Dave Doeren has responded to NC State football's recent problems the straightforward way coaches usually do: by changing practice itself. After the team blew three-score leads in recent weeks, he said NC State has altered the order of practice so intensity and focus have to stay high right to the end.
The move is less about one bad finish than a repeated issue. On Monday, Doeren explained that the challenge is getting good work when the scout team is involved, because that does not always provide the same look, and he wants the team to stay mentally sharp through the full session.
Why the practice change matters
Doeren said the adjustment means the work is spread throughout practice rather than being handled in one block followed by a long stretch of scout work. The aim is simple: make sure the players have to keep elevating their intensity all the way through.
That connects directly to NC State's late-game issues. When a team has already let big leads slip, the concern is not just Xs and Os. It is whether the group can keep its concentration when a game turns uncomfortable and the opponent starts pushing back.
Doeren said execution has to come from all 11 guys, one play at a time, and not from one player trying to do too much. That is the kind of message coaches often repeat when they think the problem is collective rather than individual.
Focus for the Louisville game
The timing matters because Louisville is next. Doeren said the issue will be a huge point from him in the team meeting tomorrow, which shows this is not being treated as a minor correction. It is being handled as something NC State must improve immediately.
The late-game detail is also telling. The source notes that App's onside kick added unnecessary difficulty to finishing the game, which only sharpened the sense that NC State has made life harder on itself in recent weeks.
For NC State football, the message going into the next game is clear. The talent may be there to build leads, but the next step is proving the team can protect them by staying disciplined, focused and connected for four quarters.
