UNC system moving to boost sought-after NC State football assistant coach’s pay
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- UNC System approved a 32% raise raising Charlton Warren’s base to $700,000.
- Warren previously had base salaries of $470,000 in 2025 and $530,000 in 2026.
- The raise was a retention-based request after Warren received another ACC offer.
An N.C. State assistant football coach is closer to seeing bigger number on his upcoming paychecks.
The University of North Carolina System Board of Governors’ Committee on University Personnel approved a raise Wednesday for co-defensive coordinator Charlton Warren, who also coaches safeties and nickelbacks. The proposal still needs approval from the full Board of Governors, who meet tomorrow. N.C. State’s Board of Trustees, who are scheduled to meet April 23-24, will also have to vote to approve.
UNC System chief operating officer Michael Vollmer said Wednesday’s request was for a “retention-based” increase.
“Coach Warren has received another offer from the ACC school and is actively being pursued,” Vollmer told the board. “He’s a key and valuable member of N.C. State’s football program, and the university is seeking to retain him. The increase would raise his base by 32% to a new base of $700,000 per year. His new salary will be within the compensation of similar coaches in the ACC.”
His previous contract provided a base salary of $470,000 in 2025 and $530,000 in 2026.
Warren joined the Wolfpack last season, replacing nickels coach Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay and safeties coach Joe DeForest.
N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren spoke highly of his assistant on National Signing Day in December.
“Charlton has relationships everywhere,” Doeren said. “He’s coached all over the country, and has a lot of respect across the country. You can see that with the guys were able to get in the secondary.”
Warren also stepped into the defensive play-calling role following the death of DJ Eliot’s daughter, Drue, last fall. Doeren said at the time that Warren’s willingness to step in allowed Eliot to be with his family.
Meanwhile, the players raved about his ability to connect with the team and help them improve. Devon Marshall was one of the players to make major strides under the new defensive staff last season and is one of the Wolfpack players NFL scouts have been most interested in.
Warren came to N.C. State after serving as the co-defensive coordinator, defensive backs coach and assistant head coach for defense at North Carolina for three seasons. He also coached the Tar Heels defensive backs from 2015-16.
His coaching career spans more than two decades, with stops in the SEC, Big Ten and at the Air Force Academy. Warren served as an active duty service member for more than 10 years.
Former UNC coach Mack Brown told the N&O he wanted to see Warren succeed and believed in his former assistant’s abilities to help the Wolfpack.
“He will give everything he’s got to N.C. State and those kids without being critical of Carolina, because that’s not who he is,” Brown said. “He’ll appreciate his two times at Carolina, and he’ll be very respectful of Carolina. I think the NC State fans can take pride in the fact that they have a war hero that helped keep our country safe, and now he’s one of the best coaches in the country.”
Staff writer Jane Sartwell contributed to this article.
This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 12:23 PM with the headline "UNC system moving to boost sought-after NC State football assistant coach’s pay."
