The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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JULY/AUGUST 2026 ■ 23 character, makeup and just how they lis- tened. There are a lot of distractions these days for these kids. It says a lot about them with the way they feel about each other, the way they felt about our coaching staff and how they wanted to play the game." Doeren was looked upon to lead the program through so much in a challenging year and believes it was one that brought out the most joy in his professional career in recent seasons. It truly boiled down to one thing: The attitude of his team throughout the year. "I think it's just the demeanor of the players. They were fun to coach," Doeren said in a recent interview with The Wolf- packer. "Obviously, everything didn't go well. We dealt with some serious adver- sity in the middle of the season with D.J.'s situation, but everyone just held together and supported each other." That hadn't always been the case over the past few seasons, especially with the increasing popularity of the transfer portal and NIL. NC State had dealt with a handful of off-the-field matters, highlighted by starting quarterback MJ Morris sitting himself to redshirt after go- ing 3-1 as the top signal-caller in the middle of the 2023 season. Those instances took a toll on Dorean over time. The longtime coach, who got into the profession to help mentor the next generation of athletes, didn't appear to like where the sport was headed. But last sea- son reinvigorated his love for his job after watching his group band together through the lowest points of the year. "No one pointed fingers. You just didn't have the locker room drama that we've had over the years, stuff with certain players pouting on the sideline or kids wanting to opt out and redshirt in the middle of a winning streak," Doeren said. "Guys wanted to play, they wanted to get better, they wanted to win, they wanted to be coached, they were positive. It was refreshing as hell." Although Doeren seemed to enjoy himself more last season than he did in years prior, the veteran leader did not let it change the way he operated on a day-to-day basis. Under contract with NC State through the 2029 campaign, he brought the same fiery approach to his job, based on what NC State offensive coordinator Kurt Roper observed. "He's the kind of guy that shows up and is the same every day. You appreciate that as an assistant coach. You know what you're going to get," Roper said. "I'm glad he enjoyed himself. That's why we all get into this, because we have a passion and love for this game. We had such good kids last year; they were a lot of fun to be around. These guys this season seem to be a lot like that." With the 2026 season rapidly ap- proaching, Doeren is ready for another opportunity to continue stacking victo- ries as the program's all-time winningest coach. The goal is to compete for an ACC championship, a crown that the Wolfpack hasn't claimed since 1979. Last season reset the tone for what Doeren is looking for with his team. The results might not have been perfect, but the response from his program was what seemed to enlighten him the most. Now, it's a matter of building from that growing point, looking to play deep into the postseason with a chance to make the 12-team College Football Playoff by competing for the conference title. Junior quarterback CJ Bailey is back to lead the offense for the third consecutive season, while a retooled defense is ready to excel in the second year in Eliot's new scheme — a combination that could set the team up for success without conference heavy- weights Clemson, Miami or SMU on the schedule. But there's still a month's worth of fall camp and 12 games to focus on first. For Doeren, who was eager to escape the Murphy Center for a much-needed sum- mer vacation, his affection for the sport he's spent his entire life in will be at one of its highest levels when NC State hits the field once again to prepare for a critical season ahead. "You get to a certain point on the calen- dar as a coach and it's time to check out," he said. "But when camp begins I'm going to feel really good and ready to go." ■ Pos. Name Cl. Ht. Wt. QB 11 CJ Bailey Jr. 6-6 213 10 Will Wilson So. 6-1 230 RB 1 Duke Scott Jr. 5-10 225 7 Davion Gause Jr. 5-11 212 TE 19 Preston Douglas So. 6-3 228 86 Hunter Provience Sr. 6-5 245 WR X 2 JoJo Trader Jr. 6-1 190 5 Davion Dozier Sr. 6-3 195 WR Z 8 Keenan Jackson Jr. 6-3 202 13 Tyran Warren Sr. 6-3 180 WR I 0 Victor Snow Sr. 5-8 170 6 Ashton Locklear Gr. 6-1 188 LT 62 Jimarion McCrimmon Sr. 6-5 295 74 Jai'Lun Hampton Gr. 6-8 345 LG 64 Rico Jackson Sr. 6-6 322 79 Kamen Smith Sr. 6-5 325 C 50 Daniel Cruz Jr. 6-2 315 55 Rylan Vann Sr. 6-1 285 RG 72 Spike Sowells Jr. So. 6-2 312 71 Yousef Mugharbil Gr. 6-5 322 RT 54 Teague Andersen Sr. 6-5 322 78 Trent Mitchell Jr. 6-5 316 Pos. Name Cl. Ht. Wt. DE 13 Joseph Adedire Sr. 6-3 260 92 Chase Bond Jr. 6-4 265 NT 55 Katron Evans Gr. 6-3 336 90 Josiah Victor So. 6-2 312 DT 88 Isaiah Shirley Sr. 6-3 280 99 AJ Prim Sr. 6-2 287 JACK 5 Harvey Dyson Sr. 6-2 248 25 Sterling Dixon Jr. 6-2 221 MIKE 0 Popo Aguirre Sr. 6-1 235 35 LaCorian Hodge So. 6-2 217 WILL 19 DaKaari Nelson Sr. 6-3 232 15 AJ Richardson Sr. 6-1 235 NIC 22 Jackson Vick Gr. 6-0 190 8 Isaiah Crowell Gr. 5-11 185 CB 7 Brian Nelson II Sr. 6-0 197 28 Dy'Lan Johnson So. 6-4 185 CB 20 Ondre Evans Jr. 6-0 187 10 Ty White Jr. 5-10 176 SS 4 King Mack Sr. 5-10 195 3 Tristan Teasdell So. 5-11 190 FS 2 Ronnie Royal III Jr. 5-9 185 6 Asaad Brown Jr. Jr. 6-0 199 Projected Depth Chart