NC State is taking a page out of the hockey playbook for 2026, and Dave Doeren is going all in on it.
For the first time in program history, the Wolfpack will have eight players serving as either captains or assistant captains. Doeren announced Tuesday morning that quarterback CJ Bailey and seven others will handle the leadership load this season, with the setup modeled after the Carolina Hurricanes’ structure.
Bailey will be joined by running back Duke Scott, linebackers Popo Aguirre and AJ Richardson, and corner Brian Nelson II as the five captains. Scott also will wear the No. 1 jersey. Bailey is a captain for the second straight season, while the other four are in the role for the first time.
The assistant captains are receiver Keenan Jackson, offensive guard Kamen Smith and defensive tackle Isaiah Shirley.
On offense, Scott, Jackson and Smith give the Pack leadership across three different position groups. On defense, Aguirre and Richardson anchor the linebacker room, Nelson II represents the secondary, and Shirley adds another voice up front.
Doeren said the decision came after a close vote from the team and after working with leadership expert Mike Erwin, who also works with the Carolina Hurricanes, over the past two seasons.
"All eight of these men have shown great leadership through our offseason conditioning program, spring practice and fall camp and I'm proud of how all of them represent our program," said Doeren. "If you look across most organizations, there are leadership hierarchies in place.
Whether it's in the military or Fortune 500 companies, these levels are created for a reason: to empower leaders who have earned that responsibility and to train future leaders under them. It was obvious to me after speaking with Mike that this group of men has tremendous leadership value and for me to empower not only the Captains but also the Assistant Captains who also got a lot of votes from their teammates made perfect sense."
The five captains will alternate participation in the coin toss each week.
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NC State has its leadership group in place for the 2026 season, and Dave Doeren said the selections came from the players themselves. The Wolfpacks five captains are quarterback CJ Bailey, running back Duke Scott, linebackers Popo Aguirre and AJ Richardson, and cornerback Brian Nelson II, giving the team a mix of voices from both sides of the ball as it prepares for the year ahead.
Doeren also added a wrinkle the program has not used before: assistant captains. Receiver Keenan Jackson, offensive guard Kamen Smith and defensive tackle Isaiah Shirley fill those roles, a sign the staff wants even more layers of accountability and leadership around the roster as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]