach Dave Doeren, fired over the weekend midway through his 14th season, said he leaves with 'no grudges' and he'll always be rooting for it. After being fired from NC State, Doeren spoke out for the first time in public on Tuesday, October 27.
The firing came over the weekend after a 31-28 loss to Stanford, which brought a drastic end to a tenure that saw him become the program's all-time winningest coach, yet he couldn't break through to greater success. "I've coached 32 years, and I've never been unemployed," Doeren said in a virtual news conference on Tuesday, October 27, but deflected taking questions.
"So these last few days in October, waking up with an empty calendar, with no alarm clock has been very different, to wake up on a Monday morning and not be thinking about the next game or the last game or what's going on, never in my life," Doeren said, reflecting on his routine post firing.
Doeren claimed he, along with his wife Sara, "will be cheering for N.C. State forever," adding, "I leave here with no grudges.
I completely love this place, and we want to see this program shock the world." Doeren, 54, had a 98-74 record with the Wolfpack and became the coach with the most wins in the program with a 2023 triumph over Miami. The shake-up on Saturday also saw NC State firing GM Andy Vaughn and defensive coordinator DJ Eliot.
The Wolfpack is currently headed by running backs coach and special teams coordinator Todd Goebbel as interim coach, with the team set to host California on Saturday, October 31, 2026. Reflecting further on his departure, sports analysts have noted that the sudden change reflects the immense pressure and high expectations present in modern collegiate athletics, where historic longevity does not always guarantee immunity from immediate results.
Despite the abrupt end, Doeren's legacy within the program remains deeply rooted, having shaped numerous professional careers and established a competitive standard that the university aims to maintain moving forward. As the team prepares for its upcoming matches under the interim leadership, fans and administration alike will be watching closely to see how the Wolfpack navigates the remainder of the season without their longtime leader.