Wake Forest takes control in Raleigh. North Carolina wins a thriller at Pitt. And Charlie Strong joins The Coaches Room for an inside look at building defenses, managing rivalry games & keeping a program together in the NIL era.

Mike Waddell, Jim Collins & Nolan Jones break down Wake Forest’s 38–14 win at NC State, fueled by Gio Lopez’s 303 passing yards. What went wrong for the Wolfpack defense, and what can Dave Doeren’s staff fix during the open date?

The conversation turns to Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels after their 21–17 road win at Pittsburgh, setting up the UNC–Duke battle for the Victory Bell. Plus: App State’s difficult stretch following the Old Dominion loss, ECU’s 28–12 win over Rice, the preparation challenges of Thursday road games & Charlotte’s search for a breakthrough amid a 15-game losing streak.

Then Charlie Strong takes us inside the coaching profession: how to build a defensive game plan, respond after a loss, manage staff under pressure & earn players’ trust. Drawing on his coaching experiences, Strong discusses Red River rivalry lessons, recruiting relationships, culture fit, roster retention & the resources programs need to compete.

It’s a conversation about the decisions coaches make—and the consequences that follow on Saturdays.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Opening: Wake–NC State Rivalry Recap
01:39 What’s Wrong With NC State’s Defense?
02:44 Gio Lopez & Wake Forest’s Surge
04:56 Belichick’s Tar Heels Win at Pitt
05:57 UNC–Duke: Battle for the Victory Bell
08:21 App State’s Upcoming Gauntlet
11:04 Old Dominion “Mudslide” Controversy
12:48 ECU & the Midweek Preparation Grind
15:14 Midweek Games as National Auditions
19:36 Charlotte’s 15-Game Losing Streak
24:03 Charlie Strong Joins The Coaches Room
24:48 How to Build a Defensive Game Plan
28:17 Lessons From the Red River Rivalry
30:16 How Coaches Respond After a Loss
32:00 SEC Pressure & Kentucky’s Close Wins
38:08 NIL, the Portal & Fan Impatience
43:02 Why Coaching Continuity Matters
44:05 Evaluating Culture & Player Fit
45:50 Leading Players Through Relationships
47:44 Recruiting Visits & Building Trust
51:18 How Big Programs Reload
53:08 The Pressure at NC State
55:04 What Programs Want in a Head Coach
57:45 Managing a Staff Under Fire
59:20 Handling Social Media Fallout
01:01:56 The Little Things That Win Games
01:05:14 The Reality for North Carolina Programs
01:08:45 Roster Retention & NIL
01:13:41 Which Coaching Jobs Are Worth Taking?
01:15:41 The Sitting Head Coach’s Advantage
01:19:56 Closing & NCSN Sign-Off

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Join the conversation: What does NC State need to fix first—and who takes home the Victory Bell?

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