A new era is underway at North Carolina State.
The Wolfpack take the field under new management Saturday afternoon against Cal in Raleigh, N.C.
It’ll mark the first time since 2012 that the Wolfpack aren’t led by coach Dave Doeren, who was fired last Saturday after a 31-28 loss at Stanford the previous day dropped NC State to 3-4 (1-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play).
Doeren, who began the season as the fourth-longest-tenured FBS coach — entering his 14th year — has been replaced by interim coach Todd Goebbel. An eighth-year assistant for the Wolfpack, Goebbel said he’s relied on the players to ease the transition.
“I told the leadership council (Monday), I said, ‘The reason I have so much confidence is because of the players,'” Goebbel said. “The players have been unbelievable in support. They’ve been unbelievable in showing up and being who they are.”
Defense, often a strength for NC State during Doeren’s tenure, played a big role in the decision to fire the longtime coach. NC State ranks 14th out of 17 ACC teams in scoring defense — giving up an average of 28.1 points per game — and has allowed 16 passing touchdowns (second most in the ACC), with just three interceptions.
Defensive coordinator DJ Eliot was fired along with Doeren.
A Cal offense that ranks 15th in the ACC in average points per game (23.4) won’t be the toughest first test for the new regime. The Golden Bears (3-5, 2-3) led 20-17 at halftime at then-No. 23 SMU last Saturday before being outscored 42-0 in the second half of a 59-20 loss, Cal’s fourth defeat in the last five games.
“There’s no victory lap of playing as well as we did for a half,” Cal coach Tosh Lupoi said.
After back-and-forth action at quarterback in the wake of starter Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele sustaining a concussion early this month, he stepped back into the starting role against SMU.
Sagapolutele threw for 265 yards but still hasn’t reached the consistent heights he showed as a freshman last year, when he threw for 3,454 yards and 18 touchdowns, with nine interceptions.
“I just think we’ve got to continue to get better, and that starts with me evading pressure,” Sagapolutele said after the SMU game. “I’ve got to know where to throw the ball when it gets a little heated up.”