Grayson McCall didn’t slide.
NC State’s former graduate quarterback felt the rush, tucked the ball and braced for contact. Three Wake Forest defenders closed in, and when the hit came, it was brutal — McCall’s head snapped back, his helmet flew off, and the ball popped loose. As the Demon Deacons scooped it up and sprinted 80 yards the other way, McCall lay motionless on the turf.
The sideline fell silent. Trainers rushed out, kneeling around him, their voices low but urgent. The wait stretched, every second heavier than the last, until finally a cart rolled onto the field. McCall stirred just enough to lift two fingers in a peace sign. His season — and ultimately his career — ended in that moment.
Across the sideline, CJ Bailey strapped on his helmet. The true freshman, who was meant to spend the year learning, suddenly had no time left to learn at all.
“I did talk to [CJ] in front of the team,” Doeren said afterward. “Told him, I believe in him. … He delivered today on a lot of drives. He did some really good things for a true freshman. He didn’t look like a true freshman at times and made some nice throws. CJ has got a bright future.”
Nine games later, Bailey had scored 22 touchdowns — eighth-most in the ACC — and thrown for more yards than any NC State freshman since Philip Rivers. Now 30 pounds heavier, more vocal and entering the season as a captain, he’s no longer Plan B. This is his team.
It’s a transformation his head coach has noticed firsthand.
“Your offseason as a head coach is tremendously different when you have an offseason with the starting quarterback,” Doeren said. “A year ago, [CJ’s] trying to learn what it’s like to be a college student. He’s trying to learn an offense, he’s trying to learn the names of his coaches, names of his teammates. This year, he’s leading those guys.”
More than his weight gain or extra reps, Bailey has made a point of addressing leadership this offseason. Both he and Doeren have talked at length about how much more vocal he’s become — something Bailey traces directly to McCall’s influence.
“[McCall] was a great leader and great mentor for me,” Bailey said. “Even when he was done. I learned how to be more vocal than what I was before. At the end of last year, that’s what I was working towards, just being more vocal, being more of a leader.”
That leadership has shown up in the details. Last fall, after being thrown in the metaphorical fire, Bailey rarely checked plays or adjusted protections. Now, he takes ownership in the huddle and in front of the media — using phrases like “my team” and “my guys.”
He even switched his number from 16 to 11 — the same number he wore at Chaminade-Madonna High School, where he lost just two games in three years.
And this time, he won’t take the field alone. In the few media availabilities granted to the public, teammates like redshirt sophomore running back Hollywood Smothers and preseason All-American tight end Justin Joly have raved about that comfort and growth — both on and off the field.
“My boy, he’s a dawg,” Joly said. “He’s an absolute dawg.”
Perhaps the biggest change isn’t a change at all; newly hired offensive coordinator Kurt Roper spent last season as Bailey’s quarterbacks coach.
“Coach Roper, for one, is a great guy,” Bailey said. “He’s helped me every day. Every day I come into that meeting room with him, I gain some type of knowledge and understanding of the game. It’s great that he’s our offensive coordinator because he understands me and I understand him.”
That growth hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Doeren doubling down at ACC Kickoff last month.
“Instead of learning an offense, learning his teammates, learning his coaches, he knows all those things,” Doeren said. “He’s experienced, he knows his teammates, he knows his coaches, he knows what to improve on, he knows some of his opponents. It’s totally different.”
The challenge now is translating growth into wins. With seemingly so many positives in their corner, the Wolfpack’s season will come down to the pivot point every quarterback represents for their squad.
Bailey’s rise from backup plan to centerpiece mirrors the Pack’s own search for direction. His play this fall won’t just define his story — it will set the course for NC State’s season.
