Faith. Family. Friends. Football: Inside the life of NC State head coach Dave Doeren

Footballs lined the top shelf of Dave Doeren’s fourth-floor office overlooking Carter-Finley Stadium. He wore a black and red bracelet on his right wrist, and a black Apple Watch on his left. The accessories complemented his red and black polo.

With small mementos adorning his desk and a John Prine song playing in the background, Doeren leaned back in his chair, contemplating his life and career.

There’s always something to do or think about when you work in college athletics — especially in football — but Doeren appeared relaxed.

“I think just being here and becoming the winningest head coach and riding through a lot of different change, I’ve been able to sustain a lot: Staff changes, (athletic director) change, conference realignment, the introduction of NIL and the transfer portal,” Doeren said. “I’m still here, and I’m not only here, I’m probably better than I was.”

Some of the people closest to Doeren point to one distinct reason for his success: Consistency, in every aspect of his life. He is committed to his family, team, community and individual development, and those priorities give a glimpse into why he is the second-longest tenured coach in the ACC, behind only Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.

“I’m proud of him and, honestly, I’m not surprised,” said Charlie Partridge, Indianapolis Colts defensive line coach and Doeren’s longtime friend. “He has stuck to being himself, he’s stuck to his plan and he always has one. He never allowed some outside influence to deter him from what he wanted to accomplish, both in his family life and his professional life. I think that deserves a lot of admiration.”

Doeren’s NC State beginnings

Former N.C. State athletic director Debbie Yow stepped to the podium at the Wendell H. Murphy Football Center on Dec. 2, 2012, touting new head football coach Dave Doeren’s “total package” fit with the Wolfpack.

She cited Doeren’s character, competitiveness, academic standards and commitment to the community. The university tasked him with elevating the Wolfpack football program to national prominence.

Doeren’s journey to that podium was anything but a straight line. He never thought he’d coach at the collegiate level, and declined an offer – twice – in 1995 to become an assistant with his own coach, Rob Ash, at Drake University in Iowa.

Doeren wanted to be an orthopedic specialist and studied pre-med, going so far as to take the MCAT. When Doeren changed course, he thought coaching high school and teaching would be his preferred path.

He started his career at Shawnee Mission High School in Kansas and adored it. He barely made money. When he wasn’t working at school or doing his own graduate work, Doeren waited tables at Johnny’s Tavern and Forks in the Air and catered for a restaurant called Patio Quigley’s. During the summer, he painted houses — something he’d done since he was in eighth grade. It was tough, but he was happy.

The Bulldogs ultimately lured Doeren back to Des Moines that summer. He still met his obligation to paint, but drove to Iowa on the weekends to learn the system.

It’s been college football since then.

“He has an insatiable desire to have as much knowledge about the game as possible,” Ash said when N.C. State hired Doeren in 2012. “He was a sponge for learning everything there is to know about defensive football.”

From there, he jumped from California — after marrying his wife, Sara — to Montana back to the midwest and now, Raleigh.

“My wife and I laugh, because we always said we knew he was going to be the one to become the head coach and have success at it,” Partridge said. “None of us are surprised that have known him from back then.

“Dave could always see down the road. As hard as what’s going on in college athletics right now, Dave will navigate it as good as anybody, based on what resources he can get his hands on. They will do a fantastic job of navigating, because he’s got a unique intelligence and mind.”

Many changes have taken place, both at N.C. State and in college football, since December 2012. Yow no longer sits in the AD’s office, having retired in 2019. Swinney is the only ACC coach remaining in his same position. Many major NCAA rules in place when Doeren was hired have been altered, or deleted, including those around player compensation for Name, Image and Likeness, transfers, and the college football playoff structure.

The reasons why N.C. State hired Doeren in the first place, however, and his commitment to those ideals — character, personality, a desire to win — have not changed.

Beyond NC State

During one N.C. State spring practice at the Close-King indoor practice facility, Doeren put his arm around 321 Coffee barista Sam Hening as they stood next to one another on the field.

Doeren spoke to those gathered nearby, telling of how Hening brings “a lot of joy” to the program — he’s always willing to give pep talks or joke around — then presented him a small bag of coffee. Hening’s mouth hung agape. The bag featured N.C. State branding, including the Tuffy logo, and an image of Hening.

Two N.C. State graduates, Lindsay Wrege and Michael Evans, started 321 Coffee in 2017 to provide meaningful employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Hening was among their first employees.

Sara Doeren contacted the duo within the first year of their business being open and wanted to help. The Doerens’ eldest son, Jacob, has autism.

By the time the 2018 football season kicked off, 321 Coffee had set up shop at the Murphy Center and provided coffee for the team’s Monday morning meetings.

Doeren said Raleigh is home and creating community relationships remains one of his favorite parts of the job.

“I graduated three sons from the same city, from middle school all through high school. There’s not a lot of coaches that can say they’ve done that. It’s a profession that you can’t always stay where you’re at, for a variety of reasons,” Doeren said. “That, to me, is something I’m proud of, being able to stay somewhere and not just stay but sustain success.”

Hening has made more than lattes as a member of the 321 Coffee family. He’s also created genuine relationships with players and coaches. They know what Hening does for fun (watching sports, playing music and spending time with his cats), invite him to meals, and give him gear.

Hening even dubbed Doeren his “second dad,” whom he texts on Father’s Day and invited to his engagement party this year. (Yes, Doeren and several members of the Wolfpack attended.)

“When I served coffee at the stadium, the very first person to show up was coach Doeren,” Hening said. “When he comes and gets his coffee, he always comes behind the table and gives me the biggest hug ever.

“He is the most amazing guy you’ve ever met.”

The partnership expanded from the weekly coffee visits to the exclusive brew — proceeds go to the N.C. State scholarship fund — and ongoing support from the football program. Hening even works part time in university food service after the staff helped connect him with the department.

N.C. State also works with Gigi’s Playhouse, hosts its annual “Victory Day” for disabled individuals, and the Doeren family created a new support program for neurodivergent students.

Doeren set a standard for the program that includes hard work on the field and connection with the community, Wrege said.

“I just think it’s really cool how Dave and Sara are in a really unique position in college athletics, in a city that has a lot of alumni and just a lot of excitement around who they are and what they do. But it’s not all in their head,” Wrege said. “They really care. They want to do right by other people. They want to create opportunities for people in the community, and I think that it’s incredibly admirable.”

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Approach to recruiting

Doeren’s commitment to doing things the right way extends to the recruiting process, too, something that became apparent quickly to now-Minnesota Vikings receiver Thayer Tomas on Mother’s Day weekend in 2018.

Thomas, then a freshman walk-on, walked downstairs at his family’s Wake Forest, NC home at approximately 8:30 a.m. Doeren sat in his family’s kitchen.

Thomas said he remembered Doeren texting him the day prior to check in, claiming he was contacting all the players ahead of summer practices. He initially found it suspicious that Doeren asked about the family’s weekend plans.

Then, Doeren turned up at Thomas’ home.

“He just gives me a big, long speech about how he’s so proud of the way I’ve carried myself and what I’ve done within nine months of just being at school,” Thomas said. “He said, ‘You’re going to be a player. You’re going to be put on scholarship now from here on out.’”

Thomas hadn’t played a snap. The last time Doeren awarded a scholarship to a player who hadn’t appeared in a game was JJ Watt, when Doeren was the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin. Thomas’ mother, Shelly, beamed with pride. Talk about a Mother’s Day present.

Thomas played multiple sports in high school and earned scholarship offers to play baseball and planned to play at Davidson. He received little attention from collegiate football programs until Doeren saw him play in 2016.

By that time, the Wolfpack awarded all of its scholarships for the class of 2017 but Doeren invited Thomas to join the program as a preferred walk-on with a chance to earn one. Thomas thought the coach was using him to recruit his younger brother, Drake, but N.C. State really wanted him.

He had a choice: Play baseball on a partial scholarship or take the risk and try to earn a full ride playing football.

Doeren believed in him, so Thomas believed in himself.

Another recently famous N.C. State standout, Payton Wilson, famously committed to North Carolina before switching to play for N.C. State, where he became one of the most decorated defensive players in program history. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected him during the 2024 NFL Draft.

Last season, on the way to winning ACC Defensive Player of the Year and All-America honors, Wilson cited Doeren’s mentorship as a reason for his own growth and perseverance.

“Coach Doeren’s always a guy that wants you to chase two dreams: Live life right off the field and stuff will align on the field,” Wilson said.

More recently, a video posted to social media by N.C. State commit Isaac “Spike” Sowells shows Doeren jumping cannonball-style into a lake, saying, “Welcome to the Pack, buddy.” The 12-second clip from July encapsulates many of the reasons Doeren is loved and successful.

“He’s a no ego, no frills guy. He’s a hard working, good, solid American. If you want a great description for him,” longtime friend and Kansas City Chiefs linebackers coach Brendan Daly said. “He’s unselfish, he’s loyal, he’s about hard work and doing things the right way and for the right reasons.”

That’s the beauty of how Doeren runs the N.C. State football program, Thomas said. Seniors on scholarship and freshmen walk-ons can be starters. Offensive lineman Matt McCabe worked his way from a walk-on spot to a scholarship last season.

“He does give everybody an opportunity to show what they can do,” Thomas said. “I think his program is run in a different way, where if you put in the work and you show that you can play in practice, you’re going to get an opportunity to play in the game.”

One visit impacted an entire family. Drake and Lex Thomas also landed on Wolfpack rosters. Lex, a redshirt freshman quarterback, said he hoped to join the program like his older brothers did. That’s a testament to Doeren and the staff with which he surrounds himself.

“It’s hard to beat that one,” Doeren said, “because there’s three players there that I ended up coaching at N.C. State in the same home, which, to me, is probably the greatest recruiting story there is.”

Faith, and family

Doeren left the field at Carter-Finley Stadium on Nov. 30, 2019, visibly unhappy with a season-ending loss to North Carolina, frustration written all over his face. That was the final blow in a 4-8 season in which the Wolfpack earned just one ACC win.

An internet search for Doeren’s name displays articles and videos from the time asking why he still had a job. There isn’t a single person, however, who criticized him more than he did himself. It was a rough year, personally and professionally. He wasn’t happy and felt lost.

“I was looking for change,” Doeren said.

He found that at Hope Community Church. Sitting in the auditorium, the first message he heard felt like it was meant just for him.

Doeren admits he’s not the most biblical man in the world, but values his faith deeply. It’s something, he says, that’s made him a better man and coach. He began studying the Bible and sought mentorship, desiring to learn more and live his beliefs.

“I grew up in a Catholic church and we just never found one that we felt that connection to. We tried,” Doeren said. “Being connected to a minister or pastor just allowed me to open up that side.”

He also found change with his family — thanks in part to COVID-19. Doeren is keenly aware the pandemic negatively impacted many people, but he was lucky enough to benefit from the lockdown. It forced a relationship reset with his wife and children. For once, the calendar was empty.

The 12th-year head coach admits he struggled with work-life balance for about 80% of his career. Relationships were sometimes strained, and time together happened infrequently.

“Combined in my career, we didn’t have four months together with my family where we ate dinner together every night,” Doeren said. “There was a lot of reconnection during that time for us in a beautiful way of remembering how important it is to be a family and what we were missing out on.”

Doeren has always been a family man, but he’s developed a deeper gratitude for his wife and kids. It’s clear by the way he speaks about them; how they teach him to be a better man.

Sara, his wife of 26 years, cultivates gentleness and kindness but those traits don’t come at the expense of honesty and responsibility. She’s helped him learn to slow down, listen more and communicate better. He now prioritizes self care, breathing and nutrition, and stress management.

“Being a coach’s wife is really hard. She’s been very grounding for me, reminding me of what matters,” he said. “I think we offset each other really well. My strengths are not her strengths and her strengths aren’t mine, so we’re able to help each other through life that way.”

His sons — Jacob, Luke and Connor — are equally loved but fully celebrated for their differences. They bring out his ingenuity, creativity, humor and outdoor spirit. The best part about being a dad, Doeren said, is walking with them through difficult lessons and providing encouragement.

Doeren’s priority on family extends to his staff, as well. Assistant head coach/outside wide receivers coach Joker Phillips believes his boss figured out the right way to run a program. Everyone has family time, together as a team and separately, which encourages employee retention.

“You wonder why the staff has been intact,” Phillips said. “We’ve lost two guys in four years that I’ve been here, and one got a head coaching job. One went back (to coach) with a buddy of his. That’s the reason why guys don’t leave. I think this guy’s done an unbelievable job of building the culture. … This is a place that I really, truly enjoy being at.”

Four years removed from that disastrous season, Doeren feels much better about himself, his family and the program. His familial experiences and renewed faith allow him to be a resource for those who want it, while providing his own guidance and purpose.

Developing relationships

Current and former players speak highly of Doeren. They noted the way he regularly asks how they’re doing and takes time to develop an individualized relationship with each player.

Duke transfer Jordan Waters went fishing with Doeren this summer and it gave them a chance to connect. Waters said it spoke volumes that Doeren wanted to spend time with him in that way.

Waters along with fellow transfers Wesley Grimes (Wake Forest) and Justin Joly (UConn) said previous coaches cared about them, but they feel like it goes deeper with Doeren, who works to make sure players are happy, healthy and becoming better people. Joly and Lex Thomas even view Doeren as a second father.

It’s been like that for a long time.

Deylan Buntyn, former Wolfpack defensive tackle turned social media personality , wasn’t recruited by Doeren and only played one season under his leadership but only had good things to say. Buntyn remembers doing social events and the way Doeren went out of his way to make sure players were safe and successful. If someone was at a bar and they couldn’t get home, Doeren either sent someone or picked them up himself. He held them accountable on the field and off.

“He’s probably one of the best coaches I ever had. That’s saying a lot. I had a lot of coaches,” Buntyn said. “He’s very communicative. He really takes your grades seriously. He really wants to be the best person that you can be. I love Doeren for that. He helped me a lot. I think about him a lot, in terms of the lessons that he taught me. I have nothing but great respect for that man.”

The lessons he learned translated to the field, too. N.C. State finished with at least eight wins in each of the past four seasons, and the Pack has had at least a .500 record in ACC games each year during that stretch.

“As a coach, I’m a better listener and more patient, more intentional,” Doeren said. “Even if I know what to do, I don’t just put my foot down. I want to hear what people think. I think I’ve gotten a lot more flexible and changed from Covid, probably, because everyday was a new adventure and you’re trying to figure it out and just how do you take something that’s bad and make it good and not freak out about it.”

Friends along the way

In addition to his family and faith, close friends have been instrumental in helping Doeren navigate his coaching journey.

Some of Partridge’s fondest memories with Doeren didn’t happen on the football field. Some are from when they lived across the street from each other in Wisconsin, those late nights in the backyard as a fire burned and stars shined overhead. The speakers played country music, while they popped a few beers, watched the kids play and talked about, well, everything.

He also recalls the trips Doeren planned so they could learn from other coaches. He “picked the highway,” and they figured it out.

One of those trips also included Chris Ash, now a Jacksonville Jaguars scout, and Daly. They drove south on Interstate 35 and made stops at Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and TCU, sleeping on random people’s floors at night while making coaching connections during the day.

“We had a great time, and I don’t even know who we were staying with; people that he knew that somehow he got in contact with…just growing in the profession,” Partridge said.

Partridge couldn’t leave out the summers working for Drake University’s grounds crew. Doeren often figured out how to get the assignments near the football office, so they could get in extra work. They even took the John Deere mower to the swimming pool once. Just once, though.

Daly also recalls learning from Doeren while attending Drake together. Doeren, who is about three years older, taught sessions in a class on coaching and both fulfilled student teaching requirements at the same school.

Doeren still seeks his own coaching — see special assistant and former East Carolina head coach Ruffin McNeil — and doesn’t pretend to know it all.

“I don’t think we were put on this planet to walk it alone,” Doeren said. “Those friendships are precious, and I’m going to be there for those people when they need me and I know that if I need them, they’re a phone call away from getting on a plane. Having that in your life matters to me.”

‘We want to be the best’

While Doeren has delivered on his promise to provide the Wolfpack football program with stability, there are a few targets left to hit.

N.C. State is still looking for its second season with 10 wins or more (and first under Doeren). The Pack hasn’t won an ACC title since 1979, and has yet to appear in the College Football Playoff.

“What we did last year and the year before and the year before is good,” Doeren said. “Winning nine games is good. We don’t want to be good, we want to be the best at what we do.”

Doeren knows he’s not perfect and may not be everyone’s cup of tea — or shot of bourbon. There have been times his passion and straight-talking got the better of him , especially when defending or supporting the team — he’s been dubbed “Salty Dave” for a reason. But it all comes from a place of pride, a place of love.

He is concise, not one to overshare. He balances a lot of things at once — accountability and encouragement, privacy and vulnerability.

N.C. State’s football coach is a lot of things, but his consistency and balance shine through.

“A lot of people in this profession get caught up in the next job and whatever the ultimate goal may be,” Daly said. “I don’t want to speak for him, but I would say he understands there’s a value in being happy and being in a place where you’ve got a chance to be successful and to build something that is long lasting; not a flash-in-the-pan type of situation. I think he’s found that at N.C. State.”

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