Dave Doeren spent Monday looking back at the same problem that has followed his team the last two weeks: letting big leads slip into something much messier than they should be.
At his press conference, Doeren said the staff has already adjusted practice in an effort to keep the team sharper mentally for the full four quarters. The focus, he explained, is on sustaining intensity instead of letting it rise in one block and fade in another.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s challenging because when you’re going against the scout team, you know you’re not always getting a great look. Sometimes those guys don’t give you exactly the same look.
The speeds are different than what you’re going to see, particularly in this game. You know, you’re trying to emulate some guys that are not on our scout team field, but we do have good-on-good work.
And so, how we do that, and we’ve changed the order up so that we’re getting it throughout practice, not just in a block and then a bunch of scout work, so their intensity has to continue to elevate and go up towards the end of practice. And as coaches, we’ve just got to do a really good job of continuing to harp on those things.
And the players, ultimately, it comes down to them taking ownership and having accountability at doing it. You know, and each one of these guys has an opportunity to help us get better. It’s going to be a huge point from me to them and our team meeting tomorrow.
You know, and every time we’ve had areas we need to improve in, the guys have worked at it, and that’s all I’m going to keep doing is just, you know, call it brainwashing or beating the drum or whatever you want. But your points of emphasis have to really be aligned with where your weaknesses are, and for us, execution is stacking plays with 11 guys, one play at a time, and not being the guy.
It’s one thing if you get beat physically, like they’re going to be good players on the other side of the line, but not allowing a play to happen because of a lack of focus.”
The bigger issue, as the reporting around the team pointed out, is that this doesn’t look like a one-off problem. There’s a growing sense of inconsistency over the last two games, and the blown three-score leads have made that impossible to ignore.
The second-half mistakes against Appalachian State stood out, but the staff has also come under the microscope. One example was App’s onside kick, which created an unnecessary level of difficulty in closing out the game and was described as completely avoidable.
Still, the tone is different after a win. That’s always the case. The frustration lingers, but it’s easier to process when the result goes in the right column.
Now the attention turns to Louisville, and that game figures to tell a lot about whether the lessons from these last two weeks are actually sinking in.
In Other News...
NC States QB Commit Is Suddenly Worth Watching Again
A quiet stretch around NC States 2027 quarterback commit may be ending just as quickly as it began. Gunner Rivers, one of the more closely watched high school passers in the class, has been out since Week 1 with a lower-body injury, but his father and coach, Philip Rivers, said the recovery is moving in the right direction and that the young quarterback has started running again.
There is still no firm timeline for when Gunner Rivers will play again, which leaves the situation open-ended for now. Even so, the fact that he is back to running at least gives the Wolfpack another reason to keep tabs on a recruit whose development has been paused for most of the season, with a return for the final games now something both sides are hoping could happen. [Read more 🡒]
Dave Doeren Sends NC State Fans A Clear Louisville Challenge
Dave Doeren spent part of his media session this week talking about the kind of details that tend to matter in November, from tweaks to NC States practice schedule to the importance of staying locked in from one snap to the next. He also pointed to the Wolfpacks steady improvement over the season, a reminder that this group has been trying to stack small gains while preparing for another big home opportunity at Carter-Finley Stadium.
The bigger message, though, was aimed squarely at Saturdays atmosphere. Doeren made clear that Louisville is walking into what he sees as the Cardinals first true road test of the season, and he wants NC State fans to make the environment count with noise and energy from the opening whistle. For a team trying to protect home field and keep building momentum, the crowd could be every bit as important as the matchup itself. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Baileys Early Slide Is Fueling A Real NC State Debate
CJ Baileys first month of the 2026 season has brought the kind of early turbulence that can reshape a quarterbacks national standing fast. ESPNs Bill Connelly reflected that in his updated Power Four quarterback rankings, sliding Bailey from No. 16 nationally and No. 2 in the ACC in March to No. 41 overall and No. 10 in the league after four games. The numbers still show a productive arm, with 74 completions on 110 throws for 893 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions, but the weekly results have told a less settled story.
Bailey has had the sort of stretch that invites debate because each outing seems to point in a different direction. He opened poorly at Virginia, followed with a strong performance against Richmond, then had a costly late fumble at Vanderbilt before turning in solid but uneven play against Appalachian State. For NC State, the question is no longer whether Bailey has shown promise. It is whether the next stretch of the season will start to look more like his best moments, or keep the conversation focused on the inconsistency that has pulled his stock down. [Read more 🡒]