After accusing Florida State players of faking injuries over the weekend, N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren apologized to FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher Tuesday morning.
In a statement released on the N.C. State football Twitter account, Doeren said:
“I have apologized to Jimbo Fisher and want to apologize to his staff, players and FSU fans for my comments that took away from a tremendous football game. I left an emotional locker room and took those emotions with me to the press conference. It was a great college football game with tremendous plays made by both teams. That is where the focus deserves to be. I have the utmost respect for Jimbo, his staff and players. FSU played a great game and earned the win.”
Doeren’s statement sings a much different tune than the sentiment he shared Saturday and in his weekly press conference on Monday.
Following the Wolfpack’s 56-41 loss to FSU at home Saturday, Doeren said the team’s up-tempo offense was extremely effective until “all the crazy fall-down things were going on and the clock kept stopping.” Doeren’s team jumped out to a 24-7 first quarter lead before the top-ranked Seminoles stormed back.
“You know the refs can’t do anything about that, but it’s horrible the way the tempo gets slowed down by these injuries,” Doeren said. “We went fast in the first quarter, I guess there were no fake injuries.”
Though he softened his stance a bit by saying that other teams besides Florida State are doing the same thing, Doeren maintained Monday that it is “unsportsmanlike” to fake injuries.
“I think it's unsportsmanlike, personally,” Doeren said. “I just wish there was a rule that if a guy left he has to stay off for more than one play if he leaves with an injury. One of the players they stopped the game for Saturday, the guy walked off the field as slow as humanly possible, and he’s back in the game. I get it, if they are hurt, they’re hurt. I’m not going to say a guy isn’t hurt, but if they come back in the game then he might not have been hurt.”
Reporters in Tallahassee asked Fisher about Doeren’s comments Monday and it was clear he wasn’t too pleased with what he heard.
“I accuse him of not knowing what he’s talking about. They’re not fake injuries. No one faked injuries, and we wouldn’t do that. We’ll coach Florida State, and he can coach North Carolina State,” Fisher said.
The Wolfpack had a handful of chances to pull off the biggest upset of the season Saturday, so Doeren’s frustration after the game was certainly understandable, though it is a bit puzzling that he felt the need to issue an apology after what he said Monday. It appears he did not want the focus to be on his comments instead of a hard-fought game.
The Wolfpack, now 4-1, will take on Clemson on the road Saturday while the 4-0 Seminoles will host Wake Forest.
For more North Carolina State news, visit TheWolfPacker.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
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