It’s laughable at this point.
Up here in the Upstate, we bleed Orange and Regalia, and nothing beats watching the chaos in Raleigh and Chapel Hill. Thursday morning, though, the show hit a new high. Will Wade, who spent his cup of coffee in the ACC taking shots at anyone who’d listen, is officially skipping town on NC State.
Joe Tipton reports Wade is headed back to Baton Rouge, ready to rejoin LSU as the Bayou Bengals move on from Matt McMahon. For Clemson fans, this is as good as it gets: a rival coach with a big mouth bolts before he can even hang a picture in his office, leaving the ACC wide open for Brad Brownell and our Tigers to take charge.
A Trail of Broken Promises
From day one, Wade wasn’t just coaching—he was stirring the pot. He took shots at UNC’s Hubert Davis over Ven-Allen Lubin’s minutes and let his guys talk trash after beating the Heels, even though Carolina was missing Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar.
The "Keeping It Heel" folks are calling him a "certified liar," but here in Clemson, we’re just grinning. Wade ran his mouth about building an ACC powerhouse, but the second the SEC called, he bolted. He’s leaving NC State in a mess, and honestly, it’s a beautiful sight.
Certified liar! https://t.co/hT3vlMeeeJ
— Keeping It Heel (@KeepingItHeel) March 26, 2026
The Ultimate "Floor" of a Program
Not long ago, Wade was busy denying rumors, swearing he was "all-in" on the Wolfpack. He promised he wasn’t just a one-year rental. He even told the media this past season—the one he’s now ditching—would be the "worst year" NC State would have.
Turns out, he was right. It’s the worst year because he’s already out the door.
"We'll be fine," Wade said during his short-lived Raleigh stay. "I wouldn't worry about us. We'll be hell next year. This will be the worst team we have at NC State right here. You just watched it. This is the floor of our program, and we will be much better moving forward. We know what's got to get fixed. I've got a very clear mind on what we need and how we need to go about attacking and doing it. That's what we're going to do. As soon as the plane hits the ground tomorrow in Raleigh, we're going to work. There's no vacation, there's no time off. We're getting to work and we're going to get this thing turned around."
Advantage: Clemson
Apparently, "getting to work" meant packing his bags for Louisiana. Wade might brag about his perfect record against the Tar Heels during his ACC pit stop, but let’s be real—he’s all talk.
For Clemson, this is a gift. NC State fans are fuming and Matt McMahon is out in the cold, but the Tigers are sitting pretty. We don’t need a quick fix or a coach who sees the ACC as a pit stop. As Wade heads back to the other Tigers, he leaves the door wide open for Clemson to take over.
He promised a turnaround, but all he delivered was a vanishing act. Give us a break.