NC State football's Dave Doeren expresses travel concerns to Clemson with Hurricane Ian looming
RALEIGH — NC State football coach Dave Doeren expressed his concerns Monday about potential travel issues before Saturday's game against Clemson as Hurricane Ian makes its way towards landfall.
The hurricane is expected to arrive on the Florida coast sometime between Thursday evening and Friday morning. It could travel up the East Coast and reach parts of South Carolina and North Carolina by Saturday, with outer bands of the storm bringing high winds and rain ahead of that.
According to AccuWeather, widespread rainfall amounts of 2-4 inches are expected through much of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and southern Virginia, including in the Appalachian Mountains. Cities such as Roanoke, Virginia, to Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina, and Augusta, Georgia, could all receive several inches of rain that could include dangerous wind gusts.
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The No. 5 Clemson Tigers host No. 10 NC State on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in a battle of unbeaten teams.
On Monday, Doeren said he and his staff are already monitoring the situation with a local meteorologist and alternate arrangements for travel are already being considered.
"If we can't fly, then how are we going to get there?" Doeren said. "So there are a lot of things that we're having to be ready for in case it gets like that."
It's not the first time Doeren has prepared to play in a hurricane. His NC State team defeated Notre Dame 10-3 in 2016 during a game highlighted by a deluge caused by Hurricane Matthew. Lightning delayed the game for 30 minutes at the start of the second half, and a voluntary evacuation of Carter-Finley Stadium was called.
"We're going to have to have wet balls in practice. I've been through the hurricane situation before. I hope we don't have to play in something like that Notre Dame game," Doeren said. "But we'll be prepared if it is raining ... We'll plan for the worst and hope for the best."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: NC State football's Dave Doeren expresses travel concerns to Clemson with Hurricane Ian looming
