Next week, NC State football coach Dave Doeren will hold his first media availability with the local media, but before then he showed off his quarantine beard in an interview with GoPack.com’s Jeff Gravley.

Doeren repeated what he said in an earlier radio interview, in a way the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could be viewed as “God’s way of telling us we needed to slow down.”

For Doeren, it has been a great time of reflection and family.

“I never had this kind of family time, for one,” Doeren said. “I think it has been tremendous for [Doeren’s wife] Sara and me with the boys. The amount of time I have been able to spend reading has been great, and just being able to be a part of church service every Sunday, even though it’s online. I haven’t been able to do that.”

The day job of coach still applies though. He noted that the team is getting more connected since they are allowed to have daily meetings. On Thursday, the ACC coaches are hoping to get a better feel for the potential timeframes being considered for resuming team activities together.

The idea of getting a series of contingency plans for the upcoming season will wait until then, at least.

“Early on we were trying to do that, and then it just seemed like we were wasting time because every day what we thought was a great idea goes out the window,” Doeren added.

What Doeren hopes is for some leeway from the NCAA if and when the teams gather again this summer.

“Whatever they tell us we are going to have to come up with ways to do it and hopefully the NCAA is going to be flexible with allowing us to have different ways to be out there with them,” Doeren said. “Normally we can’t coach them with a ball. Maybe allowing us to have some things where you can train our guys with the football without pads just to get them back in football shape and catch them up a little bit.”

Typically, the offseason strength and conditioning program guided by coordinator Dantonio “Thunder” Burnette starts in the last half of May and lasted through July. Now it might be more old school. Players are trying to stay in shape in their garages, at nearby high schools or on streets and driveways, whatever works.

“It’s kind of a throwback to how we used to train, probably 20 years ago before guys really stayed around in the summer,” Doeren added.

The chief goal for the football coaches during this time: keeping the student-athletes in as good a position possible.

“There’s a lot of concerns,” Doeren said. “Obviously the first one is your health and making sure the guys are okay and got the resources they need from food to shelter to health care, if that’s needed.

"The academic staff does a great job with these guys. I told them our No. 1 goal is to have everyone return here whenever that is healthy and in great academic standing.”

——

• Talk about it inside The Wolves' Den

• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolfpacker

• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolfpacker

• Like us on Facebook