The Meaning of Super Bowl LX for Dave Doeren
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RALEIGH — For NC State head coach Dave Doeren, the Super Bowl is a celebration of the game he committed his life to over the years. Now preparing for his 14th season with the Wolfpack, he's mentored many players who arrived as unsung recruits and rose to the top of the NFL over the years. In Super Bowl LX, three of those success stories will try to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas marks the lone Wolfpack representative for the NFC side of things, while the New England Patriots roster includes starting center and former Rimington Trophy winner Garrett Bradbury and defensive tackle Cory Durden. That trio of ex-Wolfpack standouts being on this stage means the world to Doeren, as it represents success in his mission.
Watch Drake Thomas and Doeren discuss Super Bowl LX
A sense of pride
Super Bowl LX marks the 13th straight time that at least one Wolfpack player has been a part of a team participating in the game. For Doeren, who inherited the program in a difficult spot 13 seasons ago, it's a major point of pride, not just because of the success of the Wolfpack during that time with those players, but because his athletes are representing the school on the biggest stage.
"That's the pinnacle of our sport. The highest level, the best two teams in the world and to have representation 13 years in a row... That's awesome, man," Doeren said. "I can't even put into words what that makes me feel, but I'm super excited and proud of those guys. It's why we do what we do at this level, to try to help guys reach their dreams and that is the ultimate dream."
Unfortunately for the handful of Wolfpack alums in the game, only one team can achieve all the glory that comes with a Super Bowl ring. For Doeren, it's impossible to pick between the Patriots and the Seahawks, knowing all three players were members of his program who represented the Wolfpack culture as well as anyone to come through Raleigh over the years.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing those guys play against each other and knowing I had a part in it means a lot," the coach said.
Overcoming obstacles at the next level
All three Pack Pros participating in the Super Bowl had their fair share of ups and downs at the professional level. However, the underdog stories of the trio beating the odds and expectations set for them at NC State made any challenges the league threw their way less difficult to overcome. Thomas tore his ACL, grinded on practice squads with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Seahawks before finally getting his shot in 2024, playing 17 games.
"I'm not surprised at all that he has overextended what people think he could do in this profession," Doeren said. "Being as measurables are what they are, but he has everything else and more. I'm not surprised. I'm super happy that it did happen because over the years you've seen other guys that you've coached that you thought belonged in that league and for whatever reason that didn't happen and in his case, it's happening and more."
Doeren expects to see Thomas go head-to-head with Bradbury on a handful of plays during Super Bowl LX, especially in the run game. That matchup sparked memories of recruiting Bradbury as a high school tight end at Charlotte Christian, long before he became a Rimington Trophy winner and first-round pick.
"I was trying to rebuild a team. I was just trying to find really tough, versatile football players that could do a lot of things, knowing that I may move guys positionally over time," Doeren said. "Garrett was a guy that lifted and ate himself into being a lineman, starting on the D-line... But because of our needs, we moved him back to O-line and then he turned into a leader. Centers are leaders."
Durden marked another undrafted success story for Doeren and NC State. He joined the Wolfpack after starting his career with Florida State. He worked his way up to being a First-Team All-ACC performer in 2021, but bounced around practice squads for the first few seasons of his NFL career. Finally, he carved out a role as a solid rotational defensive tackle for New England.
"He needed a fresh start. Things for whatever reason had transpired the way they did down there and we gave him one," Doeren said. "He was a heck-of-a-player... I really think he grew up a lot, learned how to handle a lot of responsibility while he was here. A very gratitude-oriented young man. A number of times, he thanked me for different things along the way while he was here."
Super Bowl plans for the coach?
Like any other football fan, Doeren just wants to enjoy the game. He recalled growing up in the Midwest and Super Bowl Sunday being a true holiday, rather than just a championship game. While Super Bowl LX has deep meaning for Doeren, his plans for the big game sound like any other person just trying to watch football on its biggest stage.
"I sit on the couch with a lot of snacks and, obviously, some nice adult beverages around me and cheer the game on," he said with a chuckle. "I hope that the halftime show is not terrible and look forward to some good commercials. And I want to see a four-quarter game. That's what I want to see."
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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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