NC State coach Dave Doeren is replacing offensive coordinator Robert Anae following the 26-21 loss to East Carolina in the Military Bowl on Saturday.

Anae, who also coached the tight ends and slot receivers, will be replaced by quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper.

Roper, who is in his sixth year at NC State, will remain coaching quarterbacks.

NC State alum Gavin Locklear, who has served as an offensive quality control coach on the Wolfpack staff, has been named tight ends coach.

“I want to thank Robert and wish him and his family the best,” said Doeren. “I have great respect for him and appreciate the work he has done.”

A 30-year coaching veteran, Roper has served as an offensive coordinator for two SEC programs and another in the ACC. He has coached the Wolfpack quarterbacks in the past two seasons and the 2019 season. He led the running backs from 2020 to 22.

“Kurt has done a great job for us and knows what we need to do to take the next step forward as a program,” said Doeren. “He has a great relationship with our players, a great knowledge of college football and the ACC, and I’m looking forward to seeing him as a play caller.”

Roper had been an interim offensive coordinator for last year’s bowl game against Kansas State.

“I’m grateful for this opportunity and appreciate Coach Doeren’s faith in me,” said Roper. “My family and I love NC State, and I’m excited about the future.”

Under Roper’s tutelage, freshman quarterback C.J. Bailey had the second-highest yardage total ever by a Wolfpack freshman in 2024 (2,413), while his 17 touchdown passes also rank second ever for an NC State rookie. Bailey’s 144.0 passing efficiency mark this past season ranks the best for a freshman and seventh-best in school history, regardless of class.

Roper spent 15 years coaching in the SEC. He began his career as a graduate assistant at Tennessee (1996-98) and then coached the quarterbacks at Ole Miss from 1999-2004 under coach David Cutcliffe. He then spent the 2005 season coaching the same position at Kentucky and returned to UT from 2006-07 to coach the running backs.

In 2008, he rejoined Cutcliffe at Duke, where he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach until 2013 before serving in that same position at Florida in 2014.

After spending the 2015 season as a senior offensive assistant with the Cleveland Browns, Roper went to South Carolina, where he was co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for two years before heading to Colorado.

Roper tutored All-America signal-caller Eli Manning, the 2003 SEC Player of the Year and the No. 1 overall pick of the 2004 NFL Draft, during his six years as the quarterbacks coach at Ole Miss. After winning the Maxwell and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards in 2003, Manning went on to win two Super Bowls, was twice named the Super Bowl MVP, and was a four-time Pro Bowl selection.

Another one of his quarterbacks, Thaddeus Lewis, spent six years in the NFL after a record-breaking career in Roper’s offense at Duke. Lewis finished his career as Duke’s all-time leader in pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. He joined the Wolfpack’s Philip Rivers as just the second player in ACC history to throw for over 10,000 yards.

In Roper’s last year at Duke, the Blue Devils enjoyed a record-setting campaign, winning a program-best 10 games and capturing the ACC’s Coastal Division championship. His offense set the school record for total touchdowns (60) and became the first squad in Blue Devil history to post 20+ rushing and 20-plus passing touchdowns in the same season.

Locklear originally walked on for the Wolfpack but was awarded a scholarship before the 2016 campaign. He ended up playing in 38 career contests as a wide receiver. After returning from a major leg injury, he earned the program’s Ken McNeill Iron Wolf Award.

“Gavin has been a positive addition to our program since the first day he walked on and has done a great job on our staff,” said Doeren.” I love being able to give former players the opportunity to work at their alma mater and am looking forward to watching his career continue with the Wolfpack.”

The Apex native graduated from NC State with a degree in sports management in 2017 and served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Wolfpack in 2018 before taking on a role as a graduate assistant in 2019. After serving as a graduate assistant, he joined NC State as an offensive quality control coach.

“I am very grateful to Coach Doeren and Coach Roper for giving me this opportunity to coach for the university that I love,” said Locklear.

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