NC State coach Dave Doeren: ‘We’re asking for your support’
NC State is known for boasting one of the best environments in all of college football. The Wolfpack routinely sell out Carter-Finley Stadium and 56,919 screaming fans have helped make it an intimidating place to play over the years.
And while the fan base is passionate about its Wolfpack, NC State coach Dave Doeren wants the crowd to lend its support to his squad — and not be its biggest critic during each game.
“We’re not asking for your criticism on game day, we’re asking for your support,” Doeren said in a press conference Friday. “And so many games, I go to NFL games and high school games, and it’s like everybody knows what coach should be doing, everybody knows what the players should have done. And you don’t.”
“I’m not criticizing you, you’re trying to be a fan. If you want to help us win, criticize the opponent and support the players, support the coaches and encourage them,” Doeren continued. “Allow them to have that backing. I think that’s something we can be better at.”
Doeren, who is in his 12th year leading the Wolfpack, seemingly wants to avoid what happened last season. The Wolfpack struggled at the midpoint of the season, and quarterback Brennan Armstrong was benched for MJ Morris.
When Armstrong entered the game against Marshall, a contest Morris started under center, he appeared to be booed by the Wolfpack faithful. After the game, that did not bode well with captain Payton Wilson.
“So, I love Wolfpack Nation to death, do not get me wrong. I love them to death,” Wilson said. “They are the best fans in the country and I love MJ to death and he played some of the best ball from a quarterback that I’ve seen at this school today, but we’ve got to stop booing Brennan.”
As the Wolfpack enters a year with high expectations, Doeren does not want a repeat of that occurrence in 2024. He gave the example of the men’s basketball program in the Elite Eight, where Doeren and his son traveled to Dallas to support the Pack.
And as they watched the Wolfpack race past Duke to punch NC State’s ticket to the Final Four, he did it surrounded by the players’ families. Doeren, who stressed how much he appreciates the fan base’s support, admired how the parents rooted for every player, not just their own child.
“Man, it was so cool to hear DJ Burns‘ dad screaming at other players in a positive way throughout the game and encouraging them,” Doeren said. “That’s what ‘1Pack1Goal’ is in my mind. It’s a united mission to win a championship. And that’s everybody. Everybody that works here, everybody that cheers for us. And all of us are part of winning a championship.”
NC State opens the season against Western Carolina on Thursday night. The game will be televised on ACC Network at 7 p.m.
