NC State quarterback CJ Bailey met with the media after the Wolfpack's 35-31 home win over Virginia.
NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.
Hey, C.J., what's it like, especially in the second half, when you can just hand the ball to Hollywood and let him do a lot of the work?
Yeah, it was great to see Hollywood get in the mix and do a lot for this team. Hollywood, being a guy that's been grinding hard all camp, and he's shown this game and last game,he's one of our important players on offense, and we need him for the rest of the year.
And just to follow up, what was the biggest difference you think today in run blocking and being able to open up holes for him to get through?
Yeah, we just knew we had to get physical, and our line created lanes and holes for Hollywood Smothers, so I just credit the whole line for everything, pass protection, run blocking. They did it all. I congratulate them boys, salute them boys. They did an awesome job with blocking and protection.
CJ, this is, I think, your ninth career game with at least 200 yards passing, but you looked so much more confident than maybe in some of your games last year. Just how do you feel after game two of this season, and where do you think this offense can really go?
Yeah, I'm feeling good. Of course, you got a lot of things to work on, but we've seen a lot of plays, a lot of explosive plays in these last two weeks, and it's going to get better throughout the year, and I'm very excited to see it. I'm going to keep spreading the ball around to everybody I could, finding the open guys, and, we're going to get the running game going more, so it's going to be great the whole year. And I feel comfortable and confident, going into each game. Since last year, I've been building on my confidence and being more poised every game, so it's been good for me.
You went into the locker room down 10 at halftime. Talk about some of the adjustments that remained in the second half and kind of what was said in the locker room.
Really, it was just our leaders coming together, our captains coming in and leading the locker room. That's a really big thing. We were playing good football. We just needed to be better, be more aggressive and be more smart, everything. So we just were drilling into their heads like we got to keep playing. Like, it's never over. It's four quarters of football, and it showed in the game.
Hey, CJ. Great game out there today. As soon as y'all come into the second half, y'all start scoring on a whim. Can you talk about the tide and the emotion, not just with you, but the entire team as y'all got closer and closer on closing that deficit?
Yeah, so this is our first time being down as a team. Last week we didn't even go down. So, like, this is our first time. We wanted to see how we would battle through adversity. Our emotions. We were ready to go back on that field and change the trajectory of the game. Like, our team wanted to fight. That was the biggest thing. We were not laying down. Like, it was another half to go, and our team just battled back in that second half. We got stops. We scored touchdowns. We did a lot of things that we could do.
CJ, did you make a conscious effort to expand your game this season with the running because you've made some nice runs in both contests?
Yeah, with my ability to run, it showed this game. And, I think my legs are going to help me out during the season. But I really enjoy scoring points and doing whatever it takes for the team to win. All right, Noah, go ahead with the last question for CJ.
Hey, CJ, Will got in there today. What was it like seeing him a fourth and one deep inside his own territory? Were you able to get that and pick it up and kind of help take time off the clock?
Yeah, Will's a great player, man. His toughness showed today, and I'm really proud of him. We'll use him more. Like, he's a really great player. He's going to get what we can do. He'll do whatever he can for the team. And I just want to keep seeing him succeed.
