Sports Anchor

Authored by Brian Murphy, a WRAL Sports Anchor.

The Wolfpack ended their regular season with five consecutive wins, causing them to enter the national polls, the College Football Playoff rankings, and consideration for a higher-tier bowl game.

This also indicates increased performance incentives for head coach Dave Doeren and a higher budget for the salaries of NC State’s assistant coaches in the upcoming season.

In February, Doeren agreed to a one-year extension until 2027 and receives a yearly salary and additional compensation of over $4.9 million from NC State.

Earlier this season, Doeren became the record holder for most football wins in the school’s history. NC State had a 3-2 record at the start of the year, but after changing their starting quarterback, they were 4-3. They suffered a 24-3 defeat against Duke before their bye week.

“The team was at a critical juncture where we needed to fully dedicate ourselves, but we weren’t there yet,” stated Doeren following the final victory against UNC. “Players were questioning things, and rightfully so. As a coach, I had to thoroughly consider what needed to be done and develop a solid plan.”

The NC State team implemented new tactics on offense, such as increasing the amount of huddles, simplifying the playbook, and utilizing their top players more frequently while also working on reducing turnovers. On defense, their main focus was on limiting big plays and creating turnovers.

The Wolfpack emerged victorious in their following five matches, all of which were conference victories, to conclude the season. During this time, they also switched quarterbacks once more, as MJ Morris chose to not play for the remainder of the year.

“I faced challenges as a leader,” stated Doeren, who recently completed his 11th year as NC State’s head coach. “I was in a difficult position. If you have observed my time here, you would know that I thrive on challenges and enjoy proving doubters wrong. There was a great deal of skepticism.”

NC State placed third in the ACC with a record of 6-2.

On Thursday, the results of the ACC Coach of the Year voting were announced, with Doeren coming in third place. Ahead of him were Mike Norvell of Florida State and Jeff Brohm of Louisville. The two teams will face off in the ACC championship game on Saturday.

It is up to someone else to determine the quality of my coaching, according to Doeren. However, I am confident that I gave it my all.

Performance bonuses

NC State’s head coach, Doeren, will be rewarded with a $50,000 bonus for the team’s achievement of ranking in the Top 25 in the final College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings. As of now, NC State holds the No. 19 spot and the final rankings will be announced on Sunday. If by chance, the Wolfpack manages to climb up to No. 15 or above, Doeren’s bonus will double to $100,000.

If NC State wins its bowl game, the player will receive a total of $150,000 for winning 10 games, which is $50,000 more than the original amount of $100,000 for nine wins.

In 2002, NC State achieved a record-breaking 11 victories, the highest number of wins in the program’s history. Under Doeren’s leadership, the team has also had three seasons with nine wins each, including the current season and 2021. Unfortunately, the Wolfpack’s opportunity for a 10th win was taken away when their bowl game was cancelled.

Doeren expressed that the camaraderie within this team is extraordinary and one-of-a-kind. He hopes to achieve 10 wins with them, as they deserve to have that accomplishment as part of their legacy.

Doeren will be awarded $25,000 for participating in a bowl game, with the potential to earn $50,000 if NC State emerges victorious. In the event that the Wolfpack is chosen for the Orange Bowl, which would likely involve surpassing Louisville in the CFP rankings, Doeren stands to receive a bonus of $100,000 (or $200,000 if NC State triumphs in the game).

If NC State football team manages to win nine games, the amount of money allocated for the salaries of the staff will go up by $300,000 for the 2024 season according to the conditions stated in Doeren’s contract. In case they win a 10th game, the increase will be $400,000.

Source: wralsportsfan.com