Dave Doeren's Fourth-Down Gambles Pay Off For Wolfpack
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RALEIGH — In past seasons, NC State head coach Dave Doeren received criticism for conservative decision-making in certain moments, as well as issues managing the clock. In Friday's 21-11 win over Florida State to secure bowl eligibility, Doeren wasn't hiding from any risks. He ran toward them.
A pair of massive fourth-down plays made the difference in the game for the Wolfpack, as both plays impacted the scoreboard in one way or another. Doeren didn't need to take those chances, but he gambled and learned the benefits of taking a chance.
Trusting the Freshman
With a four-point lead early in the third quarter and his defense containing the Seminole offense with great success, Doeren faced an early gut-check opportunity. On third-and-1, he sent freshman quarterback Will Wilson out on the field for his usual short-yardage quarterback run play. Wilson dropped back to pass in a quarterback draw and then tried to run for the first down before being stuffed.
With his offense on its own 29-yard line, the veteran head coach sensed the momentum and knew what a first down would mean for his team. Wilson walked back into the field and lined up in the shotgun. The young quarterback followed a caravan led by blocking tight end Cody Hardy and blew through the contact of the FSU defense for a first down.
Will Wilson punches it in!#1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/YJHnnPIZiQ
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) November 22, 2025
The decision paid off, as NC State marched down the field and worked its way to the one-yard line after a Florida State penalty. Wilson came back on and punched it in after extending the drive earlier. It was an 8:59-minute drive for the Wolfpack. Doeren confidently explained the decision-making process after the game on the first fourth-down play.
"I thought we'd push them off the ball for two yards, and we did," he said. "Scared money can't make money. You get in a game like that, you've got to be aggressive and that's my nature... We had a good play."
The Silencer
After Florida State's punting adventures in the fourth quarter, Doeren once again faced a massive decision. With just under two minutes left in the game, the Wolfpack found itself facing a fourth-and-6 from the 12-yard line of the Seminoles. Kicking a field goal would've forced FSU to go the length of the field to score a touchdown for a chance to win. Doeren initially sent his kicking unit onto the field.
"I was trying to get them to jump off sides. It was fourth-and-6. I thought we might get them to jump offside. I wasn't going to kick the football there," he said.
Who else 🤷♂️#1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/XZ9XKoFN21
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) November 22, 2025
He sent his offense back out onto the field for the fourth-down play, this time with sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey in the shotgun. Bailey trusted his top pass catcher, tight end Justin Joly, and fired a pass into a tight window as the tight end broke toward the FSU sideline. Joly caught it and collapsed in the end zone for a touchdown to put NC State up 21-11.
While the score ended up being just insurance in the win, it helped the Wolfpack defense in the final drive by relieving some pressure and allowing them to drop back more comfortably. Because of Doeren's massive gambles, the Wolfpack will play in a postseason bowl game in December.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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