Dave Doeren ready for biggest game of his NC State football tenure

NC State football coach Dave Doeren didn’t want to pretend to be enough of a Wolfpack historian to know if Saturday’s game at No. 5 Clemson is the biggest in program history. But Doeren certainly is a qualified expert on his own 10 years at the helm in Raleigh.

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For the first time in 20 years, NC State is ranked in the top 10 in the polls. For the first time ever, the Pack will be involved in a top-10 showdown when the teams kick off, weather permitting, at 7:30 p.m. on ABC. For just the second time, NC State is the subject of the ESPN College GameDay feature contest of the week. The celebrated weekly pregame show will be on site, again weather permitting, Saturday at Clemson.

So for Doeren, he “would say probably so” that this is the biggest game of his career at NC State.

“It’s a great opportunity against a great team and a great venue,” Doeren added. “It’s everything you want as a coach and a player, and we’re excited for the opportunity.”

Both teams are 4-0. Clemson has won a pair of ACC games, including a double-overtime thriller at No. 23 Wake Forest Saturday. For Doeren, he said that NC State is where they expected to be at this point of the season.

With that comes the national recognition and spotlight, but Doeren is banking on his team’s experience to handle the hoopla appropriately.

“One of the things I talked to the team about [Sunday], enjoy the moment, enjoy the stage and enjoy the opportunity that’s in front of you,” Doeren said. “But that’s not what this week’s about. This week’s about winning the game, and how do you win a game? By having the best Tuesday practice of the season. Then getting the right food in your body, having good treatment, going to class, getting rest, having a great Wednesday.

“We have to stack things on top of each other all week. We need to win the game way before the game is played with our players and our staff. That’s what we’re focusing on. Don’t spend your time readying about how great the game’s going to be.”

The X-factor in all the preparations is Hurricane Ian, which is navigating a course into the Gulf of Mexico and currently forecast to make a midweek landfall between Tampa and the panhandle of Florida.

Where and when Ian goes after that could affect the game Saturday. The Monday, 11 a.m. official forecast cone from the National Hurricane Center had the remnants of Ian at 8 a.m. Saturday approaching the Georgia-South Carolina border on a trajectory to Clemson, S.C. Such a track could lead to a wet game Saturday.

Doeren confirmed NC State is in touch with meteorologists to get updated information on the tropics, but plans are already in place to practice with wet balls this week.

The Wolfpack memorably played a game in 2016 against Notre Dame when Hurricane Matthew was moving over Raleigh. Recalling standing in calf-deep rain on the sideline while enduring sideways rain, Doeren does not want a repeat of that experience.

“Hopefully it won’t be one of those things that has devastation that comes with it, either,” Doeren added. “Sometimes these things fizzle out. Sometimes they get pretty strong. We’ll just have to see where it goes.

“We’ll plan for the worst and hope for the best.”

You can see Dave Doeren’s press conference below:

More tidbits from Dave Doeren and NC State football

• On Saturday, NC State super senior receiver Thayer Thomas moved into second-place all-time in school history with 22 touchdown receptions.

Not bad for a former walk-on who only got onto NC State’s radar when Dave Doeren was watching his high school play a game on Friday night because of other prospects involved, including Thayer’s younger brother and now fourth-year junior NC State linebacker Drake Thomas.

“There’s no way I could have sat there in that game and told you he was going to have the career he’s had,” Doeren confessed. “I thought he’d be a good player. Knew he would help us. I had no idea. At that time, he weighed like 150 pounds. You couldn’t have predicted what he is now, and you’ve got to give Thayer the credit.

“The guy’s the hardest working player on this football team. He does everything right off the field, spends so much time on his body … He’s always doing things to be in peak condition. He eats right. He sleeps right. He watches extra film. He practices as hard as any guy in that locker room if not harder. It’s not a surprise that he’s successful when you think about all the things he does right.”

• Doeren noted that the most improved player on Clemson’s team is quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.

“He’s throwing good deep balls,” Doeren noted. “A lot of times a year ago he was overthrowing guys, and now guys have chances to make plays. You can see his chemistry is good with his receivers. He’s throwing them deep. He’s back-shoulder throwing guys, and his guys are making better plays for him, too.

“I think that’s part of this that gets lost sometimes. Quarterbacks take the heat and there’s guys dropping passes all over the field that could have changed the game. That changes the quarterback too.”

• The ACC announced Monday that the Florida State-NC State game in Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 8 will either be 7:30 p.m. on ABC or 8 p.m on ACC Network. That determination will be made after the conclusion of Saturday’s games.

FSU is hosting, weather permitting, Wake Forest Saturday in Tallahassee. The Noles are ranked No. 23 after starting 4-0, including 2-0 in the ACC.