NC State quarterback CJ Bailey walked out of the first day of fall camp sounding like a player who knows exactly what he wants this season to look like.
The third-year starter said the Wolfpack’s focus is squarely on team goals, not individual shine. For him, that means chasing an ACC championship, pushing toward the playoffs and using the season to show what NC State can do.
Bailey said the opening day of camp set the tone right away. He described the session as intense, competitive and full of energy, with both sides trading blows in the heat while the team kept its attention on the fact that kickoff is only 30 days away.
“I'm feeling good. Today was a great day of practice.
The first day was good. You know, year three is going to be a different story, a different mystery this year, and I'm ready to live it out with the guys on the team this year.”
That confidence has been building for a while, and Bailey made it clear he’s not spending much time on outside opinions. NC State was picked seventh in the ACC preseason poll, but he said he didn’t even know that at first. Once he heard it, though, he treated it as more motivation.
“Um, not really that much. That's actually a good fact.
I really didn't know about that. It just adds fuel to the fire, for sure.
Like, we just stay motivated. Every little thing motivates us.
We all know that outside of our building, a lot of people don't fully believe in us or what we can do. We always think about that.
Like, it's just motivation to us, especially to me. I want to win every game and prove everybody wrong.”
Bailey also talked about how his leadership role has grown. He said it has come from time, repetition and learning from others around him, including other leaders and NFL guys who helped show him how to lead. Speaking up more and stepping in front of the group, he said, has been part of getting him ready for this moment.
“It’s just taking time and, you know, just practicing. These past couple years, I was learning. You know, just learning from other leaders, other adults, NFL guys helping me, teaching me how to lead, and just practicing it.
You know, speaking a lot, using my voice, stepping out in front is just preparing me for this moment. And I got full control like you said, took over everything, and, you know, like I'm just moving in the right direction right now.”
For Bailey, the biggest reason he feels ready is simple: game experience. He said the reps he has taken since his freshman year have taught him how to react when pressure hits and how to move with more certainty once the game starts.
“Yeah, yeah. Game reps is very key. Like, all those reps I took from my freshman year to now have been crucial to my game.
And, you know, stepping out there, it was just like, boom. I know where I'm going.
I know what I'm doing, and I know how to, you know, react to stuff when there's pressure or whatever the case may be. And I know how to move out there now because I took a lot of reps, and it's prepared me.”
He also said his relationship with coach Dave Doeren is especially close, extending beyond football into family dinners and time around Doeren’s wife and children.
“Oh, we real tight. I mentioned it before.
Like, off the field, I'm with his wife. I'm with his kids.
You know, like, I met his kids and all type of stuff like that. We go on dinners, all type of stuff.”
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