The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1546417
28 ■ THE WOLFPACKER were lined up against Mack and sev- eral other future Division I players. In these situations, the quarterback was fair game to be hit. Bailey was tall and skinny, but he wasn't going to be pushed around by the older kids. He made sure to let them know quickly with his play. "What a lot of people don't know, CJ is very, very physical," said Mack, who transferred to NC State from Penn State this past offseason to provide a veteran presence in the secondary. "CJ is one of those quarterbacks in little league where he's not trying to juke you. He's not trying to stiff-arm you. He's going to run you over." Did Mack ever get trucked by the young quarterback? "Nooo, sir," he said with a grin. "No, sir." That doesn't mean he hasn't warned his NC State teammates about what Bailey can do on the field. Even though Bailey wears a green non-contact jer- sey in Wolfpack's practices, Mack has shared what the quarterback has done to others in the past, making sure his teammates are on the same page in the event he's barreling downfield. "I've told everyone out there, don't get CJ mistaken," Mack said. "He's got it in the tank. I've seen it." Winning Time One quality Bailey's coaches noticed early in his career was his intense dis- taste for losing. An example from his sophomore season at Chaminade- Madonna stands out. The Lions trailed Seminole High 15-0 after the first quar- ter, an ominous start to a game in which the visitors were looking to avoid a sec- ond consecutive defeat. Making only his fifth high school start, Bailey was unfazed by the early deficit. He walked up and down the sideline with a purpose, determined to pick everyone up and lead a comeback. "Don't worry, we're good," he told his teammates and coaches. "Pick your head up. We're good." Bailey's commanding presence caught C h a m i n a d e - M a d o n n a P re p coa c h Dameon Jones off-guard. Said Jones, "He's talking to grown men like that." He turned out to be right. By halftime, the Lions were ahead, 19-15, and they went on to win the game, 26-23. Bailey Bailey brings high hopes into his third season as the Pack's starting signal-caller. "I want to prove that I'm the best quarterback in the country," he said. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS