Countdown to kickoff: Dave Doeren at the Bill Dooley Pigskin Preview
One of the first questions NC State’s sixth-year head coach Dave Doeren answered when meeting with media members for the first time since the end of spring practice was could his summer have gone any better?
After all, recruiting is on a roll and currently ranked No. 17 in the country by Rivals.com. Doeren though was quick to think of one reason why his summer wasn’t perfect.
“I didn’t win a lottery,” Doeren quipped. “There are things that can happen like that. It’s been great. Players are doing well. The recruiting is definitely going well for us. Just looking forward to finally seeing what the strength coaches did this summer. That’s kind of the deal.”
Doeren noted that seeing the progress made by players in NC State’s director of strength and conditioning Dantonio Burnette, better known as “Thunder,” is like unwrapping a gift.
And Monday afternoon’s Bill Dooley Pigskin Preview is the reminder that the chance to open that present is around the corner.
“It’s definitely closing in here,” Doeren noted. “I think we’re about two weeks away from starting practice. Guys have had a good summer. It’s been a good family time for me and our coaches and our wives and kids. Definitely anxious to see us back on the practice field here.”
What Doeren most looks forward to coaching and evaluating are the players he has not, at a minimum, seen in a while.
“You always want to see the freshmen that you signed, what they are and how ready they are,” Doeren said. “There are some guys that missed a lot of spring because of postseason injuries. … Then you got some guys that you’ve been waiting on that you didn’t have in spring ball.”
Among the players Doeren singled out was senior running back Reggie Gallaspy, who missed the spring after offseason knee surgery but is being counted upon to replace 1,000-yard rusher Nyheim Hines, who left early for the NFL.
Also at running back, Doeren speculates that at least one of the true freshmen duo of Ricky Person Jr. and Trent Pennix will have to play this fall. On defense, he used lineman Alim McNeill, a touted true freshman, as another example.
Coaches will have 25 practices to get their products ready for the opener, in NCSU’s case Sept. 1 against James Madison at home. Doeren had an opportunity after last season to be elsewhere at this point but chose to sign a contract extension with the Pack in December.
That deal further deepened his roots in the region, which is why events like the Bill Dooley Pigskin Preview are now old habit.
“It’s unique,” Doeren said. “You are in North Carolina you have four ACC schools plus the other universities that play football. You don’t have that in many places, you just don’t. So to have an event where you are so close and shoulder-to-shoulder with your rival coaches is unique, but I’ve gotten used to it obviously after five years.
Below is video of Doeren’s Q&A session with WRAL sports anchor and event emcee Jeff Gravley, where Doeren talked about his team, why he got into coaching, his most memorably nightmare about the job (or lack of) and his favorite thing to cook.
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