NC State QB Grayson McCall: ‘I think it’s going to be a really good fit’ 

Two days before UConn transfer tight end Justin Joly committed to NC State in mid-December, he reached out to quarterback Grayson McCall, who was in the transfer portal with the Wolfpack as a top landing spot.

The message Joly got back from McCall? “Hey, let’s do it,” Joly recalled receiving from the quarterback.

And that was that. It was a done deal for the tight end once he knew who was going to be throwing the ball to him on Saturdays in Raleigh.

Both Joly and McCall committed to the Wolfpack soon after, and became two essential pieces to the red and white’s 11-man transfer portal class this offseason. That group of portal players have helped NC State check in at No. 6 in On3’s Team Transfer Portal Rankings. 

McCall, a four-year starter at Coastal Carolina, arrived in the City of Oaks to take over as NC State’s starting quarterback for his final year of collegiate eligibility. The signal-caller starred for the Chanticleers during his five seasons in Conway, S.C., including becoming the first three-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. 

Although McCall is at his first new college since leaving high school, it will not be his first time adapting to a new coaching staff. He played his first five years of college football under Jamey Chadwell before the coach left for Liberty prior to this past season. 

McCall had to adjust to a new offense under former NC State offensive coordinator Tim Beck, who took over as the Chanticleers coach this past season. It was a new system with new terminology, with an up and down campaign on the field — 1,919 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions in seven games before he suffered a concussion at Arkansas State. 

But McCall thought this past season helped set him up for the transition to NC State. 

“Having to learn a new system last year, and develop some new skills, take some new coaching, learn that new verbiage, is only going to make this transition for me that much smoother,” McCall said inside NC State’s Murphy Center on Wednesday morning. “Everything’s been smooth. It’s a continuing process of learning how your coach coaches you, the verbiage and talking on the same page. It’s going to be a big step, a big challenge to continue to elevate my game in terms of passing and being able to run the ball, like I have in the past.”

McCall’s play style fits NC State’s offense under coordinator Robert Anae. He threw for more than 10,000 yards in his five seasons at Coastal Carolina with 88 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He thrived with short passing in the Chanticleers’ triple-option offense under Chadwell, but he didn’t have to use his legs as a weapon on a consistent basis. 

Though he didn’t do it at Coastal Carolina, McCall is a capable runner. He rushed for 3,003 yards and 41 touchdowns during his high school career at Indian Trail (N.C.) Porter Ridge in the team’s triple-option offense. 

Anae’s ability to be creative, and utilize the quarterback’s strengths, like he did with signal-caller Brennan Armstrong this past fall, stuck out to McCall. 

“Just seeing myself play in this system as a dual threat quarterback, what they were able to do last year with Brennan, it’s exciting,” McCall said. “I think it’s going to be a really good fit.”

While McCall is the focal point of the offense as the quarterback, he will be surrounded by an elite group of playmakers that he was excited about. The Pack brought in multiple elite wide receivers, including former five-star wideout Noah Rogers from Ohio State. 

On top of Rogers and Joly, McCall said he was almost another coach on the recruiting trail helping the Wolfpack attract transfers on offense to help build the star-studded cast NC State was able to bring in — along with freshman sensation Kevin Concepcion who had a breakout opening season of college football. 

“[We] rallied up a talented group of guys on top of the culture that the guys already here built,” McCall said. “It’s going to be special, man, so we’re really excited about it.”

How special? Well, McCall and the Wolfpack feel like they have something to prove this season. That may make for a dangerous team on the gridiron for the red and white during the 2024 campaign.

“I feel that I still don’t have that respect,” McCall said. “I’m definitely out to prove something this year. I think I’m in the perfect place to prove that. These guys and this team are out to prove something this year. The 12-team playoff and the opportunities that we have, it’s right in place for us to take.”