Why NC State is Ready for Transfer Portal Day
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RALEIGH — Friday marks a significant day in the world of college football. Somehow, it has nothing to do with the 2025 season and the ongoing College Football Playoff, because that's the nature of the sport's beyond-broken calendar. The transfer portal officially opens on Jan. 2, with teams scrambling for yet another chaotic flood of players leaving and joining programs.
For NC State, the transfer portal process already got underway, with several key players announcing their intention to enter the portal before it officially opened. The Wolfpack won the Gasparilla Bowl two weeks ago and immediately turned the page from the 2025 postseason to the 2026 offseason, engaging in retention battles across the roster. The head start might help the Pack be ready for Friday.
Why the Wolfpack has a clearer picture than other teams
Staff retention
Out of the 136 programs in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), 30 made changes at the head coach position. The coaching carousel was more dramatic than ever before, even affecting NC State in matchups against Virginia Tech and Memphis. The Wolfpack didn't experience much change within the coaching staff, with the key position coaches and coordinators expected to return alongside Dave Doeren for his 14th season in Raleigh.
During the 2025 offseason, Doeren had two new coordinators and some new position coaches as well, making the portal process more difficult. The Wolfpack will face no such issues in 2026, giving them an advantage over some other FBS programs in the recruiting process once the transfer portal opens. It may also help with retention, as players won't leave to join outgoing position coaches elsewhere.
Positivity at a key position
Retaining rising junior quarterback CJ Bailey would be a massive victory for the Wolfpack at the start of the transfer portal window. According to reports from 247Sports, Bailey is discussing a deal to stay in Raleigh currently. Bringing back the talented signal caller would take a huge potential need off the board.
It would also help NC State in retaining offensive players on the fence about their futures with the Wolfpack. The program hasn't had a starter for more than two seasons in a very long time, meaning Bailey would have a chance to become a massive part of Dave Doeren's legacy.
Clarity of needs
The Wolfpack knows what it needs for the most part. Several players, like Terrell Anderson, Hollywood Smothers and Noah Rogers, already announced that they will go portaling, meaning NC State got a head start in scouting potential replacements at those spots. Several players on the defensive side of the football are graduating.
Going to the grocery store with a list of what you need always makes things easier. The same methodology applies to the transfer portal. The Wolfpack has a much more detailed shopping list than some other programs have at this point.
Keep it with NC State On SI for updates throughout the transfer portal process. Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker and never miss another breaking news story again.
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Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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