Wake Forest Coach Offers Honest Opinion on CJ Bailey

RALEIGH, N.C. -- While NC State head coach Dave Doeren is intimately familiar with the Wake Forest and Wolfpack rivalry, Jake Dickert is learning on the fly. The Demon Deacons hired Dickert to replace longtime head coach Dave Clawson after the latter retired following the 2024 season.

Both programs enter the game 2-0 after solid non-conference starts. The Wolfpack and the Demon Deacons do things differently and while Dickert is still learning the intricacies of the rivalry, he understands its importance.

Dickert spoke to the media Monday about his team's start and also brought up blossoming star quarterback CJ Bailey as a potential problem for his new defense.

Jul 23, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Wake Forest Head Coach Jake Dickert answers questions from the media during ACC Media days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Importance of the Rivalry

Upon becoming the head coach at Wake Forest, Dickert was educated about the importance of the Big Four rivalry (NC State, Duke, North Carolina and Wake Forest). With such deep roots in the state and being such a large chunk of the ACC, the rivalries remain integral to the history of the sport in North Carolina.

"I've been around a lot of rivalries. The Dakota Marker, fantastic rivalry. The Border War, Colorado State–Wyoming. The Apple Cup. And now to walk into the Big Four, I think it's something really important," Dickert said. "I think we have to preserve these games. I'm a big fan of always playing all three of them, whether that has to be non-conference or not. I think that's a big thing for us, our state, and hopefully all four institutions. We need to preserve rivalries."

Sep 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (11) celebrates a touchdown during the second half of the game against Virginia Cavaliers at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Stopping Bailey

Wake Forest faced Kennesaw State, a program only participating in FBS football for the second season, and Western Carolina, an FCS program, in its first two games. The Demon Deacons struggled against Kennesaw State after running back Demond Claiborne left the game, but cleaned things up against WCU. However, in the 2-0 start, Dickert and Wake Forest haven't seen anything like NC State sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey yet.

"You point to the corners. Those guys are on islands the most. They've held up so far. NC State will test that and I'm excited for our guys to rise up to that challenge," Dickert said of his defense.

Bailey already cracked 300-plus yards in the first game and had a brilliant all-purpose performance in the Week Two win over Virginia. Dickert took note of both of those performances.

"Bailey has taken a big step forward. He's playing quarterback now. Last year they were very cautious with him," Dickert said. "Now he's playing quarterback, he has the keys to the car, and he's driving it. So it's the old deal of: let's get pressure on him, let's keep him in the pocket."

The Demon Deacons sacked the quarterback seven times in the first two games. Again, they've seen nothing like Bailey and Dickert knows that.

"He's dangerous with his legs. He's shown that really well throughout the course of the first couple of games. He presents a really tough challenge and one we're working through right now," Dickert said.

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