“I feel like I am the best quarterback in the country.”
CJ Bailey is not exactly hiding the standard he’s set for himself as he heads into his junior season at NC State. And for the Wolfpack, that confidence is coming with something even more valuable: continuity.
Bailey passed on transfer portal opportunities to stay in Raleigh, a decision he said came back to loyalty and trust.
“I knew where I wanted to be. I wanted to be with NC State,” Bailey said when asked why he turned down transfer portal offers to stay in Raleigh. “I get it from them being loyal to me first … They started it off with recruiting, and pouring everything into me.”
That kind of stay-put stability has become a rare commodity in college football, especially at quarterback. Bailey is one of only two ACC quarterbacks to spend the last three seasons at the same school, joining SMU’s Kevin Jennings.
For Dave Doeren and offensive coordinator Kurt Roper, that matters. A three-year starter at quarterback gives NC State a kind of edge that portal-built rosters can’t just manufacture.
It also gives Bailey a level of control that changes the way the offense operates. Roper has given him the freedom to override calls, adjust protections and handle pre-snap defensive looks without waiting for extra direction from the sideline. Instead of fitting Bailey into a rigid system, NC State has built the offense around what he sees and how he wants to run it.
“I’m the alpha leader, I’m the voice leader now,” Bailey said, pointing out how he’s worked to establish a player-led locker room culture alongside his teammates. “We created our own standard … We, as players, have to have our own standard [because] we’re on the field, they’re not on the field.”
That responsibility does more than help Bailey. It also lightens the load on the coaching staff and lets Doeren focus more fully on his defense.
The production has matched the authority. At 6-foot-6 and 218 pounds, Bailey delivered a big sophomore season, throwing for 3,105 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions while adding six rushing scores. He completed nearly 69% of his passes and set the NC State school record for career completion percentage at .671.
The national spotlight is starting to catch up. Bailey is on preseason watch lists for the Maxwell Club, Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee, Walter Camp and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Awards. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit also named him one of his top-five underrated quarterbacks in the country, calling him a “monster” in the pocket.
Even with that attention, NC State was picked seventh in the ACC preseason media poll. Bailey doesn’t sound bothered.
“Just adds fuel to the fire,” Bailey said regarding the preseason projection.
The Pack open with a Week 0 matchup against Virginia, a team coming off an 11-win season and an ACC Championship Game appearance. Bailey says NC State has spent the time preparing for that one, and he likes where things stand.
“We’ve been preparing this whole time … going into the game, we should be fine,” Bailey said. “If we start off our first game with a win, it’s gonna set the tone for the whole season. If we get the ball rolling that first game, we’re just gonna keep going.”
In Other News...
NC State Says Goodbye To A Wolfpack Fixture Fans Knew For Decades
For more than half a century, Howard Baum was one of the quiet constants around NC State mens basketball and football, working as the team statistician and becoming a familiar presence to generations of Wolfpack fans. He first began his run with the program in the 1960s, and over time his role made him part of the backdrop of NC State athletics in a way that only a few figures ever are.
Baum died at 92, with his family confirming his passing after a career that drew widespread recognition from the Wolfpack community. NC State had already honored him during the 2023-24 season, a fitting tribute for someone whose work spanned decades and helped connect so many eras of the program. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Paylors Return Could Give NC State A Speed Boost It Needs
Jonathan Paylors college career has moved more slowly than NC State probably envisioned when it landed the former four-star recruit, but there is finally some momentum building. Health issues and a redshirt have kept his playing time limited, yet Dave Doeren said Paylor is close to full health and has recently taken on a bigger workload in practice, which is an encouraging sign for a Wolfpack offense still looking for more juice.
The most intriguing part is where NC State thinks Paylor can help first. The coaching staff is looking at him as a return threat and as a running back more than as a wide receiver, a role that could let his speed show up right away if he can hold up physically. For a team that could use a spark in the field-position battle and a little explosiveness in the backfield, Paylors return to form is worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Just Got A Crucial Shot With Ian Condon
Ian Condons recruitment has reached a stage where every official visit matters, and NC State just landed the first crack. The 4-star power forward from Sidwell Friends School began his official trip to Raleigh as the Wolfpack continue their push for one of the more accomplished frontcourt prospects in the class. Condon enters the cycle with national recognition, checking in at No. 77 overall and as the top player in Washington, D.C., according to 247Sports, after a junior season that showed why so many programs are circling.
The visit also gives NC State an important chance to make its pitch before Condon moves on to a packed slate of trips to Syracuse, Boston College, Notre Dame and Northwestern. For a program looking to strengthen its future in the paint, getting in first can matter, especially with a prospect who put up 20.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and has already drawn a wide field of suitors. The Wolfpack have secured the opening window, and now the real work begins in trying to turn it into an edge. [Read more 🡒]