What NC State’s AD Thinks About the Coaching Carousel

RALEIGH — It's only halfway through the season for many FBS programs, but several power conference teams, most recently Penn State, decided to move on from their head coaches.

NC State head coach Dave Doeren is in the midst of a 4-3 season, far better than the starts from some of those schools like Virginia Tech, UCLA, Oklahoma State and Oregon State. Still, the current climate and the consistent, yet somewhat underwhelming performance of NC State football caused fans to express angst and disappointment in the head coach.

Doeren's boss, director of athletics Boo Corrigan, spoke up about the new trend across college football during an appearance on the 'Wolfpack Weekly' radio show Wednesday.

What Did Corrigan Say?

Oct 11, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren walks on the field against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Corrigan has been out of the public eye since early August, working on a number of projects in the rapidly changing landscape of collegiate athletics. He used his appearance on the radio program to sound off on the ongoing coaching carousel.

"Honestly, I think there's been a little bit of a loss of dignity in what we do and firing of coaches mid-season," Corrigan said. "You've got people that truly dedicate their life to something, and if it doesn't work out, is there a need to fire them immediately? Can you look at it and say, 'Alright. What do we owe back? Are the young people buying into the coach? Are they playing hard? Do they still care about each other? Do those things matter or is it just wins and losses?

Nov 12, 2022; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack Athletic Director Boo Corrigan looks on during the second half against the Boston College Eagles at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Eagles won 21-20. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

"I always believe that the culture of the team and looking at how hard are we playing? Are they buying in? Are they locked in? You can see those things. When the players come off the field, are they here? Or are they here? Where are they in what's going on?"

Corrigan added that the team's record is better than many of the programs that have fired their coaches already. He stated that a culture of "immediate gratification" has taken over in the sports-watching society, something he's not at all wrong about. Fans have never wanted success faster than now

Weighing the Situation

With eight openings already and potentially more to come, a very active hiring cycle is expected to begin in December and January. If NC State were to move on from Doeren, the question is, where would the job in Raleigh rank compared to the many other opportunities available?

The other issue for NC State is the fact that historically, the program has never been steadier than it was under Doeren in his 13-year tenure. Could Corrigan do better in this hiring cycle and give the fan base that instant gratification it seeks? These are all questions the administration would be facing with a potential move. Sometimes, change isn't for the better either.

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