NC State’s decision to move on from Dave Doeren after 14 seasons has opened a coaching search that could get a lot of attention for one obvious reason: Philip Rivers.
The Wolfpack’s season never really matched the expectations that followed them into October. NC State entered the year with some buzz as a possible ACC dark horse after last season’s excitement and the return of quarterback CJ Bailey.
Doeren also made it clear he believed this group had the pieces to deliver the 10-win season that had eluded him. But the losses kept piling up, starting with the opener against Virginia.
The ugly Vanderbilt result didn’t cost Doeren immediately, but Friday night’s loss to a struggling Stanford team pushed NC State to 3-4 and 1-3 in the ACC, and that proved to be the breaking point.
On Saturday evening, the Wolfpack made the change. Doeren’s run at NC State ended with a 98-74 record over 14 seasons.
The opening now creates a search worth watching, especially with NC State sitting alongside Maryland as one of the two Power 4 jobs currently available. The Wolfpack may not be the kind of program that can simply walk into a hire of a top coordinator or a Group of 6 head coach, but it does have a name that will instantly stir buzz: Rivers.
A former NC State star and longtime NFL quarterback, Rivers would make for a fascinating candidate if the school decides to go the legend route. Programs have done this before, betting on a beloved figure who understands the culture and can energize the fan base. If NC State hired Rivers, it’s fair to say fans would be behind him almost immediately.
He does have coaching experience, though only at the high school level. At St.
Michael Catholic, Rivers went 44-16 overall and 25-9 in league play. One of the more intriguing layers here is that he coached his son, Gunner Rivers, at that level.
Gunner Rivers is already committed to NC State, which only adds to the appeal of the idea. If his development continues, he could become part of the Wolfpack’s future at quarterback. The comparison to Deion Sanders’ success at Colorado with his sons is part of what makes the conversation so interesting.
NC State has plenty of work ahead, and it will almost certainly cast a wide net after spending 14 seasons with Doeren in charge. But if Rivers is willing to listen, his name is going to be one of the loudest in the entire search.
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Stanford Just Helped Spark A Stunning ACC Coaching Shakeup
A week of steady pressure on Dave Doeren turned into a stunning midseason move in Raleigh, where NC State decided to part ways with its head coach after 14 seasons. The Wolfpack had opened 2026 at 3-4, and athletic director Boo Corrigan thanked Doeren for his service and leadership as the school moved on from a long-running era that included a 98-73 overall record.
The timing makes the ripple effect especially notable for Stanford, which had just been part of the recent swing in the ACC landscape. Doerens exit also closes the book on a tenure that produced a 52-57 mark in conference play, and it leaves NC State searching for answers while the league keeps reshuffling around it. For Stanford, it is another reminder that one result can reach well beyond a single Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
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Tavita Pritchard pointed to that blend as the standard Stanford wants to build around, especially at home, where defending the field has become a clear emphasis. The performance also stood out historically for the program, even if the broader question is whether this was a breakthrough moment or the start of something more sustainable. [Read more 🡒]
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The victory pushed Stanford to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference, a meaningful step for a team trying to steady itself as the season settles into November. N.C. State made it a game late, but Stanford handled the pressure well enough to protect a result that could matter if the Cardinal are looking for a late-season surge in ACC play. [Read more 🡒]