C.J. Bailey: "I Wanted To Be At State"

NC State quarterback C.J. Bailey met with the media today to discuss the start of spring practice, staff changes, and much more.

NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.

On the first spring practice...

Oh man, it was very, very fun. First day back, getting used to the new guys and everything. Man, it's always fun when you get back to the field. I enjoyed myself today. I'm looking for many more great practices. 
 

You put 30 pounds on, is that right? 

What?  
 

Coach said you put 30 pounds on.

Nah, I didn't. 
 

How much bigger have you gotten now? 

Off-season, 5-10 pounds. But I'm looking to get way bigger, throughout the season. Before the first game, I'm planning to gain more weight. But right now, I'm just focused on football. 
 

You got to go through spring practice, fall practice, everything last year. How much different is it being the guy going out into the first spring practice? 

It's a lot different. The way I come to practice every day, one of the guys is looking for me and looking for C.J. Bailey. It's great. I like that. That's why I play quarterback. I like feeling the pressure and everybody leaning on me. It's different this year because it's easier for me. It's slower for me right now. I'm glad that I'm in that position because now when it's slower for me, I can help everyone else out, and I can do it as well. It's very different from last year. 
 

What's the biggest thing you learned last year that you can use this spring to continue to improve? 

The biggest thing I learned last year was at the end, I started to use my voice more. Break out and be that dude. That's what I learned at the end of last year. I need to help the team. Coming into this year, I already started this offseason. I'm being more commanding, taking control of everything, being a leader. That's what I learned. It's better in the team right now.
 

Is becoming a captain a goal for you this spring? 

Yeah, of course. I wanted to be the captain of this team. I wanted to be on this team. 
 

You talked a lot last season about how significant Coach Roper was. Your transition to the starting role, what's it like seeing him elevated into the O.C. position and having your O.C. also be your quarterback's role?

It's amazing. When Coach Roper got the job, I was so happy for him and happy for this offense for our future. I'm glad he's the O.C. and also my quarterback's role because now we're definitely on the same page with everything. I know what's going on next before everybody knows. It's great to have Coach Roper. He's a great guy, a great coach. I feel like he's going to take this team to the heights that it hasn't been before. 
 

It's funny the way things have changed. You got a starting job in the middle of last season. In the past, it was like, okay, he's going to be here for four years. Now the conversation is like, oh my gosh, is he going to leave? People were worried. What was that process like for you? Were people coming after you? What made you want to come back? 

The process was, it was not a lot. I already had my mind made up. I wanted to come back and stay with Coach Doeren and Coach Roper and the coaching staff and the team and the coaches and everything. I already had my mind made up. I wasn't worried about the outside, whether it was talking or whoever wanted me. I wanted to be at State, that's all. 
 

How did you use January to unwind from the season? Did you watch the college football playoffs? Did you watch all the NC State games this past year? How did you use January? 

I don't even use January. I often watch old games. There are old games. I watch the playoffs. Even when the playoffs are not going, I still watch it. I just like watching football, period, and learning from others. Coach Roper elevated it for me with me learning defenses and everything. When I watch a game, I know where this person is supposed to be. I'm taking notes on everything that they're doing. I love watching games and stuff like that. 
 

Obviously, it's a different role for you, but how much different is it as a spring practice for this offense as a whole? Last year, you had a lot of veterans coming in. Grayson, Justin Joly, even Hollywood Smothers and Jordan Waters. All those guys came from different programs. You guys have all done this together now at this point.

It's different. Our chemistry is on the next level. We all were here last year. We all know what it felt like to lose. We bled together. It's great to have those guys come back in with me. We could really go somewhere with this offense and everything because we've been together. We felt it. 
 

Did you ever look at Will Wilson and be like, I remember those days from a year ago? 

You have those freshman moments like me. I had those freshman moments all last year. Will is going to be a great player in the future. I love him for real.
 

Coach Doeren said all the spring practices are going to be closed, not playing or having a spring game. Does that maybe take pressure off the team to feel like you have to have things ready to go super fast? 

Not at all. I feel like our team is ready for whatever. I feel like we're ready for anything that's thrown at us. It proved in the offseason. We had a lot of sudden changes and everything like that. Nobody cried. We just got to work. We're ready for anything that happens.
 

Knowing Coach Roper so well in this new position, how do you see maybe some new elements developing in the offense next year? 

Can you repeat that? 
 

How do you think the offense might look different next year with Coach Roper as the O.C.? 

We're just thinking to take everything slow right now, see how it's going right now. Of course it's going to elevate. It's going to elevate throughout this year, actually. Next year it's going to be way elevated, but we're going to take things step by step, slow, slow, slow it down right now.