NC State coaching search: Philip Rivers emerges as top target to replace Dave Doeren

NC State's search for its next football coach may lead to the most famous quarterback in program history. Philip Rivers, who has never coached in college, has reportedly emerged as the Wolfpack's top target to replace the fired Dave Doeren, USA TODAY Sports reported.

The timing is unsettled. Rivers is expected to finish the 2026 season at St. Michael, the Alabama high school he coaches, so there is no set date for the search to end. The Cardinals were 6-3 going into their regular-season finale on Friday, Oct. 30, and Rivers is 48-21 as a high school head coach.

His case rests on what he did in Raleigh and in the NFL. Rivers started an NCAA-record 51 straight games for NC State from 2000 to 2003 and accounted for 112 touchdowns. He went fourth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft and threw for more than 63,000 yards with the Chargers and Colts, making eight Pro Bowls. There is also a recruiting angle. His son Gunner is committed to NC State in the 2027 class, and hiring his father would make it easier to keep him.

The obvious warning is Trent Dilfer, who went from Lipscomb Academy in Tennessee to UAB, went 9-21 and was fired in October 2025. He is back at Lipscomb now. Dilfer still backed Rivers, calling him an elite leader with a sharp football mind, but he told USA TODAY Sports that "there's going to be stuff he's not ready for."

NC State fired Doeren after the Oct. 24 loss at Stanford. He leaves as the winningest coach in program history at 95-70, but his teams never won the ACC or reached nine wins in a season. A program that has been stuck at that level is now considering a big name with no college coaching experience.

What it means for Cal

The search runs alongside the rest of the season, and the Wolfpack host Cal on Saturday on ACC Network in their first game since Doeren was fired. NC State is 3-4 and has lost two straight: 14-38 at home to Wake Forest, then 28-31 at Stanford. The record hides how uneven this team has been. It scored 73 against Richmond and beat Louisville 31-28, but managed only eight points in the opener at Virginia. Through seven games the Wolfpack have averaged about 32 points and allowed about 28.

The market still sees a gap between the teams. On this site's board, which tracks 12 venues, NC State is favored by 9.5 points on Novig, priced at -102, with Cal +9.5 at even money. Novig has NC State at -277 on the moneyline and Cal at +270. The best spread price anywhere for NC State is BetRivers' -109 at -8.5, so the venues are about a point apart on the number. The total sits at 56.5 on Novig, with the over at -106 and the under at +104, while Pinnacle has 57. Sportsbook hold on the game ranges from 3.4% to 7.0%, depending on the market and venue.

A win would bring NC State back to .500 with an interim staff in charge, while Rivers' high school season decides when the search can wrap up.