Wolfpack's Does Dave Doeren Drop Truth Bomb About Darian Mensah

The NC State head coach shared his feelings about the Duke quarterback.

Nov 4, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren (center) lead his team onto the field prior to a game against the Miami Hurricanes at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Duke and NC State started the season with different levels of success, but both have had early success at the most important position in football: quarterback.

The Blue Devils spent more money than any program in the country on the position, bringing in sophomore Darian Mensah to run the offense and providing him with a record-breaking NIL contract over two seasons. Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren brought back CJ Bailey after he took over as NC State's starting quarterback in his true freshman season.

Both players performed well in their first three games, although the Wolfpack went 3-0 while Duke fell to 1-2 with a loss to Tulane on Saturday. With the quarterback matchup in the spotlight, Doeren spoke about the Duke quarterback during his Monday night press conference.

Sep 6, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) runs against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the third quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Doeren's Overall Assessment

NC State hasn't faced a quarterback as talented as Mensah in the first three games of 2025. While Doeren spoke highly of Virginia's Chandler Morris, the Duke quarterback presents several different challenges for NC State's defense.

• "Their quarterback is a really good passer. He sees the field. He's got a strong arm and throws catchable balls," Doeren said.

Mensah reached 1,000 yards passing in Duke's loss to Tulane and ranks third in the country with 1,036 total passing yards. He's thrown eight touchdowns, good for 14th nationally.

Sep 6, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) throws a pass during the third quarter against Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker James Kreutz (41) and linebacker Jojo Hayden (30) at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Mensah's Biggest Strength

A major part of Mensah's game caught Doeren's eye during the Wolfpack's preparations for the Blue Devils.

• "He's very accurate, he's running, so we've got to do a great job, not only keeping him in the pocket, but if he gets out of our pocket, staying in coverage, staying on top of routes," Doeren said. "He made some really nice throws scrambling around last week."

Aug 28, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren looks on during the warmups prior to the game against East Carolina Pirates at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

The Wolfpack dealt with mobile quarterbacks in Morris and Robby Ashford for Wake Forest already this season, but neither player had the same arm that Mensah possesses. Practicing and planning for a quarterback like Mensah is a challenge because so much of his game is predicated on playing off schedule.

• "You've got to be disciplined, and you rush lanes to prevent it as much as you can, but then also in coverage to make sure that you're staying on guys so that he can't find them and create explosive plays," Doeren said.

Due to the Thursday game against Wake Forest, Doeren and his staff will have extra time to prepare for the challenges posed by Mensah. Even with the additional prep, the test will be the most difficult of the 2025 season.

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