NC State football completes defensive staff changes
Dave Doeren completed the changes to N.C. State’s defensive staff with the addition of veteran assistant coach Charley Wiles on Thursday.
Wiles, 55, had worked at Virginia Tech for the previous 24 years as the defensive line coach. He will coach the same position for the Wolfpack.
He has agreed to a two-year contract worth $400,000 annually.
“He’s a highly-decorated and respected coach not only in our region and conference, but in our profession,” Doeren said in a statement released by the school. “I look forward to having his personality around our guys and I know that he will bring an extremely positive attitude, a great work ethic and a wealth of knowledge when it comes to developing and coaching defensive linemen. He also brings a history of incredible success recruiting in the state of North Carolina.”
The last part might be the most important. With the exit of assistant Des Kitchings, one of the top in-state recruiters on Doeren’s staff, there was a potential recruiting void.
Wiles is one of four new assistant coaches on Doeren’s staff for the 2020 season with three on the defensive side. Tony Gibson, who was the co-coordinator last season, takes over for primary coordinator Dave Huxtable.
The Wolfpack finished the regular season with a 4-8 record and ranked No. 83 in scoring defense and No. 101 in pass defense.
Wiles worked with longtime defensive coordinator Bud Foster since 1996 to build the Hokies into consistently one of the top defensive units in the ACC and country over the past two and a half decades.
When Foster decided to retire after the 2019 season, Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente wanted to give his new defensive coordinator, Justin Hamilton, the chance to build his own staff.
Wiles and N.C. State’s new cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell worked together at Virginia Tech for the past four seasons.
Wiles replaces Kevin Patrick at N.C. State. Patrick left to take the same job at Florida Atlantic. Wiles will have a young group to work with for the 2020 season.
N.C. State switched to a three-man front and will have to replace two of the starters from this past season. The bulk of the highly-touted recruiting class in 2019 came on the defensive front, though, and junior tackle Alim McNeill returns.
“I can’t wait to get to work, get to know our defensive line and become a part of Wolfpack Nation,” Wiles said in a statement released by the school.
This story was originally published January 9, 2020 at 5:37 PM.
