NC State quarterback CJ Bailey didn’t hide from the mess after the Wolfpack’s road loss at Vanderbilt. When he met with reporters Wednesday, the message from him was simple: absorb it, learn from it, and keep moving.
Bailey said the last several days have gone well because of the people around him.
“The last several days have been good. A lot of guys got my back.
Coach Doeren, everybody in the facility, they've been leaning on me. I've been showing up.
Like, I've been waking up on the right side of the bed every morning, feeling good.”
The loss stung, but Bailey said the team handled it the way it handles every defeat - by getting back to work quickly.
“It’s always tough when you lose a game, especially that way,” he said. “We took it the same way as we take any loss.
Like you know, just you know, try to move forward. Like, those were the words that were said in the locker room.
Like, pick ourselves up, get ready to get on the grass tomorrow. You know what I'm saying?”
Bailey was asked about the final sequence, and he said his only goal was to drain the clock and protect the ball. Instead, he said, the moment sped up on him.
“I was just trying to get all the clock out. That was my thought.
I'm just running. The biggest thing was just to hold the ball, bro.
Like, that was the biggest thing, and I was just trying to run around, make a play, be competitive.”
He added, “That's who I am. I'm a competitive guy, you know.
And I was just competing to the final second, and you know, it happens. I fumble the ball.
I'm going to pick my stuff up and keep going.”
Bailey said there was plenty of communication with the coaching staff before the play, but the situation was new territory for him.
“It was a lot of communication with the coaches and us. They told me a lot of things.
We worked like Coach Doeren said. We worked the play a couple of times, but never like that in that situation.
That was my first time ever in that situation, and it didn't go the right way I wanted to. I know I fumbled the ball.
It's what it is. You gotta move forward”
Even with the ending, Bailey pointed to plenty of positives from the game, especially the way he operated in a different offensive setup.
“Yeah, I made a lot of plays in that game. A lot of third downs and getting the guys on the same page.
The biggest thing was that we switched from being a tempo team to a huddle team. And we called a lot of plays from the huddle.
We called every play from the huddle, which was the biggest thing for me, pronouncing those words, getting it out, and moving fluent.”
For Bailey, the biggest takeaway was how well the group handled the change and stayed connected.
“That’s the biggest takeaway I take from that game -- making sure everybody was on the same page. From pre-snap to not hurting ourselves like before the play started.
On those third downs, I made a lot of plays, and the guys made a lot of plays. Defense made a lot of plays.
They showed up.”
When asked who has been closest to him through the last few days, Bailey went straight to family.
“Oh, my parents, of course. They're my backbone.
My mom is at my house right now, so like they she's cooking meals, cleaning up for me, and doing everything for me. That's my family.
Like, they're gonna be there for me through thick and thin.”
He said his parents were there as they always are, and he sees value in difficult stretches like this one.
“Yeah, of course. This year has been tough. You know, like and I learned a lot in this year of who my friends are, how big my circle is, how how a lot of things has changed for me throughout this year, and you know it's a learning lesson for me.”
Bailey framed the experience as part of growing up quickly after arriving on campus.
“It’s a part of growing up. I had to grow up at a fast age.
I stepped in as a freshman, came to play as a freshman. I had to grow up since then.
It's just been getting better. I've been learning every year, every every day that I you know step step foot on this planet.
Period. It's just a blessing.”
Bailey also said he spoke to the team and reminded everyone that the season still has plenty left in front of it.
“Oh, of course. We had a team meeting.
I said a couple of words to my guys, said a couple of words to the room, and just said we got a long season. Like we got so many more games and so many more plays that we can make.”
He said the response in practice has already reflected that message.
“And like the best thing about it was after I said that, it's the way we attack practice. Like the practices has been great.
Today was even a great day. It was a rainy day, and we practiced so hard out there.
So like I applied to those guys, bro, because like they, they've been through a lot too from that loss. You know what I'm saying?
So, like, they came to work today, and they came to work yesterday as well.”
In Other News...
Duke's Rotation Battle Is Already Creating One Big Camp Question
Dukes preseason picture is coming into focus with the usual October mix of optimism and uncertainty, and this year the conversation has centered on depth, defensive intensity and a roster that has been pushed by competitive practices. At media day, the Blue Devils described a group that has stayed mostly healthy as it prepares for the upcoming season, giving Jon Scheyer a chance to lean into the kinds of internal battles that often shape a team long before the games count.
One early exception is Drew Scharnowski, who is recovering from knee surgery and is expected to miss the exhibition game against Belmont. The day also began on a somber note, with Scheyer paying tribute to former Duke assistant and ESPN analyst Chris Spatola, who died earlier this week, a reminder that even in a room filled with preseason chatter, there are moments that pull the program back to something bigger than rotation questions and lineup battles. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Opens With A New-Look Lineup And Plenty To Prove
Dukes cross country season opens Friday at Princetons Meadows Challenge with a roster that looks plenty different from a year ago, and the Blue Devils will waste little time finding out where they stand. The men race at 9:30 a.m., followed by the women at 10:15, and Duke will send 12 runners on each side into the first meet of the 2026 campaign.
Among the most notable names is 2025 All-American Meshack Kuyo, who is set for his Duke debut after transferring from Boise State. Hell be part of a group that includes six freshmen making their collegiate racing debuts, giving both the mens and womens teams an early chance to measure how quickly new faces can settle into a lineup that has plenty to prove. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Cannot Afford To Let This Heavy Favorite Spot Get Sloppy
Duke heads into its meeting with William & Mary carrying the kind of spread that can make a Saturday feel routine before a snap is even taken. It is the first matchup between the schools since 1955, and the Blue Devils should have a clear edge on paper, with running back Nate Sheppard sitting atop the nation in carries and rushing yards as he gets another chance to work against a defense that has struggled to slow the run.
Still, the game has enough pitfalls to keep Duke honest. William & Mary has been one of the most disruptive teams in the FCS when it comes to creating extra possessions, so ball security has to stay at the top of the list if the Blue Devils want to avoid turning a comfortable afternoon into something messier than expected. And if Duke does build the lead it is projected to, the late stages could offer a bigger role for freshman quarterback Dan Mahan. [Read more 🡒]