Wolfpack’s starting QB returning to NC State in 2025, NIL collective announces
N.C. State’s backfield will have some stability next season with the return of its quarterback.
Savage Wolves, the football side of OnePack NIL, announced Tuesday night that quarterback CJ Bailey will return to the Wolfpack in 2025. He signed with the collective on Tuesday afternoon.
Bailey appeared in 11 regular season games this season and started eight. He completed 177 of 276 pass attempts (.641) for 2,183 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
The true freshman added 255 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
“CJ’s got it all,” running back Hollywood Smothers said of Bailey last week. “He’s back there calm. He’s a leader in the huddle every time. He’s got all the intangibles back there, and we trust him with the ball in his hands. … As a freshman quarterback, his preparation and everything; he’s ahead of time. He’s gonna be a great player for sure.”
Bailey ranks No. 2 in program history for the most passing yards by a freshman, surpassing Russell Wilson’s 1,955 passing yards in 2008, and is behind only Philip Rivers, who threw for 3,054 yards as a freshman in 2000.
The rookie ranks No. 2 for pass attempts, completions and is on track to finish second for total offense by a freshman, behind Rivers. He is No. 3 in touchdown passes by a freshman, trailing Wilson by three.
Bailey could finish the season with the best freshman completion percentage in program history, as well. If his percentage holds or improves, it would rank above MJ Morris (2022), Dave Buckey (1972) and Jose Laureano (1995). It would also rank in the program’s Top 10 for season completion percentage, regardless of classification.
He holds a passing efficiency of 140.8. If this number stands after the bowl game, it would rank No. 8 in program history for the best in a season, behind Finley, Leary, Buckey, Rivers and Wilson.
Bailey finished the regular season with two games of at least 300 passing yards, against Wake Forest and Syracuse. He is the eighth different quarterback, including Ryan Finley and Devin Leary, with at least one 300-yard passing performance in a season. N.C. State has featured a quarterback who achieved the statistic in every year except 2015 since head coach Dave Doeren was hired in 2012.
N.C. State defeated North Carolina in a 35-30 rivalry thriller on Saturday to earn bowl eligibility and beat the Tar Heels for a fourth straight season. The Wolfpack (6-6, 3-5 ACC) will learn its bowl destination on Sunday. Bailey contributed a pair of touchdowns and a 44-yard pass to Noah Rogers in coverage en route to the win.
“That means a lot to get my first bowl game, hopefully get my first win,” Bailey said. “We have another game, another chance to get a win, another chance to go out there with my guys. It feels great.”
This story was originally published December 3, 2024 at 7:05 PM.
