Philip Rivers is reportedly in the running to replace Dave Doeren at NC State, and the buzz around the possibility is already building.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the former Wolfpack star quarterback is expected to be part of the school’s search for its next head coach after Doeren was fired this afternoon.
“Along with the usual crop of coaches and coordinators, a name expected to be in the mix in the NC State process is former star quarterback Philip Rivers. His son, Gunner Rivers, is a highly regarded quarterback recruit committed to play there in Class of 2027.”
Pete Nakos of ON3 reported the same thing.
There’s also a bit of smoke around the idea that Rivers may already be connected to the moment. NC State donor Andy Albright posted a photo today of himself and Rivers on his plane, along with the message: “Want to grow?
Get around people who push you. ✈️🏈
Great conversations with NC State and NFL legend Philip Rivers on this trip.
#N247RU #Leadership #SuccessMindset https://t.co/ZC2BL1zZ2q”
That has only added to the growing sense that this is more than a throwaway rumor.
Rivers’ personal tie to NC State makes the fit hard to ignore. His son, Gunner Rivers, is a 4-star 2027 quarterback who is verbally committed to the Wolfpack and will be a freshman at NC State next season.
The school retired the No. 17 on November 22, 2003, and no one has worn it since. Next year, it will be on the field again, with Rivers on the back once more.
Philip told NC State he was fine with his son wearing the retired number.
There’s also the coaching angle. Rivers is currently Gunner’s head coach at St.
Michael Catholic in Fairhope, Alabama, where he has led the Cardinals for the past six seasons. Making the jump from high school head coach to college head coach is a serious leap, but Rivers has already been around another NFL job opening.
He interviewed to be the head coach of the Buffalo Bills in January.
Will Brinson’s view, as discussed on the podcast this week with Lou, was that if Joe Brady hadn’t ended up taking that job, Rivers might have been the one leading the Bills this season. That alone says plenty about how seriously some people view his football mind.
ESPN’s list of possible NC State candidates also included Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield, Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, Memphis head coach Charles Huff and South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer.
The other names on that list bring more coaching experience, but none come with the same emotional pull Rivers would bring to Raleigh. He’s the best player in NC State history and is projected to be a future Pro Football Hall of Famer. If he were to come back to coach his alma mater and his son, it would be a story tailor-made for Wolfpack fans.
The belief here is simple: if Rivers is truly interested, NC State would be wise to take the swing. The program would instantly feel a different kind of energy, and the idea of landing him would create a surge of excitement around the football program. Funding would follow, and recruits from the high school ranks and the transfer portal would be watching closely.
If NC State passes on Rivers despite real interest, it could end up looking like a massive miss. He has the football IQ, the pedigree and the passion - and he knows the Wolfpack isn’t for soft people.
In Other News...
NC States Coaching Change Comes With A Price Fans Will Notice
Baylors decision to move on from Dave Aranda after seven seasons added another major coaching change to a cycle already familiar to college football fans, and it put North Carolina State and Maryland in the same conversation for a less glamorous reason. Each school is facing a sizable financial hit tied to its coaching change, with Baylors reported buyout around $12 million, Marylands near $9.75 million, and NC States sitting at about $10.3 million.
For the Wolfpack, the numbers are a reminder that a coaching reset does not come cheaply, even before a replacement is identified. Potential candidates are already being mentioned around the sport, but for now the focus in Raleigh is on the cost of the change itself and what it means for a program trying to manage both the football search and the price tag attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
NC States Defensive Shakeup Just Raised The Stakes Even More
NC States staff overhaul kept rolling this week, and the latest move landed on the defensive side. DJ Eliot was fired after the earlier dismissals of head coach Dave Doeren and general manager Andy Vaughn, leaving the Wolfpack to reset in the middle of a difficult season and try to steady a unit that has been under heavy scrutiny.
Charlton Warren will now take over defensive play calling for the rest of the season, while Zac Roper has been shifted into a role coaching running backs and coordinating special teams. The changes come on the heels of another rough defensive showing, one in which NC State gave up 31 points and 477 yards to Stanford, a reminder of how much work remains even after the coaching shakeup. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Front Office Shakeup Just Sparked A Fascinating GM Debate
NC States football front office has already had a notable reset this fall, with general manager Andy Vaughn out after the loss to Stanford. Vaughn had been hired in February 2023 and was taking on his first GM role after working in player personnel and recruiting, so the move signals a fresh turn in how the Wolfpack wants to organize the job behind the scenes.
The opening has naturally stirred debate over who might be next to guide that side of the program. One name being floated is former Arizona Cardinals GM Steve Keim, though there has been no official confirmation that he wants the position or that NC State is ready to move in that direction. For a program looking to stabilize and sharpen its football operation, the search now becomes as interesting as the firing itself. [Read more 🡒]