Brian Murphy

Lenovo Center development won’t impact NC State football parking in 2026 Work on the potential $1B development around the home of the NC State men’s basketball program and Carolina Hurricanes hockey team was expected to start this month.

The Carolina Hurricanes say that the redevelopment around Lenovo Center won't impact parking for NC State's 2026 football season. Development was supposed to begin shortly after the 2025 season ended. Details: www.wral.com/news/local/n...

College football transfer portal tracker: QB prospect from Belichick's first class leaving UNC The transfer portal opens Jan. 2 and closes Jan. 16 for college football players at North Carolina, NC State and Duke. But some aren’t waiting to make the decision to leave.

Trying to keep up with college football's transfer portal. We have a list of who is going (one of the biggest recruits for UNC before the 2025 season) and who is staying (Duke QB Darian Mensah): www.wral.com/sports/north...

‘Loopholes have won the day’: Cap? What cap? Spending on players growing even after NCAA settlement Schools are promising coaches millions to build their rosters, far above the revenue-sharing limits put into place this year. Can anything stop the rising salaries?

If the House settlement and its new rules were supposed to bring financial certainty for schools, well, it hasn't happened at all ... and even the president is weighing in. www.wral.com/news/local/c...

Still seeking first signature win under Wade, NC State comes up just short vs. No. 19 Kansas No. 19 Kansas beat NC State 77-76 on Saturday at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh.

Will Wade promised a "reckoning" and an NCAA berth in his first season at NC State. But his team is 0-4 against teams from power conferences after an OT loss to Kansas. I don’t think every game is a referendum, but we certainly got to start winning some of these." www.wral.com/sports/ncsta...

‘We’ve got a lot of work to do’: UNC’s Belichick says after disappointing season North Carolina went 4-8 in the first season for head coach Bill Belichick, who won six Super Bowl titles as an NFL head coach and was expected to elevate the status of the Tar Heels’ program.

Bill Belichick's first season at UNC ended at 4-8. No bowl game. No wins vs Wake Forest, Duke or NC State. No victories against an FBS team with more than 5 wins. Offense was bad. Defense was OK at times. Penalties became a huge problem late. UNC has a lot of work to do. www.wral.com/sports/north...

Bill Belichick, UNC visit NC State in regular-season finale: live updates, scores :: WRALSportsFan.com NC State never trailed in a 42-19 victory Saturday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Is there anything Dave Doeren likes more than beating UNC? How about beating the Tar Heels with Bill Belichick on the other sideline? On NC State's fifth straight win in this rivalry:
www.wralsportsfan.com/north-caroli...

UNC's Belichick dismisses NFL coaching talk after Giants fire head coach North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick won two Super Bowls as the New York Giants defensive coordinator.

After the Giants fired their coach, Bill Belichick's name appeared on almost all the lists of potential candidates. Asked him about it today. www.wral.com/sports/north...

Belichick, UNC honor military veterans with ties to football program with memorial wall The wall has 61 names currently, but will add more in the future, including Steve Belichick, Bill’s father, a Navy veteran who coached with the Tar Heels in the mid-1950s.

Bill Belichick and UNC unveiled a new military wall at the football center today on Veterans Day. “When people come back here, I want them to feel that we appreciate their contributions and recognize them.” www.wral.com/sports/north...

UNC's Trimble broke arm in weight room mishap, could return next month Seth Trimble is expected to miss four to six weeks after undergoing surgery Monday.

UNC's Seth Trimble was injured in a weight room mishap. Sounds scary. More details: www.wral.com/sports/north...

Analysis: At insightful best, Belichick goes deep on Tar Heels' improvement, team-building methods North Carolina won its second consecutive ACC game Saturday against Stanford, and head coach Bill Belichick detailed some of the reasons for UNC's improved play.

Thought Bill Belichick was particularly insightful last night on some of his team-building philosophies and reasons for why the Tar Heels struggled early and have gotten better. www.wral.com/sports/north...

ACC men’s basketball banking on schedule changes, investments to restore league’s luster The 18-team Atlantic Coast Conference received just four bids to the NCAA Tournament in 2025, an unacceptably low number for the conference's leadership. The league adopted a schedule change to help.

New coaches, like Wade, could help the ACC regain its lost luster -- and land more NCAA Tournament bids. But the league needs to win nonconference games at a much higher clip than it did last year: www.wral.com/story/acc-me...

NC State can spend Lenovo Center naming rights money with fewer restrictions The NC State men’s basketball program, under new coach Will Wade, has sold out its home opener for the first time since 1999.

Speaking of money: NC State got approval to use its portion of Lenovo Center naming rights money on improving basketball program (not just improvements to the arena). www.wral.com/sports/ncsta...

Wade's contract with NC State worth more than $17 million :: WRALSportsFan.com NC State hired Will Wade, who was the head coach at McNeese State, to replace Kevin Keatts, who was fired after eight seasons in Raleigh.

Wade's contract details: 6 years, more than $17M. www.wralsportsfan.com/wade-s-contr...

In-state opponents, building NCAA Tournament resume key to Wade’s first schedule at NC State NC State men’s basketball coach Will Wade said he put together the Wolfpack’s non-conference schedule with fans and an NCAA Tournament resume in mind.

On how Wade built the Wolfpack's nonconference schedule with a focus on the NCAA Tournament and in-state schools, including the season opener against NC Central: www.wral.com/sports/ncsta...

The ‘Wade stat’: How NC State uses analytics to revamp its men’s basketball roster The Wolfpack’s coaching staff relies on metrics and stats to help find undervalued players for its roster in new coach Will Wade’s first season in Raleigh.

On "The Wade stat" and how NC State rebuilt its roster using analytics: www.wral.com/sports/ncsta...

'This is not a rebuild': NC State introduces Will Wade as new men's basketball coach :: WRALSportsFan.com Will Wade's hiring comes after a successful two-year stint at McNeese State.

Origin of "The Reckoning": "Everybody is on the same accord. Everybody is singing from the same sheet of music. And when that happens at NC State, it’s going to be a reckoning for the ACC and it’s going to be a reckoning for college basketball." www.wralsportsfan.com/this-is-not-...

Here at NC State for the beginning of the Will Wade era. "The reckoning" as NC State calls it. Short thread on some of @wral.bsky.social content since Wade's hiring. #redreckoning

Doeren on retirement talk: 'I'm gonna keep coaching. I got four years left on my contract' NC State football coach Dave Doeren is in his 13th season in Raleigh. Doeren is the program's leader in all-time victories, but has faced questions about his future during the Wolfpack's 4-4 season.

NC State's Dave Doeren dismissed retirement talk yesterday, reminding everyone that he has four years left on his contract. Could lead to a sticky situation if Wolfpack leadership thinks it's time for a change. Doeren would be owed $12.5M buyout after this season.
www.wral.com/sports/nc-st...

Belichick, Tar Heels visit Syracuse seeking first ACC win and fewer offensive miscues :: WRALSportsFan.com Turnovers, particularly near the end zone, have hampered North Carolina this season. The Tar Heels have lost four straight entering Friday's game at Syracuse.

Bill Belichick and his North Carolina team are still searching for their first ACC win (and first win over a P4 team). Syracuse's defense may be just the boost the struggling UNC offense has been looking for. www.wralsportsfan.com/belichick-ta...

YouTube video by WRAL Rapid reaction to UNC's 17-16 OT loss to Virginia

Pat Welter and I broke down the Virginia-UNC game, where the Tar Heels are making progress and where they go from here.
YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9XX...
Apple podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...

YouTube video by WRAL Breaking down UNC's unsuccessful two-point play vs. Virginia with former QB Bryn Renner

Really good breakdown from former UNC QB Bryn Renner
on UNC's failed 2-point play at the end of game vs. Virginia, including why Renner thinks UNC should have called timeout.
YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNGn...
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b...

NC State’s Dave Doeren vows to ‘fight’ for players, program amid losing streak NC State has lost four of its last five games and faces No. 8 Georgia Tech on Saturday at home. Dave Doeren is in his 13th season as NC State’s head coach.

His team has lost four of five games (and the lone win was vs. Campbell), but NC State coach Dave Doeren isn't ready to throw in the towel. Asked Doeren if he's under any pressure given spate of firings across college football:
www.wral.com/sports/nc-st...

Saudi Arabia hosted UNC’s Lombardi on preseason fundraising trip North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi visited Saudi Arabia in the preseason. His visit was paid for by the hosts, UNC said.

A Saudi investment in UNC? Football GM Michael Lombardi went on a fundraising visit to Saudi Arabia before the season.
www.wral.com/sports/north...

Belichick says UNC is making progress. Struggling Tar Heels have chance to show it Friday. North Carolina and first-year head coach Bill Belichick are 0-3 against Power 4 conference teams and haven’t been competitive in any of the games.

Winning cures (almost) everything. Can Belichick and UNC get a victory Friday night at Cal. UNC coaches keep saying the team is making progress, but it's not showing up on the scoreboard.
www.wral.com/sports/north...

UNC ranks 102nd in yards allowed per play; 100th in points allowed per game, 97th in yards allowed per game. And that's with Charlotte/Richmond included.

Asked UNC DC Steve Belichick if he'd still be calling plays, still be on the field, etc.: "Yes."

UNC ranks No. 131 in total offense. Kitchens on changing who calls plays: "That's never been brought up, never been discussed."

Takeaway from UNC DC Steve Belichick and OC Freddie Kitchens press conferences: No major changes coming as far as play-calling duties, staff assignments, etc., for the 2-3 Tar Heels (who have been outscored 120-33 vs. P4 opponents).

Why a Duke quarterback’s salary is now part of the debate over a new NC children’s hospital North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall referenced Duke quarterback Darian Mensah in comments about why the state shouldn’t be paying for a new, standalone state children’s hospital.

Wild story here about how North Carolina's House speaker ended up inserting Duke's QB into a fight over children's hospital in the state.
www.wral.com/news/local/n...

‘Patience is required’: Chancellor, chairman not panicking about UNC's slow start under Belichick NFL coaching legend Bill Belichick is 2-2 in his first season at North Carolina. Both losses were blowout defeats against teams from the Big 12. UNC hosts perennial ACC power Clemson on Oct. 4.

UNC leadership is preaching patience after the football program's slow start under Belichick. But Belichick is 73 and quick turnarounds are definitely a thing in college football.
www.wral.com/sports/north...

Lawsuit accuses UNC trustees of violating state’s open record laws, including during Belichick hire A former provost at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill filed the lawsuit Monday against the university’s Board of Trustees.

Lawsuit accuses UNC board of violating state’s open record laws, including during Belichick hire www.wral.com/news/educati...