 NCSU fired O'Cain after the 1999 season.In 2000, longtime college football assistant and NCSU alum Chuck Amato was hired as State's head football coach.Although Amato had no head coaching or coordinating experience, NCSU felt that Amato's 18-year tenure as defensive line coach under Bobby Bowden at Florida State, winning two national championships, would help boost recruiting, ticket sales, and program prestige.