NC State Coach Dave Doeren Pushes Back Against Fan Backlash

RALEIGH — NC State suffered one of its most surprising losses of the Dave Doeren era, falling to Virginia Tech in front of a home crowd at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Hokies, led by interim head coach Philip Montgomery, entered the matchup as a major underdog and lacked a complete roster after several players opted to leave the program.

Doeren has been in this position before and responded well, but Saturday's loss marked a different low in terms of fan reaction. The Wolfpack fans who fill the stadium for every home game were irate after the loss, storming social media to express displeasure in the direction the program is headed.

Now in his 13th year with the Wolfpack, Doeren is likely closer to the end of his coaching career than the beginning. He's admitted as much. The veteran head coach responded to the increasing noise and backlash during his Monday press conference, but sparked more debate about his ability to lead NC State to a more prominent position in the ACC.

Sep 20, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren during the second quarter against the Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Doeren Answers Back

Back-to-back losses to conference rivals were always going to cause distress within the fan base, but the energy around the NC State program felt different in the days following the Virginia Tech loss. Doeren was asked about the "noise" around his position and the program itself and responded very honestly.

Doeren's Full Quote

"Other than having to talk to you guys, I don't know that there's noise. I know that there is because that's what our world does right now, but I don't pay attention to any of that. My job is to be focused on what's going on inside these walls with these young men. Essentially, besides being a husband and a father, my job is to recruit. My job is not to listen to you or the media or anyone else about their opinion of our program. It's to do everything I can to help these guys win the next game. That's the same thing I'm telling them."

Nov 9, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren looks on prior to the first half of the game against Duke Blue Devils at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

"You find out who your friends are. You guys all go through tough things, too. You'll find out who's loyal and who isn't during tough times. You've got to block the people out of your life that aren't that way. You don't need to read negative things. You don't need to pay attention to negative things. You control what you can and you surround yourself with people that want to do the same. My advice to anybody, not just our players, is to be in a circle of friends that promote your growth."

"You don't listen to things that people tell you that you don't ask for advice from. I'm sure they're not getting on social media asking for advice, so why pay attention to what people are saying? It's one thing to say you want us to win when we're winning and when we lose, to say you want us to leave. That's not loyalty. We're going to be loyal to the people that are loyal to us and that's these players, that's these coaches. We're going to fight together. We're going to fight hard. That's the message. These kids are going to do the same. They understand what it is. "

Dec 28, 2024; Annapolis, MD, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren reacts after a play during the first half of the Go Bowling Military Bowl at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

"That's college sports. It's pro sports, too. In Week 1, Alabama loses and everybody thought they were the worst team in college football. Now, they've gone on a run and everybody's got them in the top 10. I think it's a what have you done for me lately business and I understand we've lost two in a row, so that's how we're looked at. We've got to get back to doing things better."

Parts of the quote circulated on social media, causing more backlash against Doeren. It's clear the coach is unaffected by anything specific, but is frustrated with the fan base's reaction to the loss itself.

Following Saturday's game, Doeren reiterated multiple times his belief in Virginia Tech as a quality football team. The Hokies entered the game with three losses, two of which came to SEC opponents in South Carolina and Vanderbilt. However, the third loss came against Old Dominion at home, a loss deemed so bad, it ended Brent Pry's tenure in Blacksburg.

There's also concern that while Doeren has righted the ship in the past, it simply might not be possible in 2025. While the Week 6 game against Campbell should be an easy win in front of the home crowd, the challenges after that are significant. Three of the Wolfpack's final six opponents are currently ranked, including the No. 3 Miami Hurricanes. There's no doubt NC State will fight, but whether the Wolfpack can secure bowl eligibility and help the head coach's job security remains to be seen.

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