NC State is done with fall camp and into game week now, and Dave Doeren’s weekly press conference offered a clear look at what he likes about this year’s Wolfpack heading into the ACC road opener at Virginia.
One of the biggest themes was leadership, and this team is taking a different route than the usual one-star model. With eight captains spread across both sides of the ball and multiple position groups, Doeren said the Wolfpack have a kind of “balanced leadership” they haven’t had before.
“I like the leadership of this team,” Doeren said. “ We have guys on both sides of the football that have words and actions.
They say the right things, and they do the right things. And they know how to communicate with each other.
They know how to demand things from each other.”
Doeren also singled out transfer linebacker Popo Aguirre, who arrived from Miami after three seasons there. Given the success Miami had last season, there was plenty of room for a player to show up with an oversized ego. Doeren said that hasn’t been the case at all.
“He came in with, I’m here to help you guys, I want to learn how we do things, and I want to add to it,” Doeren said. “And he respected what was here, but then he put his head down and just worked his tail off.”
Aguirre’s approach, Doeren said, is the same with everyone in the locker room, no matter the position or scholarship status. That attitude helped him win respect quickly and ultimately earn a spot as a team captain.
“I think guys like that, that work hard, that have humility, get a lot of respect,” Doeren said. “And that’s who he was.”
Doeren added that Aguirre understands what it takes to win and will be an anchor for the defense this season. “We’re excited he’s here, but proud of him, and the way he’s handled the move,” Doeren said.
Beyond the individual praise, Doeren said he has been encouraged by the overall growth of the team through camp. He said the group has come together well and has shown the kind of focus and communication he wants to see.
“This team was locked in, Doeren said. “Anything we’ve asked them to do is a get-to attitude, like really efficient, good communication.”
In Other News...
Dave Doeren Is Closing In On Rare NC State History
Dave Doerens run at NC State has already stretched into unusual territory for modern college football, and this fall brings another marker that underscores just how long he has been steering the program. Entering his 14th season, Doeren is closing in on a piece of school history that has stood for decades, with his current total of 165 games coached putting him on the doorstep of Earle Edwards long-standing standard.
The pace of the climb is set, too, with the Wolfpack expected to reach the tie in the eighth game of the 2026 season against California before moving past the mark the following week against Duke. For a program that has valued stability and steady success, the significance goes beyond a record book note. It is another reminder that Doerens tenure has become one of the defining stretches in NC State football history, even as the next milestone is still just ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Former NC State Standouts Are Giving Fans More To Watch This Preseason
Week 3 of the 2026 NFL preseason gave NC State fans a familiar kind of extra rooting interest, with several former Wolfpack standouts scattered across the league and getting real work in game action. Jordan Waters turned in a productive outing for the Los Angeles Rams, while Dylan McMahon drew a start at center and came away with a strong PFF grade, the kind of preseason development that can matter as roster decisions get closer.
Caden Fordham, Garrett Bradbury and Kentavius Street were among the other former NC State players to see the field and help their teams in varying roles. For Wolfpack followers, the preseason is offering more than just a glimpse of where those players landed after Raleigh - it is also a reminder of how much NC State talent continues to show up when NFL teams start sorting out their depth charts. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Bailey Knows What NC State Must Prove In The Opener
CJ Bailey has been around long enough to know the first in-conference game can say plenty about where a team stands, and the third-year NC State starting quarterback made clear this week that the opener against Virginia is about more than just getting into league play. Meeting with the media, Bailey talked through the Wolfpacks mindset, his own growth as a player and what he sees in Virginia, giving a veteran quarterbacks perspective on a game that already carries weight for both sides.
Bailey also touched on former teammates and the competitive edge that usually comes with a matchup like this, where familiar faces and fresh stakes tend to sharpen everything around the field. For NC State, the challenge is not just winning the opener but showing the kind of consistency and poise that tells the rest of the conference the Wolfpack are ready for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]