How Past NC State Football True Rookie QBs Fared in First Starts
NC State football true freshman signal caller CJ Bailey, a mere 18-year-old, has been gearing up all week for the first starting nod of his college career. And it's quite the high-profile task, as Dave Doeren's 12th Wolfpack squad (2-1, 0-0 ACC) is on the road to face No. 21-ranked Clemson (1-1, 0-0 ACC) in Memorable Stadium at noon ET Saturday (ABC).
The program hasn't won at Clemson since 2002.
Bailey is starting in place of Grayson McCall, who suffered an undisclosed injury in the second quarter of the Wolfpack's 30-20 home win over Louisiana Tech last Saturday.
In McCall's absence, Bailey helped orchestrate a comeback to prevent an upset in the packed-house Carter-Finley Stadium, tallying 156 yards on 13-for-20 passing to go along with four carries for 27 yards and his first career touchdown.
As for the previous four NC State football true freshman quarterbacks' first career starts, "unofficial historian of Wolfpack athletics" Tim Peeler advertised their combined 4-0 mark and individual stats from those games.
Here's the relevant answer to how NC State's four previous true-freshman quarterbacks did in their first collegiate starts. https://t.co/WAWaFvF2Wc pic.twitter.com/MGbk97agR9
— Tim Peeler (@PackTimPeeler) September 19, 2024
They consist of Dave Buckey's 1972 Peach Bowl effort against West Virginia, Terry Harvey's 32-31 win at Duke late in the 1991 campaign, Philip Rivers' 397 passing yards on 57 attempts in a double overtime home win over Arkansas State in 2000, and MJ Morris' 2022 three-touchdown performance versus Wake Forest in Raleigh.
No doubt those are some impressive numbers and victories from the NC State's four first-time rookie starters to date. Even so, just a W alone on Saturday would likely cement CJ Bailey's place atop that list in the Wolfpack history books.
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Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of NC State Wolfpack on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining NC State Wolfpack on SI in 2024, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.