NC State Fires Head Coach Dave Doeren Following Loss to Stanford

North Carolina State has fired head coach Dave Doeren in the middle of his 14th season, the school announced Saturday.

Doeren was on the hot seat after a slow start to the season, and Friday night’s 31-28 loss to Stanford proved to be the final straw. The defeat dropped the Wolfpack to 3-4.

NC State Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan released the following statement about the decision.

“I want to thank Coach Doeren for his service and contributions to NC State, and for always representing the university with pride,” Corrigan said. “I appreciate his leadership during his 14-year tenure and the passion he brought to this role. We wish Dave, Sara and his family the best in the future.”

Running backs coach and special teams coordinator Todd Goebbel, who has been on the Wolfpack staff since 2019, will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. 

The school said a national search for Doeren’s replacement will begin immediately.

Dave Doeren was fired a day after Friday’s 31-28 loss at Stanford dropped the Wolfpack to 3-4. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images)

Doeren leaves as the winningest coach in NC State history, going 98-74 over 14 seasons and leading the Wolfpack to 11 bowl games. He was the fourth-longest-tenured coach in the FBS.

NC State entered 2026 with hopes of contending in the ACC, but the season unraveled quickly. 

The Wolfpack opened with a 34-8 loss at Virginia, lost at Vanderbilt on the final play of the game, and fell 38-14 at home to Wake Forest before Friday’s loss dropped them to 1-3 in conference play.

The decision to move on won’t come cheap. Doeren’s contract runs through 2029, and he’s reportedly owed more than $9.75 million if fired without cause.

Goebbel’s first game as interim coach comes Oct. 31, when NC State hosts California.