NC State head coach Dave Doeren fielded questions from the media on Monday and he discussed a variety of topics, ranging from the Miami loss to the upcoming matchup against Florida State.
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the press conference.
Opening Statement...
Good to be coming home. We’re looking forward to the game and a few days to get ready for Florida State. Obviously, we're coming off a tough Saturday night at Miami. Like I said after the game, that’s a really good football team. They deserve a lot of credit for how they played. It’s disappointing that we didn’t play better, but that’s where we’re at. We need to find a way to play better on the road. The good thing is we have two home games coming up and an opportunity to play a team that has had a similar season. They started really fast and have had four one-possession losses. They’ve been close, they’re talented, and their quarterback has been in the ACC. I've seen him a lot on film—haven’t coached against him—but he’s a dynamic player with a strong arm. He looks like a running back when he runs the ball. They have a big 6-6 receiver, a big offensive and defensive line. Their nickel, No. 3 Edwin Joseph, is a really good football player and strong on special teams. Their defensive tackles are massive at 6-4, 300 and 6-5, 330.
It’s going to be a great challenge. I look forward to the opportunity. We had the team together this morning and talked about the Miami game; tonight we’ll move on and get ready. We’re four days away from another kickoff, and we’re excited about a night game at Carter–Finley. Any questions?
Dave, you mentioned this being a quick turnaround. Is it nice to flip the script so fast after Saturday?
Yes and no. Yes, because we played terrible, which means I coached terrible. I thought we would play better. I knew we’d have to play really well. You're coming off a game where you beat the No. 8 team in the country, so the next team is going to take note. They're going to give you their best. It was senior night at Miami and they’re in the playoff hunt, so we knew we'd get their best. Last time they were here, they didn’t play well. This time they did, and we didn’t. I knew we’d have to play inspired, mistake-free football to be in the game and have a chance to win, and we didn’t.
A quick turnaround probably does help. At the same time, we’re a very beat-up football team. We have so many injuries—even our guy that serves coffee on Monday got hurt in a hiking accident. When your coffee guy is hurt, it says a lot. We’ve got all kinds of injuries, so guys have to tape it up and play for each other. Tomorrow morning we get back on the grass and put our best foot forward.
How do you flush Saturday’s performance with such a quick turnaround, especially with bowl implications on the line?
You have to be in the moment. The past is something you learn from. We didn’t spend as much time on the Miami game—just the critical things that carry forward. It was more about what we have left. This morning, we talked about having 12 days left in the regular season with two home night games—one against Florida State and one against our rivals. There’s a lot on the table in a short period. Dwelling on what just happened doesn’t help. As the leader, you have to steer the players. We get to choose our attitude and effort, and that has to be done the right way. That’s my responsibility and privilege.
We’ve dealt with adversity all season—injuries and other off-field things. This is another test. I know the guys will play hard for each other down the stretch. You focus on what’s available, not what you don’t have. You can’t change what happened in Miami or Notre Dame. You can only learn from it and make the next opportunity better. We’ve shown we can do that, but now it’s about the next test.
Football is a laboratory of life. You have so many people with so much going on—not just players but staff and coaches. You have to block out distractions, including fear of failure, praise after wins, or criticism after losses. It’s about the game plan, brotherhood, executing, and having fun. That gets lost. I read the dumbest article today saying Lane Kiffin should be fired for not signing a contract extension. He’s doing a phenomenal job, and people write that? It’s crazy. No matter what, someone wants to write something about you. It’s about competing at the highest level, mentoring young men, and doing things the right way. I’m fortunate to get to do that. I’m fortunate to coach these kids and play Florida State at home Friday night. That’s what we focus on.
You got a few guys back from injury this weekend. What was it like seeing Spike, Justin, or Ronnie back out there?
We need everybody. It really helped having Spike, especially against that front. Getting Anthony Carter back helped a ton as well. Ronnie being back matters because we’re so thin in the secondary, especially with the skill Miami had and what Florida State will have. Depth is really needed.
I don’t know how college football will survive with 105-man rosters. I can’t imagine being at 105 right now with the number of guys we have out. We’d be practicing with 70 guys. The attrition trickles down—not just offense and defense but the rep count. Sometimes we have one guy backing up two spots on both sides of the ball. Any player returning is game-changing. As a coach, it might get you 30 more minutes of sleep.
Florida State rotates a ton of personnel—many running backs and receivers. What’s it like preparing for that, especially with No. 19 Danzy and his speed?
There’s more than him, though he’s really talented. He gets the ball in a lot of ways. He was a running back once, so he can carry the football. They always have reverses. No. 12 is an elite speed guy too. They list him as a running back, but he’s often in space. All Florida State teams have great speed, and this one is no different. You have to know where a lot of their guys are. As a play caller, who comes in the game matters—tight ends, backs, where they line up, formations. There are always tendencies you can pick up.
Gus has been calling plays a long time. He’s got a deep playbook. There’s stuff we’re preparing for, and we know there’s more he can go to. You have to use your rules, adjust to formations, tackle speed in space, play jump balls on big receivers, and handle the quarterback. You can defend everything well and he can still get out and score from anywhere.
In Miami, you mentioned not being able to block their defensive line. Was there anything else you noticed? What’s the biggest teaching point for the offensive line this week?
Since I’ve been in the ACC, there's maybe one other defensive line like theirs—the Clemson line with Dexter Lawrence and those national championship guys. This was the hardest defensive line I’ve seen to block. The one we had with Chubb, BJ, Justin, and Contavius was similar. All four Miami guys are draft picks. It wasn’t just size—it was agility, plus blitzing safeties who look like linebackers, plus tight man coverage. There aren’t easy throws. They try to keep your backs in. Statistically, they’re one of the top defenses in college football for a reason—personnel, scheme, execution. They were what we thought they’d be.
You’ve had success against Florida State—three straight wins and five of the last six. What’s the connection through those matchups?
We’ve had a lot of good games. They’ve been tight and come down to the final minutes. In close games, you have to make a key play at the right time, and we’ve been able to do that. They’re always talented and well coached. I expect a hard-fought game. Both teams are in similar spots. To say there’s a magic formula—I don’t know. We’ve just made more plays down the stretch.
Special teams is always a big factor. Their coordinator does a great job. They have a great punter and kicker; so do we. They have electric returners. It’s a big battle within the game. I’m looking forward to playing them. It’s going to be competitive and hard-fought.
