The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1137844
52 ■ THE WOLFPACKER QUARTERBACKS Football has been the family business for Bailey Hockman's entire life. His father, Kyle, was the successful prep coach at Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern High, where Bailey played for four years. The elder Hockman has been coaching in Ohio and Georgia for 30-plus years. Bailey Hockman's journey to NC State has been shaped by starting to learn plays at 4 years old. The 6-2, 208-pounder threw for 2,604 yards and 25 touchdowns his senior year and helped lead McEachern to the GHSA 7A state semifinals in a bittersweet moment. He knew that would be the last time he played for his father. With such a background, it would be natural to assume the Wolf - pack's redshirt sophomore was born to be a quarterback. "When I was younger, I actually played tight end because I was bigger than everyone else," said Hockman, who will major in sports management at NCSU. "In middle school, I figured out that I could play quarterback." The lefty originally verbally committed to Georgia and then eventu- ally signed with Florida State. When he was the odd man out among Deondre Francois and James Blackman after fall camp last August, he left the Seminoles and landed at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, where he didn't play to preserve a year of eligibility. "I learned to just focus on myself on the field [at FSU] and not be like, 'What did he do on this rep? How many reps am I going to get?'" Hock - man said. "I just want to be calm and not worrying about other guys. I just want to play my game." NC State was searching high and low for a quarterback to replace Ryan Finley last summer and had just missed out on former minor league baseball player Cord Sandberg, who picked Auburn. When they later found Hockman, the time proved to be right for both parties. "I love it, and it's a great city," Hockman said of Raleigh. "I'm glad to be here. It's been a long journey and a long road, and I'm excited to get to my final destination. I want to do what I can, have fun, be a leader and get things going." Hockman threw for 203 yards and a touchdown during FSU's spring game a year ago. In April, he threw for 135 yards and a score in his Raleigh debut. With Florida State having played NC State in 2017 when he was redshirting, he had a decent handle on what the Wolfpack were doing under then-offensive coordinator Eli Drinkwitz, who has since left. However, the Pack is expected to continue employing a similar attack. "They were a good team with a fast-paced offense," Hockman recalled. "They were really good and something I wanted to be a part of. It was really tough to leave Florida State, and I prayed about it a lot. God gave me a pretty good sign." — Jacey Zembal Redshirt sophomore Bailey Hockman played well in the spring games at Florida State in 2018 and NC State in 2019. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN Quick Facts Position Coach: Kurt Roper (first season) Returning Starter: None Starter Lost: Ryan Finley (39 starts) FYI: Athlon ranked the NC State quarterback position No. 10 in the ACC and pre - dicted redshirt sophomore Matthew McKay would win the starting battle … Rivals. com listed McKay as a three-star recruit and the No. 41 player in North Carolina's class of 2017 … Redshirt freshman Devin Leary was ranked as the No. 240 overall prospect and the No. 9 pro-style quarterback in the class of 2018 by Rivals.com … Redshirt sophomore Bailey Hockman was listed as the No. 15 pro-style quarterback and the No. 44 player in the state of Georgia in the 2017 class … Both freshman Ty Evans and Leary were Gatorade Players of the Year, won two state titles and were picked for the Nike Elite 11 … Evans was one of three players in Colorado prep his - tory to amass over 10,000 total yards. ■ By The Numbers 5 Quarterbacks from NC State are currently in the NFL, which leads the league — Jacoby Brissett (Indianapolis Colts), Ryan Finley (Cincinnati Bengals), Mike Glennon (Oakland Raiders), Philip Rivers (Los Angeles Chargers) and Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks). 87 Combined number of college passing yards by NC State's current crop of quar- terbacks, all from redshirt sophomore Matt McKay. 10,501 Total passing yards over the past three seasons by departed starter Ryan Finley. the system in his mind. He's a guy that is really gifted at throwing the football." Hockman was added this spring after he transferred out of Florida State. The highly recruited prep star played for his father Kyle Hockman at Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern High. He originally committed to Georgia before a coaching change in Ath- ens led him to FSU. "It is a new system to him and being here is new, but it is not his first college experience," Roper said. "I think that helps in the transition, and his football understanding is at a high level. He grew up with his dad as a coach and was around another system that taught him a lot of football. He's a talented young man." ■ Getting To Know: Bailey Hockman