NC State Board to Vote on Philip Rivers' Contract as Head Football Coach

The NC State Board of Trustees is expected to approve a contract for former Wolfpack quarterback Philip Rivers to become the football team’s head coach, sources told WRAL. The trustees will meet Thursday and Friday, with the full board scheduled for a Friday morning session in Raleigh. Personnel contracts are typically discussed in a closed session before a final vote in the open session.

Rivers met with university officials, including athletics director Boo Corrigan, in Alabama on Nov. 4 to discuss the head-coaching vacancy that opened after the school dismissed longtime coach Dave Doeren on Oct. 24. Doeren was fired following a 31-28 loss at Stanford that left the Wolfpack 3-4 in the season.

Rivers, who played quarterback for NC State from 2000 to 2003 before a lengthy NFL career, has no collegiate or professional coaching experience but has served as head coach at St. Michael Catholic in Alabama since 2021. After St. Michael’s playoff loss, Rivers said, “I don’t know that. It’s been a heck of a six years… We’ll see what the future holds.” He added that a next step could involve “all of those things you referenced,” referring to family considerations.

Doeren compiled a 98-74 record over 13-plus seasons, leading the Wolfpack to 11 bowl games and a 9-4 record against rival North Carolina, though the program never reached 10 wins in a season or an ACC Championship Game. The university has not won an ACC football title since 1979.

In a letter to the Wolfpack community in late October, NC State Chancellor Kevin Howell and athletics director Boo Corrigan wrote, “We believe this is the right time for a new chapter, with fresh leadership and renewed energy to elevate Wolfpack Football to the next level.” They added that the school aims to compete for ACC championships and position the program for College Football Playoff contention, committing to financial investment, infrastructure, and NIL support.