Former NC State Assistant Lands Head Coaching Job

RALEIGH — NC State was rocked by head coach Will Wade over the last week, as he decided to leave the program to return to LSU after just one season with the Wolfpack. While he took some key members of his support staff with him back to Baton Rouge, La., he did not take all of his assistants.

One of the lead members of the coaching staff earned his first head coaching gig. Adam Howard, who served as Wade's offensive coordinator, reportedly agreed to become the next head coach for Troy men's basketball, returning to a program that he once served as an assistant coach for from 2016 to 2018.

Howard's NC State tenure and the impact on the Wolfpack

Sources: Troy is finalizing a deal to
make NC State assistant Adam Howard the school’s next head coach. He spent three seasons at Nebraska prior to NC State and has Sun Belt experience from his time at South Alabama. He was also at Troy from 2016-18, including an NCAA bid. pic.twitter.com/9C49oVBGKP
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 28, 2026

Before his lone season at NC State, Howard spent three seasons at Nebraska under Fred Hoiberg, quietly laying the foundation for the offensive juggernaut the Cornhuskers became over the past two seasons, including that program's run to the 2026 Sweet 16. Wade identified his offensive eye and chose him to be on the staff in Raleigh, helping Wade transition into a different kind of basketball.

While the Wolfpack dealt with significant defensive issues in its only year under Wade, the offense wasn't nearly as much of a problem. Howard brought a high-octane, 3-point shooting attack to NC State, built around putting sharpshooters like Paul McNeil, Matt Able and Darrion Williams in positions to feed off passing from Quadir Copeland and Williams himself.

Adam Howard, Will Wad — Mar 17, 2026; Dayton, OH, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade coaches in the first half against the Texas Longhorns during a first four game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Under Howard's watch, NC State finished as the seventh-best 3-point shooting team in the country, knocking down triples at a 38.8% clip. His schematic changes helped McNeil rise as one of the best shooters in the ACC and the country as a whole, ballooning his scoring output massively. The sophomore guard ended up tying a program record for 3-pointers made in a single season.

Howard's new gig is likely the first of several departures for members of Wade's staff at NC State. Other key assistants under Wade included defensive coordinator Brandon Chambers, assistant coach Vernon Hamilton and director of player development Joseph Anderson. It's unclear where the other members of the group will end up, as they were not on the group of planes that Wade boarded to head back to Baton Rouge, but could still end up down there with him.

Mar 16, 2026; Dayton, OH, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade speaks with the media during a practice session ahead of the first four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

There's always a chance the next head coach for NC State retains some of the current staff, but Howard won't be one of them, as he starts his first stint as a head coach in Alabama with the Trojans.