NC State coach Dave Doeren confident in CJ Bailey moving forward, will not pursue transfer starting QB

It’s been a while since NC State coach Dave Doeren entered the offseason with peace of mind when it comes to who his starting quarterback will be the following year. He had it with Jacoby Brisett, Ryan Finley and Devin Leary over his first decade in Raleigh, but the last two years have featured a question mark in early December. 

The Wolfpack dipped into the transfer portal twice over the past two seasons to find a starting quarterback. NC State nabbed Virginia transfer Brennan Armstrong to be the guy ahead of the 2023 campaign before it took Coastal Carolina signal-caller Grayson McCall as the starter before this past season. 

While the one-year quarterbacks were meant to be an immediate plug-and-play, NC State experienced the growing pains that come with a brand-new signal-caller. Armstrong was benched after five games — though he did lead NC State to three straight wins to close the season — and McCall couldn’t find a consistent groove before injuries derailed his playing career. 

Now, however, there’s a different vibe around the Murphy Center. 

NC State enters this offseason — with a bowl still to come — knowing who will be the starting quarterback in 2025: rising sophomore CJ Bailey. That, in a way, appeared to be a weight lifted off Doeren’s chest after his current signal-caller announced he will return for his second season in Raleigh on Tuesday night. 

“It’s a much better position than we’ve been in,” Doeren said of his quarterback room, with a sense of relief, Wednesday. “I love going into the offseason knowing who my starter is. It’s a great feeling.”

In addition to Bailey, who started each of the last six games of the season to throw for 2,183 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions paired with a 64.1% completion rate, Doeren was confident in the two scholarship backups behind him. 

Soon-to-be redshirt sophomore quarterback Lex Thomas has hit a stride since being elevated to the primary backup. Doeren believed Thomas had his best week of practice going into the North Carolina game, instilling even more confidence into the reserve signal-caller. 

The Pack also added incoming freshman Will Wilson on Wednesday’s National Signing Day to bolster the position group even more.

“I’m so excited about Will,” Doeren said. “He’s a young guy that can throw, can run, can lead.”

Doeren didn’t rule out looking at the transfer portal for a quarterback option, but it didn’t appear to be a priority for the Wolfpack to add. Instead, he seemed confident in the quarterback trio the Pack will work with in 20205. 

“We’re really excited about our quarterback room,” Doeren said. “I feel like with CJ, the experience he gained this year and the way he’s leading; Lex Thomas has really improved. … We feel good about the quarterbacks that are here.”

The three quarterbacks NC State will have at its disposal all feature an ability to make the throws downfield, while also showcasing their legs to pick up yards on the ground. Bailey rushed for 255 yards with two touchdowns this fall, while Thomas is a dynamic threat and Wilson recorded 1,144 yards with 20 touchdowns on the ground as a senior. 

NC State’s ability to have a mobile quarterback that can be accurate with his arm and use his running ability as a weapon within its offense . 

“It’s nice to have in your offensive system,” Doeren said. “Our offense will continue to grow and evolve, but having the mobility that our quarterbacks now have, it does put more stress on a defense.”

While the three quarterbacks are all capable of running NC State’s offense moving forward, Doeren seemed enthusiastic about not having to find a new starter for next season. Instead, the offense can continue to progress forward with Bailey as the team’s top option as it looks to build off his impressive freshman season. 

There is likely to be a different energy around the NC State program this offseason and Bailey is a key reason why. Everyone knows who will be in charge of the Pack offense — which will be key in the transfer portal — and it allows room for continued growth in the offseason. 

Doeren, who wore a grin when talking about his signal-callers, affirmed the keys to the offense are Bailey’s to keep. 

“The offseason’s different when you know going into that next phase who the guy is you’re looking at,” Doeren said. “CJ’s ready to run the show.”