How do you define good but not great? How do you define a program consistently never falling below its floor, while also never coming close to reaching its ceiling?
The answer within a college football context is easy. That’s NC State under Dave Doeren.
Or at least was. The Wolfpack announced on a busy college football Saturday that the winningest coach in school history was being let go after posting a 98–73 mark in Raleigh and seeing a once-promising campaign all but come to a close on Friday night after losing to Stanford.
“I want to thank Coach Doeren for his service and contributions to NC State, and for always representing the university with pride,” athletic director Boo 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.”
This is going to be a fascinating job opening in what has for months been pegged as a fairly low-key coaching carousel. That is subject to change depending on how hot some of the seats of other coaches get (particularly at bluebloods like Florida State, USC and several others), but overall NC State could be well positioned to find a notable upgrade on Doeren. The school is in an attractive location, with a winnable league and enough resources to be competitive on any given weekend.
So, who could the Wolfpack turn to? Here are 10 candidates who may be a fit with the program.
Jake Dickert, Wake Forest
Could NC State pluck from a Tobacco Road rival? While some in the fan base might not be thrilled at such optics, Dickert has proven he is a top-tier coach who understands the league and how to win it. While he may hold out for an SEC/Big Ten opening, it’s at least worth inquiring if he might want to move just a little west.
P.J. Fleck, Minnesota
If Doeren is a case of staying in one place too long that even the routine becomes tiring, then Fleck is kind of in a similar position after more than a decade in the Twin Cities. He’s done all he can with the Gophers and would be a perfect fit at a place like NC State. His energy level is a complete 180 from the guy he’s replacing and he could thrive in a spot that would allow him to develop a roster like he could with the Wolfpack.
Jason Eck, New Mexico
Eck’s name is going to come up for pretty much every Power 4 opening and for good reason. He’s creative offensively and the former offensive lineman has a great sense of humor that will win over a lot of fans wherever he goes. NC State seems like the perfect next job for him, but you wonder if any Big Ten openings may be worth holding out for.
Dan Mullen, UNLV
Mullen has thrived at jobs where there are not a ton of resources like at Mississippi State, and his offense would be interesting enough to get fans out to Carter-Finley Stadium. If paired with a strong general manager, this opening could allow both coach and program to take a step up.
Jeff Traylor, UTSA
While Traylor is going to be heavily connected to jobs like Baylor or TCU if they come open, the Wolfpack would be a bit of an off-the-radar type job he would be well suited for, even if it is outside the state of Texas. He’s a no-nonsense coach the administration would enjoy working with and would keep NC State in consistent contention in the ACC.
Lance Taylor, Western Michigan
Taylor has worked all over the country and for some of the best coaches in the sport and seems tailor-made for this kind of opening at the power-conference level. He’s shown his team is capable of pulling off massive upsets and winning conferences, plus his personality would be an excellent fit in Raleigh.
Philip Rivers, former NC State quarterback
Don’t gloss over this name just because he’s an alum, Rivers will have a real shot at landing the job at his alma mater. He got NFL interviews last offseason and has been honing his chops as a head coach at the high school level. His son is already committed to the program as a four-star quarterback and nothing would get the donors to open their pockets more than the successful signal-caller returning as a white knight.
Buster Faulkner, Florida offensive coordinator
Faulkner has played a big role in the Gators’ quick turnaround under Jon Sumrall and is intimately aware of what it takes to win in the ACC from his time at Georgia Tech. He will be a head coach sooner or later. The way he wants to build the program would fit in well with the ethos of NC State.
Mike Shanahan, Indiana offensive coordinator
The Curt Cignetti coaching tree is going to get a long hard look by every power-conference opening, and Shanahan would likely find this as the perfect opportunity to become a head coach at a place you know you can win at. His focus on eliminating mistakes and playing clean football should be attractive at a place that seems haunted by mistakes throughout their history.
Glenn Schumann, Georgia defensive coordinator
Schumann is going to get plenty of looks this cycle given the success he’s had with Kirby Smart and this Power 4 opening not too far from Athens, Ga., is right up his alley. The question is probably more if the Wolfpack want to go from defensive-minded head coach to another after the past decade under Doeren.
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