By Brian Murphy, WRAL

NC State quarterback Grayson McCall, who has missed much of his lone season with the Wolfpack due to injuries, is retiring from football on the advice of brain specialists, he announced Wednesday evening on social media.

“Unfortunately, my dream has been cut just short,” McCall said in a lengthy statement. “As you all know I have battled injuries my whole career, but this is one that I cannot come back from. I have done everything I can to continue, but this is where the good Lord has called me to serve in a different space. Brain specialists, my family, and I have come to the conclusion that it is in my best interest to hang the cleats up.”

McCall, a three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year at Coastal Carolina, missed the second half of last season due to a concussion. He transferred to NC State in the offseason and began the season as the team’s quarterback. He left the Wolfpack’s victory against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 14 with an undisclosed injury that kept him out several weeks.

McCall returned to action against Wake Forest on Oct. 5, but had to be carted off the field and taken to the hospital after taking a big hit to the head when his helmet came off. He was diagnosed with a concussion and released from the hospital the same night.

“As a young kid I never wanted to watch cartoons or do things that most of the other kids were doing,” McCall wrote. “As a young kid I wanted to watch football and run around with the ball in my hand. Throughout that time, I developed a deep love and passion for the game.

“Through God’s work and some pretty good genetics, I found out that I could be better than all the other kids if I just kept working at it. As I began to develop and grow, I envisioned this crazy dream for myself to grow up and be just like the guys I was watching on TV.”

McCall, who was lightly recruited out of Porter Ridge High School in Union County, played in 46 college games (42 at Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C., and four with NC State) over six seasons and accounted for 91 passing touchdowns and 18 rushing touchdowns.

He led the Sun Belt in passing touchdowns twice, passing yards once and completion percentage twice. He threw for more than 10,000 yards in his career.

“From Porter Ridge to Conway and this past year in Raleigh, this journey has been better than any dream I could’ve ever envisioned,” McCall wrote. “This game has taken me places I never thought I would go, and has shaped my family and I in ways I never imagined. I have made so many memories that will stay with me forever, and I am so grateful for that.”

McCall would like to go into coaching, using his passion and love for the game to serve and lead the next group of kids with a dream, he said. He will remain with the team this season, attending practices and traveling.

“As I feel like my whole world is being taken from me, I feel some sense of contentment,” McCall said. “Every time my feet hit the grass, I left every single ounce of myself on that field. I always played my hardest and to the best of my ability because I never knew what play would be my last. I have no regrets throughout my career and that is something I can be proud of. I want to use this time to show my appreciation to everyone who has been along for the ride. To my family, friends, teammates, fans and all the coaches who have poured into me over the years, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without you all, none of this would have ever been possible.”

NC State head coach Dave Doeren said days after the Wake Forest game that he would give McCall time to figure out his next steps.

“It’s only fair to him and his family to allow them that opportunity and be supportive of him as he goes through this tough time,” Doeren said at the time.

NC State (4-4, 1-3 in the ACC) is off this week and hosts Stanford on Nov. 2. True freshman CJ Bailey replaced McCall as the team’s starting quarterback and earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors after the Wolfpack’s victory against Cal on Saturday.

Source: wralsportsfan.com