True freshman quarterback C.J. Bailey exceeding expectations after career outing for NC State

In a season he was not expected to see game action, the true freshman could be the spark for NC State football to finish the season strong.

When 2024 three-star quarterback C.J. Bailey stepped foot on campus for the NC State Wolfpack back in the offseason, it seemed like there was a clear progression plan for the freshman.

The Wolfpack had landed experienced Coastal Carolina transfer Grayson McCall to lead the way. McCall threw for over 10,000 yards with the Chanticleers and the Wolfpack looked to develop their younger quarterbacks in the background for the future.

However, those plans quickly shifted in Week 3 when McCall suffered an undisclosed injury, forcing the true freshman Bailey into action late in the first half. At the time, NC State was trailing 7-6 and it seemed like things were trending in the wrong direction with a major injury at quarterback.

However, Bailey was able to come together after an early interception and dug his team out of a 17-6 deficit by leading three consecutive scoring drives to ultimately beat Louisiana Tech 30-20 in a big win.

That game showed head coach Dave Doeren something about his freshman quarterback, as Bailey would go on to start the next two games, as NC State lost 59-35 to Clemson before beating Northern Illinois 24-17.

Once McCall finally healed up ahead of NC State’s game against Wake Forest, the senior quarterback resumed the starting role, with Bailey heading back to the sidelines. But, that wasn’t for long, as McCall then suffered a brutal hit that required him to be carted off and taken to the hospital, prompting Bailey back into action.

The true freshman would end up completing 28 of 42 passes for 272 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, but the Wolfpack fell just short 34-30 in a tough conference game.

Since then though, Bailey has taken over the starting role, going through the expected ups and downs as a true freshman starting quarterback in a top conference.

That led to his best outing yet at the collegiate level this past weekend, as Bailey threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-23 win over Cal, completing 25 of 36 passes in the big victory.

Bailey didn’t commit any turnovers and ended up making a number of big plays, despite being sacked six times, capping things off with the go-ahead scoring drive in the middle of the fourth quarter that ended up being the deciding factor for N.C. State.

Bailey’s performance earned him ACC Freshman of the Week honors, as he showcased good poise and improved maturity in the pocket to help pull out a victory for his team.

Over the past few weeks, since being re-inserted into the starting lineup, Bailey has continued to develop at a quick pace, taking the reigns at quarterback amid the unexpected change.

For him, it’s mainly about putting the ball in his playmakers’ hands and letting the magic work from there.

“It feels really great to know that I’ve got good playmakers and good guys around me that will help the team out,” Bailey said after the game. “Guys like Hollywood Smothers, Justin Joly, and [Kevin] Concepcion, I know I can count on. I’m glad to have those guys because, shoot, they made big plays and they changed the game.”

It’s been a wild story for the three-star freshman, who came in expecting more of a developmental role in his first year to becoming the starter and putting together a number of quality performances, including one that earned him ACC Freshman of the Week.

Now, it’s on to the next part of the schedule, where NC State will face Stanford, Duke, UNC and Georgia Tech to round out their season. Bailey will be an integral factor in those games, assuming the situation remains the same, as he’ll look to continue developing while finding ways to win his team games.