Dave Doeren appreciates playing rival on Senior Day

Saturday will be a special day for NC State football head coach Dave Doeren.

One of his favorite stories to tell from his playing days at Drake is how he can still remember almost every snap from his final home game. On Saturday, 12 NC State players will be playing their final contest, not only at home but in a Wolfpack uniform.

And it will come against North Carolina.

“It's always an emotional day for the young men and for their families,” Doeren noted. “For me as a coach, it's always a very, very proud day to be with those guys in our last college football game.”

NC State will be decked out in all red for the rivalry game, a 7 p.m. kickoff on ACC Network. The ultimate goal is to send everyone in the stadium wearing red home a winner, but that will be a challenge with NC State, who is mired in a five-game losing streak and hosting a 5-6 UNC team that is determined to reach a bowl game.

Doeren is hoping that his team can build on outscoring Georgia Tech 23-7 in the second half in Atlanta during a comeback attempt that fell short after going into the locker room down 21-3.

“I think our guys showed a lot of heart,” Doeren said, “coming off of an implosion — where we were gaining momentum in the second quarter with a field goal, get a three-and-out on defense. We're going to get the ball with two timeouts left and about 90 seconds to do something positive, knowing we got the ball again to start the third.

“To have the costly fumble on a punt return, and they score. We went in [to halftime], obviously, in a tough spot. To see the resolve of the guys and how they came back and held them to seven points in the second half, and offensively had a chance to win it. There's a lot of positives in that.”

Doeren also saw redshirt freshman quarterback Devin Leary take an important step in his leadership development after watching the signal-caller stand in front of the team and talk to the squad.

“They're playing hard for him now,” Doeren noted. “They believe in him. ... That was a huge positive.”

NC State will try to channel those positives into a four-quarter performance against its rival.

“Every one of these games that I've been a part of, it's been very heated,” Doeren said. “I know how much we want to win. I know how much they want to win. I know what the fans are like, the whole deal. … I know how much this game matters in the state.”

Doeren also acknowledged that records do not matter in this contest, citing last year as an example when a struggling UNC team took a nine-win NC State squad into overtime before the Wolfpack prevailed.

“It's one of those games you got to show up and play,” Doeren said. “Nobody cares what happened the previous 11 weeks. It's about what happens on that Saturday.”

• Two seniors that will not be honored are cornerback Nick McCloud and offensive tackle Tyrone Riley. McCloud, considered NC State’s best corner entering the season, has only played two games this season due to an injury and still has a redshirt year available to him. Since he will not play in more than four games this year, McCloud is presumably using the redshirt and returning in 2020.

Riley, a projected starter at left tackle, hurt his foot on the second day of practice and was lost for the season. Although he has already used a redshirt year, NC State is applying and optimistic about being granted a sixth-year of eligibility for Riley.

• A tradition on Thanksgiving week is the team's annual dinner at Angus Barn. The Wolfpack will stick to the normal schedule for most of the week, although Doeren will start the morning practices on Wednesday and Thursday a little later to allow his players to rest some more.

Those that are in the developmental program will take the rest of Thursday and Friday off, while players who are on the travel roster and live local will be allowed to go home.

Most of the team, however, will partake in a meal at Angus Barn.

“It's an awesome feast,” Doeren said. “The guys look forward to it. I know I do. And hopefully the game pants will fit on Saturday.”

• There is a new head coach at UNC in Mack Brown. Doeren noted that he had a “cordial” relationship with his predecessor, Larry Fedora, and Doeren also said he respects Brown. However, he will treat Brown like a rival competitor, just like he did Fedora.

“I'm going to compete hard against whoever that guy is,” Doeren said. “And I'll do the same with Coach Brown. I have great respect for him, always have and always will.

“But when you put the ball down, it doesn't matter who's on the other sideline. You're coaching your guys and you want to win.”

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