RALEIGH – NC State has fired head football coach Dave Doeren after 14 seasons, ending the longest coaching tenure in program history less than 24 hours after the Wolfpack suffered a 31-28 loss at Stanford.
Athletic director Boo Corrigan announced the decision Saturday, with Doeren relieved of his duties effective immediately. NC State enters the remainder of the 2026 season with a 3-4 overall record and a 1-3 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
"I want to thank Coach Doeren for his service and contributions to NC State, and for always representing the university with pride," Corrigan said in a statement. "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."
Todd Goebbel, who has served as NC State's running backs coach and special teams coordinator, will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Goebbel has been on the Wolfpack staff since 2019.
The university said a national search for Doeren's replacement would begin immediately.
The dismissal brings an abrupt end to an era defined by sustained competitiveness but an inability to deliver the conference championships and breakthrough seasons that have long eluded the Wolfpack.
Doeren, who arrived in Raleigh before the 2013 season following a successful tenure at Northern Illinois, leaves as the winningest head coach in NC State football history with 98 victories.
His teams recorded 10 winning seasons and reached bowl eligibility in 11 of his 14 years. NC State won at least eight games in five of the previous six seasons, including an 8-5 finish in 2025.
But the program never reached 10 victories in a season under Doeren, leaving the 2002 team led by quarterback Philip Rivers as the only 10-win squad in school history.
The Wolfpack also failed to capture an ACC championship during his tenure.
Doeren's most successful teams came close to establishing new benchmarks. NC State finished 9-4 in 2017 and 2018, went 9-3 in 2021 and posted another 9-4 campaign in 2023. Each of those seasons matched the second-highest victory total in program history.
The consistency represented a substantial improvement from the beginning of Doeren's tenure.
NC State went 3-9 during his first season in 2013 before rebounding to finish 8-5 the following year. The Wolfpack subsequently became a regular postseason participant, developing a reputation for competing against some of the ACC's strongest programs.
Yet the program struggled to turn that stability into championship contention.
The challenges became more pronounced as college football entered an era increasingly shaped by the transfer portal and name, image and likeness compensation.
Following an 8-5 season in 2025, NC State invested heavily in retaining quarterback CJ Bailey but lost several important offensive contributors.
Running back Hollywood Smothers transferred to Texas, wide receiver Noah Rogers departed for Alabama, offensive tackle Jacarrius Peak joined South Carolina and receiver Terrell Anderson moved to Southern California.
The roster turnover created additional challenges for a program attempting to maintain its competitive position in the ACC.
The 2026 season began with hopes of another winning campaign but quickly became uneven.
NC State managed an upset victory over Louisville but struggled against other Power Four opponents. Friday's loss at Stanford dropped the Wolfpack below .500 and ultimately proved to be Doeren's final game.
The Cardinal accumulated 477 yards of offense in the victory, including 303 passing yards and four touchdowns from quarterback Davis Warren.
The defeat left NC State with four losses through seven games and facing the possibility of its second losing season in three years.
The coaching change also carries substantial financial implications.
According to reporting by Rodd Baxley of the Fayetteville Observer, Doeren is owed approximately $9.75 million for the three years remaining on his contract if dismissed without cause.
That obligation comes as NC State prepares to enter a competitive coaching market while continuing to navigate the financial demands of modern college football.
The university's decision also reflects the expectations surrounding a program that has enjoyed sustained success without capturing the ACC championship its supporters have sought.
Doeren's 98 victories represent a significant achievement in NC State history. His teams reached bowl games regularly, produced four nine-win seasons and established a level of consistency that few previous Wolfpack coaches matched.
But the absence of a 10-win campaign or conference title remained a defining limitation.
Now, the responsibility for taking that next step will fall to a new head coach.
Goebbel inherits a team that still has five regular-season games remaining and an opportunity to recover from its disappointing start.
For NC State, the coaching search represents a major decision about the program's future.
The Wolfpack must find a coach capable of preserving the foundation Doeren established while delivering the championship-level results that remained beyond his reach.
After 14 seasons of stability, NC State is preparing for a new direction.
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