After a remarkable five-year career at Coastal Carolina, graduate quarterback Grayson McCall is preparing to finish his collegiate career with NC State football.
This offseason has been one of the most productive in the history of the program after reeling in the nation’s 10th-ranked transfer class per 247 Sports. Teeming with talent on both sides of the ball, McCall is the face of a group that looks to meet big expectations for the 2024 season.
“Our expectation is to be in the final 12 at the end of the year,” McCall said. “We want to win the ACC, and that will come through a long process this offseason.”
McCall is no stranger to a winning dynamic — he helped guide Coastal to back-to-back 11-win campaigns in 2020 and 2021. Throughout his time in Conway, South Carolina, he was a consistent threat through the air and on the ground. He churned out 10,005 passing yards, 88 passing touchdowns, 1,113 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground. As a result, he earned Sun Belt player of the year honors in three consecutive seasons.
This past season was one of change for McCall as his coach of four years, former head coach Jamey Chadwell, stepped aside, opening the door for former NC State offensive coordinator Tim Beck to take the reins. Throughout the transfer process, Beck was one of the reasons McCall chose the Wolfpack as his next home.
“Coach Beck, Coach Proctor, … they were very high on this place and what this place did for them and their careers,” McCall said. “It was awesome to have conversations with people who have been in this building, … and they had nothing but good things to say about NC State.”
Despite the new world of NIL collectives playing a large role in NCAA recruiting, McCall said that was not what drove him to Raleigh. Instead, he sought out a strong culture and good coaching.
“I’m not one of those guys that was chasing a bag of money,” McCall said. “I wanted to go somewhere that had a strong culture, somewhere that has had success in the past and has had a coach like Coach Doeren.”
Last season was an unpredictable ride for NC State — the Wolfpack went 9-4 during what many called a rebuilding season. Offensively, the team struggled to find consistency with the Pack sporting two different signal-callers throughout the season. This resulted in the unit ranking 10th in the ACC in terms of total passing yards and tying for eighth in the conference in terms of passing touchdowns.
The hope for the Pack is that McCall will stabilize the quarterback position. Despite adjusting to a higher level of competition, McCall is confident that he has what it takes to help improve this aspect of the game and bring his dual threat ability to the table.
With the pieces the Wolfpack has put together on offense, a growth in McCall’s passing game should be expected. The unit most notably includes the likes of reigning ACC rookie of the year, sophomore receiver Kevin “KC” Concepcion. He will be joined by incoming offensive weapons from the portal such as redshirt freshman receiver Noah Rogers, junior tight end Justin Joly and graduate running back Jordan Waters. The offense also includes the addition of graduate offensive lineman Zeke Correll.
“Our job is to make sure he doesn’t get touched,” Correll said. “He took me out to a nice steak dinner, so he’s done well so far. He’s on my good side for sure.”
After suffering a concussion, McCall was limited to seven games last season. Going into his last season of college football, the graduate is determined to succeed in the red and white. Despite a higher level of competition, he looks to put his best foot forward and deliver high-flying results.
“Everything is different,” McCall said. “No matter what the competition, it’s really what can I do for myself to make myself the best player possible and how can I prepare myself to be the best.”
