NC State University has begun a search for a new head football coach after dismissing Dave Doeren on Saturday, ending his 14-year tenure. The decision came one day after the Wolfpack fell to 3-4 on the season with a loss to Stanford. Doeren leaves as the program's winningest coach with a 98-74 overall record, four bowl victories, but no conference championships and no final AP Poll ranking higher than 20th.
The search marks the first time since 2012 that NC State has sought a new head coach. Early reports indicate that James Madison head coach Billy Napier is a prominent name on the Wolfpack's hot board.
Top candidate: Billy Napier
Napier, in his first season at James Madison, has guided the Dukes to a 7-2 record, though the team has dropped consecutive games to Appalachian State and Troy. Before arriving at JMU, Napier spent four years at Florida, compiling a 22-23 record and reaching as high as No. 13 in the AP Poll. His head coaching career began at Louisiana (2018-2021), where he earned two Sun Belt Coach of the Year awards, recorded three double-digit win seasons, and won two bowl games. Overall, Napier holds a 69-36 career record with a 3-2 mark in bowl games and has authored three upset victories over top-10 opponents.
A former quarterback at Furman, Napier has deep ties to the Carolinas from his playing and coaching days. His assistant coaching experience includes stints at Clemson, South Carolina State, and five seasons under Nick Saban at Alabama, where he won two national championships.
Additional candidates are under consideration, including one described as a "risky" hire who could potentially attract significant name, image, and likeness (NIL) funding. The university has not announced a timeline for a hire.
