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NC State all-time winningest coach Dave Doeren reflects on historic milestone

On3 imageby:Ethan McDowell•11/05/23•

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Dave Doeren
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-USA TODAY Sports

NC State coach Dave Doeren has officially etched his name into the program’s record books with a bright red sharpie. He is the winningest head coach in Wolfpack history. 

At some point earlier in his NC State tenure, other programs were trying to hire him away. He mulled those offers over but, after thoughtful consideration, he decided to stay in Raleigh with the goal of one, and eventually reaching this milestone sat prominently in the front of his mind.

He achieved that goal Saturday night when his team held Miami without a touchdown and walked out of Carter-Finley Stadium with a 20-6 victory— win No. 78 for Doeren with the Wolfpack. 

“When I came back and met with the team, met with the staff, one of the things that I said was ‘I’m here, and I want to win the record, I want to be the winningest coach in NC State football history. That matters to me.’”

After the game, Wolfpack athletic director Boo Corrigan presented Doeren with a jersey with the head coach’s name and No. 78 on the back, recognizing the momentous accomplishment. Earle Edwards, who manned NC State’s sidelines for 17 seasons, previously held the record. 

Doeren recorded career win No. 100 during last week’s triumph over Clemson. He started his head coaching career at Northern Illinois in 2011. He reflected on the past 13 seasons after the game, sharing his message for a younger Dave Doeren. 

The Wolfpack’s all-time wins leader said he would tell himself find God earlier in his life and surround himself with people who make him better. Over his recent years with the program, special assistant to the head coach Ruffin McNeil helped Doeren tremendously.

“Having Ruff along my side has been a pivotal point for me, just to be able to sit in that chair in his office and sometimes laugh but oftentimes just talk about the day,” Doeren said.  

Payton Wilson, another critical member of Doeren’s NC State tenure. He developed into the leader of the Pack during his six seasons in Raleigh, and no one sings the graduate linebacker’s praises louder than his head coach. 

NC State started recruiting when he during his sophomore yeah at Hillsborough (N.C.) Orange High. They spent the past 8 years building a relationship, so Wilson and the rest of the team were very excited about the record-breaking milestone.  

“As a team, that’s what we played for today,” Wilson said. “We love coach Doeren. He’s an amazing coach. He’s  an amazing players coach, and we’d fight for him to the end of the day. Him getting that record, it probably meant more to us than it did him.”

Doeren plans on celebrating this win with his family and some close college friends. This milestone is the culmination of 11 seasons in Raleigh, 2 as the head whistle at Northern Illinois and 16 years as an assistant coach, so he had penalty of thank you’s to extend.

“I’m very proud of all of the coaches that have been here with me throughout this and the players that have been here with me throughout this,” Doeren said. “It’s an 11-year thing, so it’s not me, it’s everybody, and I’m very thankful and looking forward to what’s next.”

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