NC State fires Dave Doeren after 14 years as Wolfpack football coach following loss to Stanford
North Carolina State has fired Dave Doeren after 14 years as its football coach, announcing the decision a day after a 31-28 defeat by Stanford left the Wolfpack with a 3-4 record. The change ends a long tenure that brought regular bowl appearances, while the team’s 1-3 start in Atlantic Coast Conference play contributed to the move.
Doeren had a 98-73 record at NC State and led the team to 11 bowl games in 13 full seasons, including each of the past six. The university said it would immediately begin a national search for his replacement; running backs coach and special teams coordinator Todd Goebbel will lead the team on an interim basis for the rest of the season. NC State hosts California on Halloween.
In short
- NC State fired Dave Doeren after 14 years.
- A loss to Stanford left the Wolfpack 3-4.
- Todd Goebbel will coach on an interim basis.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
NC State can argue that a 3-4 start and 1-3 conference record show the team is falling short of its competitive aims, and that a change now gives the programme a chance to reset. After 14 years, the university may reasonably judge that regular bowl appearances and a 98-73 record no longer outweigh the case for new leadership and a fresh national search.
The case against
Doeren’s supporters can point to his 98 wins, 11 bowl appearances in 13 full seasons and six consecutive bowl trips as evidence of sustained stability and success. They may argue that dismissing a long-serving coach after a 3-4 start risks undervaluing that record and disrupting the team before the season is over.
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