NC State Football

NC State quarterback CJ Bailey isn't sweating Bill Belichick reportedly becoming the head football coach of North Carolina, citing the Wolf Pack's four-game winning streak against the Tar Heels.

He added that it would be a cool experience playing against the legendary head coach, however.

"That means a lot that I could play against Belichick, meet him," he said. "But shoot, if he comes to play, we gonna kill 'em. We gonna kill 'em."

NC State's dominance in the rivalry goes back further than that, with seven wins in the past nine meetings, though North Carolina leads the all-time series by a 68-40-6 mark.

Bailey, only a freshman, will be seeing plenty of Belichick in the years to come. The young quarterback had a solid debut season, throwing for 2,183 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 64.1 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 255 yards and another five scores.

He threw for 242 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a 35-30 win over the Tar Heels on Nov. 30, rushing for 54 yards. He was sacked three times but led a 75-yard touchdown drive to give the Wolfpack the lead for good with just 25 seconds remaining, keeping them bowl eligible.

"These kids just get up and fight—these grown men get up and fight, and I'm proud of them," head coach Dave Doeren told reporters at the time. "Every time they made a play on their sideline, we responded with a play on our sideline."

Because of that win, NC State will face East Carolina in the Military Bowl.

Bailey's comments on Wednesday, alongside Belichick's hiring, will only add fuel to a rivalry that included a post-game scrap between the teams when NC State tried to plant its flag at midfield on North Carolina's field.

Belichick will be tasked with ensuring North Carolina doesn't let that happen again, though Bailey and the Wolfpack have other plans.

NC State quarterback Grayson McCall is retiring from football, he announced in an Instagram post on Wednesday.

McCall, who suffered a concussion against Wake Forest on Oct. 5, cited the many injuries he has dealt with throughout his career and said the concussion "is one that I cannot come back from."

McCall, a graduate senior, played six college football seasons between Coastal Carolina and NC State.

In his statement announcing his retirement, McCall said he, his family and the brain specialists he worked with decided it was best for him to call it a career.

Unfortunately, my dream has been cut just short. As you all know I have battled injuries my whole career, but this is one that I cannot come back from. I have done everything I can to continue, but this is where the good Lord has called me to serve in a different space. Brain specialists, my family, and I have come to the conclusion that it is in my best interest to hang the cleats up. As I feel like my whole world is being taken from me, I feel some sense of contentment. Every time my feet hit the grass, I left every single ounce of myself on that field. I always played my hardest and to the best of my ability because I never knew what play would be my last. I have no regrets throughout my career and that is something I can be proud of. I want to use this time to show my appreciation to everyone who has been along for the ride. To my family, friends, teammates, fans and all the coaches who have poured into me over the years, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without you all, none of this would have ever been possible.

McCall was a 2-star recruit coming out of high school and committed to Coastal Carolina, one of the only FBS schools he received an offer from. He was outstanding for the Chanticleers, with his best season coming in 2021 when he threw for 2,873 yards, 27 touchdowns and just three interceptions, recording what was then the FBS record for passing efficiency.

He led Coastal Carolina to some of their best seasons in program history, including an 11-1 record in 2020 and an 11-2 record in 2021. He was named Sun Belt Player of the Year three times.

After proving he was capable of playing at a higher level, McCall transferred to NC State ahead of the 2024 season. In his four games with the Wolfpack, he threw for 518 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

In his final game at NC State, he was knocked unconscious and carted off the field on a stretcher, suffering a concussion. He also suffered several concussions during his time with Coastal Carolina.

While it is an unfortunate situation for both McCall and NC State, it is ultimately a decision he feels is best for him and his family.

Former NC State quarterback and NFL MVP winner Roman Gabriel died at the age of 83 Saturday, per the Associated Press (via ESPN).

Gabriel's son, Roman III, said that his father had "passed away peacefully" of natural causes Saturday morning in a social media post.

In three seasons at NC State from 1959 to 1961, Gabriel threw for 2,951 yards and 19 touchdowns. He was the ACC's Player of the Year in 1960 and 1961 and was the conference's first quarterback to throw for 1,000 yards in a season.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.

He was selected with the No. 1 pick in the 1962 AFL draft by the Oakland Raiders and was the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft, selected by the Los Angeles Rams, who he ultimately signed with.

He spent 11 seasons with the Rams, winning the MVP in 1969 after throwing for 2,549 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowler in three consecutive seasons and earned another Pro Bowl bid in 1973. He was Los Angeles' all-time career passer by the end of his stint with the Rams.

After the 1972 season, Gabriel was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he spent the final five years of his career before retiring in 1977 at the age of 37. He finished his career with 29,444 passing yards and 201 touchdowns.

After his playing career, he had a brief stint as a member of the NFL on CBS broadcast team for two years. He also had an acting career, appearing in the 1968 film "Skidoo" and the 1969 film "The Undefeated" along with several other films.

North Carolina head coach Mack Brown wasn't happy with NC State head coach Dave Doeren's postgame celebration after defeating the Tar Heels last month, and he didn't hold back his feelings on Wednesday.

After the Wolfpack closed out the season with a 39-20 win over their rivals, Doeren addressed his team in the locker room, "It's been 1,460 days since those pieces of s--t beat us." However, his comments were caught on camera by the ACC Network, and Brown understandably was not pleased with his players being described that way.

"I've never heard something like that before," Brown said during his national signing day news conference, per ESPN's Andrea Adelson. "I'm disappointed. I thought it was classless. It's not true. We didn't play well in the game. We didn't coach well in the game. It's been very well documented, and I got that, but you don't call kids a piece of s--t, and I've addressed it with our team. I apologized to them."

Brown continued: "These kids are one of the top academic groups in America. They got an award for AFCA's top 13. They've won a Coastal division. They've won a bunch of games. They've been to an Orange Bowl, been to five straight bowls. They represent us. And from me speaking for them and their parents, they really didn't appreciate being called a piece of s--t."

Doeren said he wasn't aware that the cameras were in the locker room at the time of his postgame speech, and he called Brown on Wednesday to apologize.

"Obviously, if I knew I was on camera, my language would not have been what it was," Doeren said. "Does make it any better? No. I did call coach and apologize because I could have used a lot of different words. They caught me in a heat-of-the-moment situation in the locker room celebrating a huge win, and I was fired up about how we played. I have respect for coach, so the last thing I wanted for him to feel that, and again, it's not an excuse, but it shouldn't have been on TV."

Brown will be leading UNC against West Virginia in the Duke's Mayo Bowl on Dec. 27, while Doeren and NC State will take on Kansas in the Pop-Tarts Bowl the following day.

NC State football and men's basketball play-by-play announcer Gary Hahn has been suspended indefinitely after making an offensive comment about immigrants and the city of El Paso, per Luke Decock of The News & Observer.

Per that report, Hahn was announcing the score of the Sun Bowl during the broadcast of the Duke's Mayo Bowl between Maryland and NC State when he said, "amongst all the illegal aliens down in El Paso it's UCLA 14 and Pittsburgh 6."

"Learfield has suspended Wolfpack Sports Network play-by-play announcer Gary Hahn from his agreement indefinitely following comments made during today's Duke's Mayo Bowl radio broadcast," Wolfpack Sports Properties general manager Kyle Winchester said in a statement.

Hahn is employed by Learfield Communications and has been broadcasting NC State football and men's basketball games since 1991. He was named the North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year in both 2011 and 2020.

The Sun Bowl canceled its Fan Fiesta on Thursday due to the El Paso convention center being used to house migrants.

"Our Fan Fiesta scheduled for Dec. 29 has now been canceled due to the state of emergency that has been declared," Sun Bowl association executive director Bernie Olivas said in a statement. "They are using the convention center to house some of these poor migrants that are looking for shelter somewhere, so we have canceled the Fan Fiesta."

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court permitted federal officers "to continue expelling migrants before they have received an asylum hearing," per Leyla Santiago, Rosa Flores and Elizabeth Wolfe of CNN.com.

While that policy from the Donald Trump presidency, Title 42, was set to expire on Dec. 21, the Supreme Court ruled that it could remain active while it's being challenged in the courts.

El Paso has seen as many as 2,500 migrants reaching the city per day, according to Mayor Oscar Leeser, and the city has declared a state of emergency.

The convention center was one area being used to house migrants in the city, alongside hotels, churches and NGOs.

North Carolina State quarterback Devin Leary will enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.

Leary suffered a torn pectoral in October and was ruled out for the rest of the season, but Thamel reported he is expected to be cleared to throw by March. It could put him on track to compete in spring football for his new team, while likely being fully healthy by the start of the 2023 season.

The New Jersey native had 62 career touchdown passes across four seasons with the Wolfpack.

Leary came to North Carolina State as a 4-star recruit in 2018, redshirting his first season before earning a starting job as a freshman in 2019. He was in and out of the lineup the next two years, although he truly broke out in 2021 when he totaled 3,433 passing yards with 35 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

The Wolfpack went 9-3 that year while Leary was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

After entering 2022 as the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, Leary threw 11 touchdown passes with four interceptions in six games before suffering his injury.

North Carolina State went 5-1 in Leary's starts but had just a 3-3 record without him.

MJ Morris could enter 2023 as the starter for NC State after impressing during his brief opportunity this season, throwing seven touchdown passes with one interception, while Ben Finley could also compete for the job.

Leary should have no shortage of suitors around the country as a proven quarterback with significant experience against top competition. The 23-year-old should be an immediate starter wherever he lands, potentially getting a chance to improve his stock for the 2024 NFL draft.

Former NC State defensive lineman Joseph Boletepeli was arrested and charged with misdemeanor stalking and communicating threats to Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren.

ESPN's David M. Hale reported Friday that Boletepeli, a member of the NC State football team in 2018 and 2019, allegedly sent out a Twitter post that read: "Imma get him I promise. Dave Doeren and the rest."

The 22-year-old North Carolina native was also charged with resisting arrest, per Hale.

Along with the Twitter post, investigators allege Boletepeli "went to Doeren's place of work several times and sent threats through text message" to both Doeren and other Wolfpack staff members, according to WRAL.

Boletepeli was released from custody and placed on house arrest with an ankle monitor Friday.

Court records allege the former NC State player acted in a way that "would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress by placing that person in fear of death, bodily injury ... or the safety of the person's immediate family," per Josh Shaffer and Virginia Bridges of the Charlotte Observer.

Boletepeli was ordered to remain away from Doeren and the NC State campus as part of the conditions for his release on $25,000 bond.

Boletepeli was a 3-star prospect when he committed to NC State ahead of the 2018 season. He transferred to Maryland in 2020, appearing in four games for the Terrapins.

He appeared in the Terps' 2021 spring game but wasn't on the team's final roster last year.

NC State hasn't provided a statement about the arrest beyond confirming Boletepeli's status as a former Wolfpack player.

North Carolina State has extended head football coach Dave Doeren's contract through the 2026 season, the school announced Thursday. All 10 of his assistants also got new contracts. 

According to ESPN's Andrea Adelson, Doeren's deal is worth $5 million per year. He previously received $3.5 million per season.

"Dave continues to provide tremendous leadership for NC State football and elevate the standards for our program," athletic director Boo Corrigan said in a statement. "We continue to see competitive growth, academic growth and there is great continuity among our entire staff. ... We're excited for even greater days ahead."

Doeren has been head coach of the Wolfpack since 2013, leading the team to a 64-49 record. In his nine years at the helm, NC State has had just two losing seasons in 2013 and 2019. 

The Wolfpack have played in a bowl game six times under Doeren and have gone 3-3 in those games. They could not play in its bowl game last year despite finishing 9-3 after the Holiday Bowl was canceled because of a COVID-19 outbreak within the UCLA program.

Doeren is the second-winningest coach in NC State history, and he has coached 21 players who have been drafted into the NFL during his tenure. Now that he's back for a 10th season, the Wolfpack could compete for the top spot in the ACC.

Before coaching NC State, Doeren coached Northern Illinois in 2011 and 2012. He went 23-4 during his tenure with the Huskies and led them to a win in the GoDaddy.com Bowl during his first season.