RALEIGH — NC State brought back talented quarterback CJ Bailey for his junior season, but lost several key members of the passing attack to graduation and the transfer portal during the offseason. That forced the Wolfpack to look for new targets for Bailey to play with, including some that he knew well before his college days, including Miami transfer wide receiver Chance Robinson.
After essentially sitting out for two seasons with the Hurricanes, Robinson is already turning heads in a short period of work during Wolfpack spring camp. Part of that success stems from the fact that he and Bailey grew up together, playing youth football in the Miami metropolitan area before they went their separate ways as college students. Reunited with other Hurricanes in Raleigh, it’s looking good for the Pack.
High praise
Robinson’s success falls in tandem with Bailey, so the confidence of the pair within one another is critical if the new wideout is to be a member of the starting group in NC State’s offense. When asked what to expect from his new, but well-known teammate, Bailey expressed his belief in the ex-Hurricane despite his relative inexperience at the collegiate level, unlike his new signal caller.
“They should expect to see a dog,” Bailey said. “Chance is an amazing player. When we lined up for that first day of practice, he was catching one-handed passes, one-hands it everywhere. He gets his routes. He’s a big body. He can bump through traffic and stuff like that. When you see him when that first or second game comes, you’re going to see a lot… of explosive plays coming from him.”
As a sophomore, Bailey emerged as one of the ACC’s rising stars at quarterback, throwing for 3,105 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions in his first full season as the Wolfpack’s starter. Now, with Robinson and another Miami transfer, JoJo Trader, in the building, Bailey looks poised to take another massive step as one of the most experienced returning quarterbacks in the conference…