NC State focused on eliminating mistakes, crafting complete game after first open date

NC State coach Dave Doeren, following a week of self-scouting on the Wolfpack’s first of two open dates this fall, believes his team is close to ending up on the winning side of things. But, from his vantage point, it’s going to take a complete performance to do so. 

It sounds like coach speak, but as NC State has lost three of its last four, it’s been a different phase of the team that has been the reason why. 

Against Virginia Tech, it was the inability to win either side of the line of scrimmage. At Duke the following week it was multiple special teams mistakes that led to a 12-point rout. And at Notre Dame two weeks ago, well, it was the offense’s inability to consistently move the ball as it failed to enter the red zone for the first time in 14 seasons. 

So as Doeren, who called the first two losses games where “we gave away football games,” reflected, he noted each player fulfilling their role on the field for all 60 minutes at a consistent clip was what the Wolfpack has been missing through the first seven weeks. 

“Winning always starts with not beating yourself,” Doeren said Monday evening. “That’s the area, when you look at the two games we came up short where we felt like we gave away football games, it’s execution. It’s not one player. It’s not one side of the ball. It’s all three phases taking turns at not executing well enough. These are fixable things.”

As Doeren pointed out the negatives, he also highlighted what he’s seen from his squad over the past week. The defense has cycled players at linebacker and in the secondary due to injury — another reason why that unit has inconsistent play, Doeren believed — and those that can’t play are serving as de-facto coaches. 

Everyone else? They’re just as hungry as their 13th-year coach is to correct the mistakes. After all, as Doeren put it, going 9-3 is still on the table with five games to play. 

“There’s no pouting, no pointing fingers, no blame,” Doeren said of his team’s response this past week, looking to earn its first FBS win since it knocked off Wake Forest in Week 3. “It’s just guys owning what they do, coaches owning what they do, players owning what they do and wanting to get better. That’s what makes this a fun team to coach.”

If NC State is going to turn its season around at the open date, just as it did in 2023 as it reeled off five straight wins to go from this same position at 4-3 to a nine-win squad that played in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, it’s going to take a collective effort. Doeren said each player needs to improve by one percent heading into Saturday’s game at Pitt (3:30 p.m., ACCN), and if they do that, then the Pack will be able to see tangible growth from its loss at Notre Dame. 

And with a team that can’t circle one thing on the film with an ‘ah ha’ moment, that’s what it’s going to take. 

“A lot of times you come in and you look at your self scout, you watch all these games and you can point at one player or another player and say ‘We’ve got to find a different guy,’” Doeren said. “That’s not what’s going on. There’s just a lot of guys that need to execute. … You got to do a really good job at knowing your margin for error is small and executing is a premium.”

Doeren has belief in his program, and he feels like his team does as well. There’s a chance for the Wolfpack (4-3, 1-2 ACC) to get back in the win column at Pitt (5-2, 3-1 ACC) to build momentum going forward as No. 7 Georgia Tech, No. 9 Miami, Florida State and North Carolina follow to close the regular season. 

The Pack, which is also looking to make its 11th bowl in the last 12 seasons, can see the progress. Now, it’s a matter of putting a complete game together in each of the next five to end the fall.

“We’ve got a lot to play for,” Doeren said. “We have five games to play, you go 5-0 in those games, you’re sitting here with nine wins. We’ve got a lot on the table. Take it one at a time. … Let’s go 5-0, that’s the mindset. I know what this football team is capable of because I’ve seen it in spurts. It’s just a matter of getting this mixture right where you see it for four quarters because when that happens, really good things happen.”