The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 ■ 25 PHILIP RIVERS, Fairhope (Ala.) St. Michael Catholic An NC State legend and longtime NFL quarterback, Philip Rivers has coached at the high school level for each of the past six seasons. He's spent the last four years coaching his oldest son, Gunner, who is a Wolfpack quarterback commit as a four- star prospect. Although Rivers has never coached at the college or NFL level, he in- terviewed for the Buffalo Bills' head coach- ing job this past offseason. Rivers, the current favorite to be the top target according to sources, is a unique candidate that could work in the NIL era by drumming up a significant amount of financial support for the roster. He would, however, need to nail the coordinator and general manager hires to set the program up for success. MANNY DIAZ, Duke Looking for a coach that can do more with less? Manny Diaz is the top candidate in that department. He has turned Duke into a perennial ACC contender, despite being in the bottom half of the league in NIL spending. The Blue Devils won the con- ference title in 2025 and have continued to have the Wolfpack's number on the field since he arrived in Durham. The 52-year-old spent six seasons in Raleigh early in his coaching career, serving under the late Chuck Amato at the turn of the mil- lennium and working his way up to special teams coordinator by the end of his tenure. It's unclear what Diaz's buyout is at Duke, but his ties to the university and the area make him a no-brainer candidate, though he may be happy with the Blue Devils. CHARLES HUFF, Memphis Everywhere Charles Huff goes, he wins. He's been at three schools in the last three years and has led Marshall, Southern Miss and Memphis to immediate success over that stretch, including a 10-win campaign in his last season with the Thundering Herd. Huff is a well-traveled coach, but one that brings an offensive-minded approach to the table as a former running backs coach at Penn State, Mississippi State and Alabama. Huff, who is a Maryland native and went to Hampton, is due for a power- conference coaching job and has the East Coast ties to be successful in Raleigh. DAN MULLEN, UNLV After spending a few years on ESPN fol- lowing 13 seasons in the SEC at Mississippi State and Florida, Dan Mullen has returned to his winning ways at UNLV. He led the Rebels to a 10-win campaign in his first season a year ago and has become a popu- lar name in the coaching cycle. Mullen is a proven winner at the power- conference level with three double-digit- win seasons between his time with the Bulldogs and Gators. He can recruit the ACC footprint in the South, making him an intriguing candidate for the job in Raleigh. TOMMY REES, Atlanta Falcons OC There's always going to be a Notre Dame connection on any hot board that NC State athletics director Boo Corrigan is compil- ing. Enter Atlanta Falcons offensive coordi- nator Tommy Rees, the former Notre Dame quarterback. Rees, who has become a name in NFL head coaching cycles over the last couple years, has experience at both the college and professional levels. He was Notre Dame's offensive coordinator from 2020-22 and Alabama's in 2023, while serving as the Browns' coordinator in 2025 and Falcons' this year. Rees is a young mind that could re-ener- gize NC State's offense in the long run. The 34-year-old is likely to be interested in a head coaching job this cycle, and Corrigan's connection to him is important. Would Rees leave the NFL early to be ready for the January portal cycle? That's the biggest question, but he's qualified for this job. BRYANT HAINES, Indiana DC One of the nation's top defensive minds, Bryant Haines is due for a head coaching opportunity. He's been with Curt Cignetti since 2017 when he was the linebackers coach at Elon. He rose into the defensive coordinator role at JMU, helping the Dukes make a seamless transition to the FBS be- fore taking it to the next level by turning Indiana into a national champion in two seasons. Haines is a personality that fits in well with NC State's culture. The 2025 Broyles Award winner for the top assistant in col- lege football is more than prepared for the moment to take over his own program, and his background in the Mid-Atlantic fits the Wolfpack's recruiting territory. SHANNON DAWSON, Miami OC A veteran offensive mind in college foot- ball, Shannon Dawson has turned Miami into one of the best offenses in the ACC since he took over as the Hurricanes' of- fensive coordinator in 2023. He had the No. 1 scoring offense in 2024 with Cam Ward and has continued to make magic in South Florida. Dawson will be a rising candidate in head coaching circles again this offseason, just as he's been over the last two cycles. His experience in the ACC is key, but he's been all over the country with stops at Kentucky, Houston and West Virginia, among others since starting his coaching career in North Carolina as a wide receivers coach at Divi- sion II Wingate in 2002. — Noah Fleischman NC State Coaching Search Hot Board Former NC State star Philip Rivers — above with his son Gunner, a Wolfpack quarterback commit — has emerged as a potential candidate to lead his alma mater. The longtime NFL quarterback has coached at St. Michael Catholic in Fairhope, Ala., since 2021. PHOTO COURTESY ST. MICHAEL CATHOLIC