NC State heads into Friday night’s home opener against Richmond with a few notable changes on its 2026 depth chart, and the biggest one is right in the middle of the defense.
With AJ Richardson out for the rest of the season, Dave Doeren is expected to turn to Bailey Benson and Da'Kaari Nelson at WILL linebacker. The Wolfpack also lists Ondre Evans as the starting left cornerback, while Victor Snow now appears in both return roles on special teams.
Inside Carter-Finley Stadium, NC State gets an FCS opponent in Richmond as it looks to steady itself in Week 2.
On offense, the two-deep shows Jimarion McCrimon at left tackle, Yousef Mugharbil at left guard, Spike Sowells Jr. at center, Kamen Smith at right guard and Teague Andersen at right tackle. Hunter Provience is listed at tight end with Preston Douglas and Vander Ploog also in the mix.
The receiving group features JoJo Trader, Davion Dozier and Tyran Warren at one spot, Victor Snow backed by Ashton Locklear and Je'rel Bolder at another, and Keenan Jackson with Chance Robinson at the third. Duke Scott is listed as the starting running back, with Davion Gause and Darius Johnson behind him. At quarterback, CJ Bailey is the starter and Will Wilson is the backup.
Defensively, Joseph Adedire and Chase Bond are at end, Josiah Victor and KaTron Evans are listed at nose guard, and Isaiah Shirley with AJ Prim are at defensive tackle. Harvey Dyson III is at JACK, with KeVon Carter and Sterling Dixon also listed there. Popo Aguirre holds the middle linebacker spot, with Lacorian Hodge behind him.
The back end includes Jackson Vick at NIC, Ondre Evans at left cornerback, King Mack at strong safety, Ronnie Royal III at free safety, and Brian Nelson II at right cornerback. Ty White, Chino Aguirre, Jaren Sensabaugh, Tristan Teasdell, Brody Barnhardt, Asaad Brown Jr. and Michael Tate all appear among the listed backups and alternates in the secondary.
Special teams show Kanoah Vinesett handling kicking duties, Jackson Waller listed at punter and holder, Nick Konieczynski on kickoffs, and Aiden Arias at long snapper. Victor Snow is the return man for both punts and kickoffs.
In Other News...
NC States Receiver Problem Is Forcing A Look At New Options
NC States opener against Virginia made the wide receiver situation hard to ignore. With the top five receivers from the previous season gone, the Wolfpack had trouble creating separation and gave quarterback CJ Bailey too little help as the passing game tried to find its footing. It was the kind of early reminder that roster turnover can show up fast, especially when a new-look group is asked to carry a meaningful role right away.
So the conversation now turns to who can step forward next. Freshmen Tyreek Copper and Amiri Acker are part of that search, both bringing strong high school rsums and the sort of upside that can matter quickly if they adapt to the college game. Second-year receiver Jerel Bolder is also in the mix as NC State looks for more dependable options, and the next few weeks should tell a lot about which of those names can help stabilize a thin position group. [Read more 🡒]
NC States Identity Is Being Tested By A New College Football Reality
Virginias season-opening win over NC State came with a drive that felt almost emblematic of the sports shifting ground, one that stretched to 23 plays and finished off the Wolfpack. Beyond the result, it served as a reminder of how much college football now runs through the transfer portal, with experienced offensive lines and roster turnover helping programs retool quickly and stay competitive.
Dave Doeren has adapted to that reality in his own way, bringing transfers into the program while still leaning heavily on development as a core part of NC States identity. The challenge is that building and keeping a roster looks different now, and the Wolfpack are trying to hold onto that approach even as the market for talent keeps pulling in another direction. [Read more 🡒]
Dave Doeren Shared Why NC States 9/11 Tribute Hits So Hard
As NC State prepares for a 25th anniversary remembrance of Sept. 11, the moment has carried an especially personal weight for Dave Doeren. The Wolfpack coach used a recent press conference to explain why the date has never been just another memorial for his family, recalling how his father, Bill Doeren, was scheduled to board one of the flights hijacked that morning and only missed it because the taxi never arrived.
Doeren said he was then an assistant at the University of Montana, and he remembered the fear that settled over the family during the hours when they did not know whether Bill was safe. That kind of uncertainty gave added meaning to the programs tribute, turning what might have been a routine observance into something far more intimate for the head coach and, by extension, the team he now leads. [Read more 🡒]