The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1525890
24 ■ THE WOLFPACKER of scenery. His original plan following his fifth year with the Chanticleers was to declare for the NFL Draft, but the concussion changed that. The Indian Trail, N.C., native entered the transfer portal, seeking a new spot for his final season of college football. He had explored his transfer options during the previous cycle, and even talked with Auburn and NC State but ended up returning to Coastal Carolina for another season. His prior experience in the portal helped him land with the Wolfpack this time around. He had already developed a relationship with the staff, but this time, the Pack secured its prized quar- terback in what appeared to be a mutu- ally beneficial decision. McCall found his new start, while NC State garnered a world-class talent un- der center. He has thrown for 10,005 yards and 88 touchdowns with just 14 interceptions in his career, and he believes offensive coordinator Robert Anae's system is ideal for his skill set. "I think the blueprint and the culture fits and matches what I do perfectly," McCall said. "The mindset, the play style of football, the way Coach [Dave] Doeren runs his program, I think it was a perfect fit." McCall attended his third preseason conference media day this summer when the ACC held its event in Char- lotte, but for the first time he wasn't a reigning player of the year. That ap- peared to be a relief for McCall, who felt the pressure mount year after year in the Sun Belt. "It's extremely refreshing to be in a new spot," he said. "The pressure is al- ways there, but it's a little bit off. All the lights aren't on me like it was for three years. Definitely refreshing, and it's been great so far." 'I'm The Same Guy' Although he isn't facing the exter- nal pressure of repeating as the pre- mier player in his league, McCall has been given the keys to a power-con- ference offense for the first time. He was lightly recruited out of high school, with just six collegiate offers — Army, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Chattanooga, Eastern Kentucky and Gardner-Webb — but that only seemed to intensify his determination to prove himself. Now, on a bigger stage, McCall is not nervous about a season full of high ex- pectations. Instead, the quarterback is ready to show he can succeed in one of the top conferences in the nation. "It's a prestigious league with a lot of really good football teams, but for me, I'm the same guy," McCall said. "I've gotten better in terms of my mental [de- velopment] and my body as a quarter- back, but it's going to be the same guy out there playing — a lot of energy, a chip on my shoulder, toughness, grit." The signal-caller has kept his mind- set the same in Raleigh, and as a proven collegiate quarterback, he knows what he wants from his teammates. On the practice field, he expects his team to be ready to go. And if it's not, he's there to hold everyone else accountable. "There's a reason the guy has been a three-time player of the year. The guy just knows how to play football," NC State wide receivers coach Joker Phillips said. "[He's a] leader, knows what he wants, knows what the coaches want, and he demands it from the guys." Even though he has found success at the FBS level, McCall is looking forward to the challenge that awaits. He could have been complacent as the premier player of the Sun Belt Conference, but After throwing for 10,005 yards and 88 touchdowns at Coastal Carolina, McCall made his first public appearance in an NC State uniform during the team's spring game. PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP NC State Football Schedule Date Opponent Time (TV) Aug. 29 WESTERN CAROLINA 7 p.m. (ACCN) Sept. 7 vs. Tennessee* 7:30 p.m. (ABC) Sept. 14 LOUISIANA TECH Noon (ACCN) Sept. 21 at Clemson TBA Sept. 28 NORTHERN ILLINOIS TBA Oct. 5 WAKE FOREST TBA Oct. 12 SYRACUSE TBA Oct. 19 at California TBA Nov. 2 STANFORD TBA Nov. 9 DUKE TBA Nov. 21 at Georgia Tech 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) Nov. 30 at North Carolina TBA * at Charlotte, N.C.