NC State head coach Dave Doeren found his new wide receivers coach in Maryland co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Joker Phillips, the team announced on Jan. 27. Phillips will also have the title of assistant head coach.

Phillips has extensive coaching experience. He’s coached since 1988 in varying capacities with a stop at Kentucky as head coach from 2010-2012, and served as wide receivers coach at many schools, including Ohio State, Florida and Notre Dame. Phillips even briefly coached in the NFL as the Cleveland Browns’ receivers coach in 2015 before returning to collegiate ranks.

In his time at Ohio State, Phillips worked with NC State’s current offensive coordinator Tim Beck, and Phillips has worked with running backs coach Kurt Roper twice before. Phillips has a reputation as a recruiter, something NC State needs as it replaces its recruiting coordinator.

“I’m happy to be a part of the Wolfpack and I am excited about helping the team realize Coach Doeren’s vision for the program,” Phillips said in a statement. “I’m also looking forward to working again with some great friends in the profession: Tim Beck and Kurt Roper.”

Phillips inherits a Wolfpack wide receivers corps that returns all three starters and has plenty of young talent on the roster with blue chip prospects like freshmen Micah Crowell and Porter Rooks, as well as speedster freshmen Anthony Smith and Chris Scott. With Phillips’ hiring to replace former receivers coach George McDonald, NC State has a full coaching staff as it heads toward spring camp. 

“I’m excited to add Joker to our staff,” Doeren said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of experience in the Power 5 and the NFL and is a proven recruiter, mentor and developer of players. He’s worked with two of our offensive coaches in the past and will be a great fit here at NC State.”