NC State freshman QB CJ Bailey shows growth, leadership in loss to Syracuse

Quarterback CJ Bailey scrambled in the backfield as defenders closed in. Bailey, inside the Syracuse 30-yard line, threw an interception, the pass intended for running back Kendrick Raphael.

One drive later, Bailey connected with wide receiver Noah Rogers at the 48-yard line, slipping the ball through three Syracuse players. Rogers alternated between looking over his shoulder and toward the end zone. The team added another field goal, but it was too late.

Those two plays, led by the freshman quarterback, seemed to exemplify N.C. State’s football season. Some good, some bad and often falling short.

“CJ is doing a lot of good things as a true freshman. I’m excited about him, not down on him,” N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren said after the Wolfpack’s 24-17 loss to Syracuse on Saturday. “He’s going to get better and better each week. We’re going to ride him. He’s our guy, and guys around him gotta make plays for him, as they did in the fourth quarter — (we) just need more of them.”

Bailey contributed to some impressive plays in the loss. He found Dacari Collins two times for first downs and did the same with Keenan Jackson.

In the third quarter, Bailey was under pressure from the Orange defense but found a gap in coverage and took off for a 28-yard gain. Justin Joly finished with 39 receiving yards and a touchdown on two attempts. Joly’s longest catch of the day was for 25 yards on fourth-and-12; Bailey launched the ball through the air to extend the drive.

The rookie finished 17-of-24 passing with one interception and two touchdowns for a career-high 329 yards. The loss overshadowed Bailey’s accomplishment of recording over 1,000 yards for the season. He added 28 net yards on the ground.

Unfortunately, the offense couldn’t capitalize on its positive plays. In addition to Bailey’s interception, he fumbled the ball once on a blindside blitz. Doeren said he doesn’t blame the QB for that one.

“I don’t put that on him, even though he should be able to hang on to a ball, when you get in the middle of your back, we should protect him better than that,” Doeren said.

The Wolfpack finished inside the Syracuse 30-yard line seven times. It scored three times. Of the four missed opportunities, all were within field goal distance and the game was decided by one touchdown.

It could have won. It probably should have.

“There are some positives. And there were some positives last week,” Doeren said. “You know, we’re just not getting the satisfaction of a win from these things, because we’re beating ourselves too much. That has to get fixed.”

Rogers complimented Bailey for the way he’s led the team, despite being thrust into the starting role sooner than he probably anticipated.

“He’s doing a phenomenal job for stepping into a huge role and continuing to lead the team,” Rogers said. “Just because he may turn the ball over or something, we don’t devalue him. We encourage him to keep going and everything. I believe CJ is going to keep doing great things for us. He’s one of our biggest strengths of the offense.”

Bailey started his third game of the season Saturday. He took over the starting job against Clemson and Northern Illinois after graduate quarterback Grayson McCall sustained an upper-body injury against Louisiana Tech. He was reinserted into the role when McCall went down last week against Wake Forest and was taken to the hospital with a concussion.

Beyond the game itself, Bailey continues to show a high level of maturity for an 18-year-old. After the loss at Clemson, Bailey said he’s a better leader than he ever thought he was and that showed after the Wolfpack’s loss.

The freshman stood behind the lectern and spoke to the media, taking accountability for the mistakes he made that led to the loss while still refusing to get down on himself or the program.

Bailey knows there’s room to improve. He wants to be better at possessing the football and increasing his accuracy. He also wants to celebrate the increased confidence and trust.

He is balancing a positive outlook with honest reflection and calling for continued fight.

“We kept fighting … we did not lay down. Everybody had each other’s back and trusted each other,” Bailey said. “That’s the biggest thing that I saw this weekend. I want to see that next weekend and moving forward; just keep playing like no matter the score … just keep playing. That’s one positive that I love from the team.”