NC State football’s pro day was a marquee event for the second year in a row. As the Wolfpack’s NFL hopefuls, including but not limited to quarterback Ryan Finley, linebacker Germaine Pratt, receivers Kelvin Harmon and Jakobi Meyers and offensive linemen Garrett Bradbury, Tyler Jones and Terronne Prescod ran through drills Wednesday, Close King Indoor Practice Facility was lined with NFL coaches, scouts and executives.
Another ever-present figure at Pro Day was NC State head coach Dave Doeren. The Pack’s lead architect wandered the facility, speaking with parents and alumni, and watching young men who helped shape his program and he helped shape work out in his team’s facility one last time.
“These are really bittersweet days for a coach,” Doeren said. “You’re so proud of these guys. It’s nice to go through graduation with them and then their pro days with them and all that. They’re milestone things for players. It’s fun to be a part of that with them. But at the same time, you’re standing their like ‘Man, I’m going to miss this guy; I’m going to miss this guy.’ It is bittersweet but I’m really hopeful for all of them.”
After setting a school record with seven players drafted last season, NC State aims to repeat that feat, as, at the very least, all of the aforementioned players should get picked in April. That’s a mark of the ground-up building project Doeren and his staff have undertaken since he took over as the Pack’s head coach in 2013.
NC State went 3-9 that year, and did not win a single ACC game. It’s been a steady progression since then. Doeren has led NC State to five straight bowl games, and is the first head coach in program history to do so. NC State has won nine games two seasons in a row, won the second most ACC games the past two seasons with 11 and had back-to-back recruiting classes ranked in the top 30 by 247Sports.
For the job he’s done growing the program exponentially over six years, Doeren was rewarded with a five-year contract extension that will pay him $3.25 million per season through 2023, the university announced Tuesday.
“I’m very thankful and excited. We love it here, family loves it here. We’ve built something that we’re proud of and want to continue to build and make better. It’s great to recruit in the state and out of the state.
“With a five-year contract, I think that really helped us here as a staff,” Doeren said. “I think players really want to be recruited by coaches that aren’t going anywhere. I’ve made that commitment to this university and they’ve made it back to me. It means the world. We call this home. It’s the longest I’ve lived anywhere since I was a child. I love it here. So I’m really thankful for that.”
Of the players present Wednesday, many were members of the 2014 class that saw Doeren’s first bowl appearance (and win), including Bradbury, Jones, Pratt, Prescod, defensive end Darian Roseboro and receiver Stephen Louis.
The leadership and hard work those players have brought to the program over the years was another building block.
“I wouldn’t have anything if it wasn’t for the players that I coach,” Doeren said. “The job you choose is based on your ability to work with young people and young people make it happen. You’ve got to recruit the right ones and then they’ve got to have the work ethic. I’ve been fortunate. My staff and myself, we’ve recruited some really, really good people. There’s a lot of good players out there and we’ve got good players here. But we’ve got some really, really good people to work with. And that’s what makes it a fun job.”
While those players will miss the time spent on the practice facility and with their fellow players, they can look back on their time knowing they helped elevate the program and leave a legacy for those that will come after them.
“I’ve seen a lot of growth from the point where I got here,” Louis said. “That 2014 class that I came in with, I feel like we had a huge impact on this program. Guys like [Bradley Chubb], [B.J. Hill], that whole D-Line. There’s a lot of great leaders. And I think we left a great impact and a great legacy here. There’s a lot of great classes coming in and I feel like they have the blueprint now. Guys like coach [strength coach Dantonio Burnette] and coach Doeren, who are the leaders of this program, are always going to make sure that they know the standard. I think that’s why this program’s always going to be moving forward.”
Doeren now embarks on year seven looking to continue taking this program to new heights. He’ll have his work cut out for him in 2019, with four new assistant coaches, a new quarterback and a number of key contributors on both sides of the ball out the door.
While the Wolfpack has continued to improve year after year since that 2013 season, the sights are still set higher. The ultimate goal of an ACC Championship remains, and Doeren now has the security and vote of confidence from a five-year extension to continue building towards that.
“You’re always proud to be in a place where you can see landmarks happening,” Doeren said. “… I want to leave a legacy here and I want to live one too. I feel like we’ve done some good things but we’re not satisfied with what we’ve done yet either. Just like our players will tell you, we always want to raise the bar with where we’re at. That’s what we’re trying to do right now with spring ball is just improve.”
Head coach Dave Doeren chats during NC State football’s pro day on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 in the Close-King Indoor Practice Facility. NC State players performed a variety of drills for NFL scouts and coaches in an effort to boost their draft stock ahead of the NFL Draft coming up in late April.
