NC State Fires Dave Doeren amid 14th Season as HC, Contract Buyout Details Revealed

NC State has fired head coach Dave Doeren following a 3-4 start to the 2026 season, the school announced Saturday.

"I want to thank coach Doeren for his service and contributions to NC State, and for always representing the university with pride," NC State athletic director Boo Corrigan said as part of the announcement. "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." 

Doeren had served as head coach of the Wolfpack since 2013 and was the fourth-longest tenured FBS coach prior to his dismissal.

NC State running backs coach and special teams coordinator Todd Goebbel will take over as interim head coach following losses to Stanford and Wake Forest.

Doeren ends his Wolfpack career with a 98-74 overall record. He's the school's all-time leader in coaching wins.

While NC State was never able to capture an ACC title during Doeren's tenure, the team still made 10 bowl game appearances.

The Wolfpack entered their 2026 campaign with high expectations after bringing back quarterback CJ Bailey, but immediately struggled to begin the year.

NC State lost two of its first three games, which including a 34-8 defeat at the hands of Virginia to open the season.

The Wolfpack eventually improved to 3-2 with wins over Appalachian State and Louisville, although Doeren's team gave up 69 combined points during a pair of losses to Wake Forest and Stanford.

NC State owns the second-worst scoring defense in the ACC this season, allowing 28.1 points per game.

The Wolfpack sit at No. 16 in the conference standings.