Board approval of Philip Rivers’ contract as NC State football coach expected Friday :: WRAL.com

The North Carolina State Board of Trustees is expected to approve a contract for Philip Rivers, a beloved former Wolfpack quarterback, to become the football team’s head coach, sources tell WRAL.

Trustees meet Thursday and Friday and the full board is scheduled to meet Friday morning in Raleigh. The agenda includes a closed session at the end of the meeting. Personnel contracts are often discussed behind closed doors before a final vote in open session.

Rivers met with North Carolina State officials, including Athletic Director Boo Corrigan, in Alabama on Nov. 4 to discuss the head coaching vacancy at his alma mater. NC State fired longtime coach Dave Doeren on Oct. 24 in the middle of his 14th season in Raleigh.

Rivers, who was NC State’s quarterback from 2000-03 before a long NFL career, quickly emerged as the top candidate despite having no collegiate or professional coaching experience. Rivers has been the head coach of St. Michael Catholic in Alabama since 2021.

St. Michael was eliminated from the playoffs Friday. Reporters asked Rivers about taking the NC State job after the 42-35 home loss.

“I don’t know,” he said. “It’s been six years. I know that and I’m just trying to be where I am right now. I was really looking forward to these playoffs, and again, so it all comes to an end (Friday night). We’ll see what the future holds.”

When asked by WRAL if there would be a next step in his conversations with NC State, Rivers responded: “There could be. I think the potential next step would involve all of the things that you’ve referenced.”

Rivers was referring to his family. He has 10 children and at least one grandchild. His brother and sister live near Fairhope, Alabama. Rivers’ son, Pete, is St. Michael’s freshman quarterback.

Doeren was fired a day after a 31-28 loss at Stanford dropped the Wolfpack to 3-4 on the season. Doeren went 98-74 in 13-plus seasons with the Wolfpack. NC State qualified for 11 bowl games and went 9-4 against rival North Carolina under Doeren, but the program has never won 10 games in a season and never advanced to the ACC championship game, established in 2005.

NC State hasn’t won an ACC football title since 1979.

“We believe this is the right time to begin a new chapter, with new leadership and renewed energy to take Wolfpack Football to the next level,” North Carolina State Chancellor Kevin Howell and Athletic Director Boo Corrigan wrote in a letter to Wolfpack Nation in late October.

They continued: “We believe NC State will compete at an elite level, contend for ACC championships and be positioned for the College Football Playoff year after year. Together, we are fully committed to providing the financial investment, infrastructure and NIL support required to compete and win in this new landscape.”