The NC State football team faces a critical road game against Clemson this weekend, but they’ll be without their starting quarterback, Grayson McCall. Instead, true freshman CJ Bailey will make his debut as the starter. McCall is listed as day-to-day with an injury, so Bailey will take the lead for this game.
“BREAKING: Dave Doeren has officially announced that CJ Bailey will start at quarterback for NC State against Clemson on Saturday in Death Valley,” Cory Smith reported.
While McCall’s injury doesn’t seem to be long-term, he won’t be starting this Saturday. NC State head coach Dave Doeren mentioned that there’s positive news about McCall’s condition, but they prefer to be cautious.
“I’m not going to go into details about Grayson [McCall]’s injury,” Doeren said, according to 247 Sports. “The news is good, but it’s a day-to-day situation. We’ll wait until he’s fully ready. In the meantime, CJ [Bailey] is prepared and will be our quarterback, and we fully support him.”
Starting against Clemson in Death Valley is a tough challenge for any freshman, but NC State QB coach Kurt Roper has praised Bailey’s readiness.
“He comes from a strong program,” Roper noted earlier this offseason. “His experience with a high-volume passing game has given him a higher level of understanding and spatial awareness compared to many newcomers. He’s played extensively against strong competition and has demonstrated impressive skills in various aspects of the game.”
NC State football’s CJ Bailey as a recruit
CJ Bailey is set to make his first start for the NC State football team, so it’s worth noting his background as a recruit. According to 247 Sports, Bailey was a four-star recruit, ranked #432 nationally in the 2024 class. He was also the #29 quarterback and the #57 player in Florida. He played at Chaminade-Madonna Prep High School in Hollywood, Florida. Here’s what Andrew Ivins from 247 Sports had to say about him in his scouting report:
“Ivins highlighted Bailey as a key player at one of South Florida’s top high school programs. He has an unconventional throwing motion with a lower release point but possesses the coveted size for a quarterback and is unafraid to challenge tight coverage. Bailey showed significant promise as both a sophomore and junior, and excelled as a senior, passing for over 300 yards against two nationally-ranked defenses. He handles pressure well, distributes the ball quickly, and performs best with a stable base. Although he benefited from having standout teammates like Jeremiah Smith, Bailey still made a strong impact on big stages, ending his high school career with a 28-2 record as a starter. He will need to reduce mistakes and undergo further development, but has notable upside. With his exceptional athleticism—standing over 6-foot-6, running a 4.8 in the 40-yard dash, a 4.4 short shuttle, and a 29-inch vertical jump—he could potentially be utilized in other offensive roles as well.”
Bailey’s debut comes with a challenging matchup, as the NC State Wolfpack faces the Clemson Tigers. The game will take place at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina, with kickoff set for noon ET on Saturday. It will be broadcast on ABC, and Clemson is currently favored by 19.5 points.
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