FSU football DC makes lofty comparison for NC State's quarterback

The Florida State Seminoles (5-5, 2-5 ACC) are headed on the road to take on the NC State Wolfpack (5-5, 2-4 ACC) for a Friday night road contest as both teams battle for bowl eligibility. FSU is coming off a 34-14 win against Virginia Tech, while the Wolfpack is coming off a 41-7 loss to Miami.

While the 'Noles are current favorites in the matchup, FSU's Tony White is not overlooking the road matchup ahead.

FSU’s DC Breaks Down a Dangerous Attack

NC State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey hands off the football to running back Hollywood Smothers — Nov 15, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; NC State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (11) hands off the football to running back Hollywood Smothers (3) during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

While both teams have similar records, FSU defensive coordinator Tony White was not shy when talking about the offense that the Seminole defense is slated to face.

"That is really, really, really good offense. I don't care what happened to them last week. Everybody's going to have their off weeks," White said to the media on Tuesday. "They are really good on offense. You watch them, their wide receivers, they're really good. Their running backs run really, really hard. They're really productive. Their tight ends are dynamic."

NC State is the only school in the Power Four that has seven receivers with 20 or more catches this season, and although they're only averaging 6.39 yards of total offense per play, their top-four rushers combine for a total of 19 touchdowns, and their top two have a combined 1,268 yards.

NC State's Bailey Draws High Praise From White

Nov 15, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; NC State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (11) looks for a passing option against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

NC State quarterback CJ Bailey has 2,531 yards passing and 19 touchdowns to nine interceptions on the season, while adding another 148 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. White compared him to a young Jayden Daniels.

"Their quarterback is as smooth as they come. He reminds me of a young Jayden Daniels, just smooth. He's good enough to run it around, you know, but he wants to throw the ball," White continued. "He can make every throw, dude. He can make every throw, and he's good enough to extend plays with his feet."

It's worth noting that Florida State went 2-0 against Daniels in 2022-23.

White's emphasis on stopping the Wolfpack relies on the details of tackling, rallying to the football, and attacking the ball in the air. Stopping the run, he said, will be a priority.

"We got to keep the runs down to a minimum," White said. "So that way, when we get a chance to play coverage, whether we blitz them or whether we play full coverage, you're gonna have to make plays. This is a playmaker game because they got so many weapons."

Florida State ranks fourth in the conference in total defense according to cfbstats.com, while NC State ranks No. 6 in total offense, so the chess match between White and NC State's OC, Kurt Roper, will certainly be an interesting one heading into Friday night.

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