Former NC State football coach Dick Sheridan dies at age 81
Posted July 6, 2023 4:48 p.m. EDT
Updated July 7, 2023 5:21 p.m. EDT
Raleigh, N.C. — Former N.C. State football coach Dick Sheridan has died, the university announced Thursday. He was 81.
Sheridan coached the Wolfpack from 1986 to 1992 and made six bowl games in seven seasons at N.C. State. He guided the Wolfpack to a 52-29-3 record during his tenure in Raleigh.
"Coach Sheridan restored that excitement of N.C. State football the way N.C. State basketball was going at the time," said N.C. State historian Tim Peeler. "The 1986 season when he first came here from Furman was the most exciting season, not to mention one of the most successful seasons in N.C. State football history.
"Every game came down to the wire, and that success and that excitement continued for his entire seven seasons here."
Sheridan won the Bobby Dodd College Football Coach of the Year award in 1986 after guiding the Wolfpack to an 8-3-1 record that season.
"I have such great respect for Coach Sheridan and am saddened to hear this news," current N.C. State football coach Dave Doeren said in a university-issued news release. "He did so much to build the football program at NC State and impacted many players, coaches and staff during his time as coach.
"I enjoyed getting to know him during my time here."
Health reasons prompted Sheridan to resign as head coach of the Wolfpack in 1993.
In 2020, Sheridan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
From 1978-1985, Sheridan served as the head coach at Furman, guiding the Paladins to a 69-23-2 record. He was Furman's quarterback and wide receivers coach from 1973-1977.
In 1985 at Furham, Sheridan was named the NCAA Division I-AA National Coach of the Year.
Sheridan drew the attention of several prominent programs, including job offers from N.C. State athletics director Willis Casey in 1982 and 1985.
Furman beat NC State for the second time in three years before Sheridan accepted the head coaching position for the Wolfpack. Before Sheridan's arrival, the Wolfpack posted three consecutive 3-8 seasons.
Sheridan never played college football. He began his coaching career as an assistant football coach and head basketball coach at Eau Claire High School in Columbia after graduating from the University of South Carolina. In three seasons, he took his hoops squad to the state semifinals and finals.
Sheridan moved on to Orangeburg High School to become a head football coach in 1969 and, in his third season, led the team a perfect 13-0 record and the state AAAA championship.
