NC State has its quarterback back, and now the Wolfpack are betting a new face can help keep him clean.
CJ Bailey is returning after throwing for 3,105 yards and totaling 31 touchdowns in 2025, choosing to bypass the transfer portal and stay in Raleigh. That makes him the centerpiece of the offense again, and it also puts a bright spotlight on the blind side. The Wolfpack lost starting left tackle Jacarrius Peak, who posted a 74.5 PFF grade and earned All-ACC Honorable Mention before heading to South Carolina.
To fill that opening, NC State turned to the portal and brought in Jimarion McCrimon, an in-state addition from East Carolina who steps directly into Peak’s old spot.
McCrimon knows exactly what kind of role he’s walking into.
"They're getting a real energetic, big, protective guy," he said. "I love protecting - I'm a lineman, a big O-line guy - and I love the coaches here."
He’s also already seen enough of Bailey to appreciate the challenge. McCrimon faced him before arriving at NC State, and the matchup left an impression.
"He's a great quarterback," McCrimon said. "It feels great protecting him - being able to see his dual-threat ability."
Does Bailey's mobility make the job harder? "It definitely does, I'm not going to lie to you.
But it gets me hype. He's a great guy, great character, and an adjuster."
For McCrimon, the message around the program has been centered on urgency, and he says that mindset has spread well beyond the offensive line.
"The O-line," he said. "Coach Tujague always says the word 'urgency,' and the whole team is picking that up now. That's something we all need to pick up during practices - always being urgent in everything we do, working up to the game."
NC State gets rolling Aug. 29 against Virginia in a Week 0 game that counts in the ACC standings. McCrimon said the timing doesn’t change his approach.
"It's my first Week Zero game, but it doesn't feel any different from a Week One game," he said. "The next game is the next game."
The bigger picture is encouraging for the Wolfpack. ESPN’s Football Power Index lists NC State’s schedule as the easiest in the ACC and the second-easiest in the Power Four, giving the team a path that could put it in Charlotte with a chance at an ACC Championship. McCrimon isn’t shy about what he thinks that means.
"The sky's the limit," he said. "There really is no limit. We all know what we're capable of - getting a championship."
In Other News...
NC State Loses Darrion Williams As His Next Step Gets Complicated
Darrion Williams is headed back to Texas Tech after spending the 2025-26 season at NC State, a move that closes the book on a brief stop in Raleigh but opens a much less certain chapter for his future. Texas Tech has already announced his return, giving the Red Raiders a familiar piece back in place, while the Wolfpack is left to absorb the loss of a productive transfer who arrived with expectations and is now on the move again.
The complication is bigger than the transfer itself. Williams ability to take the floor in the 2026-27 season depends on a pending court ruling over an extra year of eligibility for players from the 2022 high school graduating class, and the NCAA has appealed the issue as the legal process drags on. For now, the destination is known, but the timeline is not, leaving Williams in the middle of a roster move with a potentially uncertain payoff. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Could Still Get KaTron Evans Back If This Fight Turns
KaTron Evans is trying to keep his football future alive at NC State by turning to the courts after the NCAA denied his waiver request. The defensive tackle says the organization counted seasons against him even when he had little or no playing time because of hardships beyond his control, including family deaths and an eviction, and he believes that should not cost him another year of eligibility.
Evans has now taken the matter into federal court in North Carolina, asking a judge to pause the NCAAs ruling while the case plays out. For NC State, the stakes are obvious: if the fight turns his way, the Wolfpack could still have a path to getting him back for the 2026 season, though that outcome is still very much unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Fans Are About To See Lenovo Center Very Differently
Lenovo Center is in the middle of a major transformation, and Wolfpack fans are already starting to see the difference. The Raleigh arena is getting a multi-year, $300 million renovation led by Gensler and overseen by the Centennial Authority, with the first phase already wrapped up. Early improvements included a new View Bar and premium hospitality spaces, while the current focus has been on replacing lower-bowl seating and upgrading the concourses.
What makes the project feel bigger than a simple refresh is how much more is still coming. The long-range plan points toward a venue that will look and move differently for fans on game night, with completion targeted for 2027 or 2028. Even now, the changes signal that NC States home court is being reimagined for a very different kind of experience, one that should be hard to miss once the rest of the work is finished. [Read more 🡒]