Born to play
Josh Mitchell / Assistant Director of Communications
Outsider linebacker James Bailey has taken on a more prominent role in the Bulldog defense after making his presence known in 2015 as a true freshman.
FRESNO, Calif. - When Fresno State takes the field on Sept. 3 at Nebraska, fans will see a new number roaming the Bulldog defense. No. 7.
It won't be a new face, but one that was introduced to fans only a season ago. This offseasonJames Bailey made the switch from No. 24 to No. 7 as a way to honor a longtime friend from Ohio who was injured.
The tribute is just a microcosm of who Bailey is—a mild-mannered young man, who grew up loving the game as part of a family of "football people" and became surrounded by it when his family moved to Texas where he eventually starred at Lake Travis High School.
Bright lights, crowds spilling out of high school stadiums and towns shutting down, he saw it all while growing up playing in Austin. He even saw what it was like to play in front of crowds wrapped around Cowboys Stadium. Those environments helped him get a sense what was coming at the next level.
"You're mindset is kind of prepared for the next level if you get the chance to play in front of big crowds," Bailey said. "It's an incredible feeling."
Now entering his second year with the Bulldogs, it's been apparent in a short amount of time why the Fresno State coaching staff thought so highly of him.
As a wide-eyed freshman, Bailey was ahead of the curve compared to most 18-year olds. He knew concepts, knew how to break down film and take notes; it was an area of his development that was spurred by his high school coaches who would put players through nearly five hours of film study per day. The athletic ability was there, but it was that dedication off the field that allowed Bailey to not only play in all 12 games in 2015 for the Bulldogs, but make three starts at outside linebacker.
"It takes a special kid to come in, athletically, physically and mentally, to be able to come in and handle it day in and day out," said Jordan Peterson, Fresno State outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. "You've got your first full-time semester of classes and you're at college away from family for the first time. It takes a special individual to be able to play right away."
Not only did Bailey play, but he recorded 47 tackles, the most by a Bulldog true freshman since Kevin Adams' 47 in 1995. In just the fifth game of his career, he racked up nine tackles at San Jose State on Sept. 25, 2015, the most by any Fresno State freshman in a single game since 2007.
Despite the successful first year, he still went through the usual freshman problems on the field. The nerves were there and the speed of the game was far greater than what he had ever experienced.
One of his biggest influences last season, the one who helped ease the process, was former Bulldog Ejiro Ederaine, the charismatic, outspoken linebacker who finished his career second on the Mountain West's all-time list for career tackles for loss.
"I remember my first travel game to Ole Miss, I was really nervous about it, but just having him being the older guy, and him being a senior, I just tried to follow in his footsteps the best I could to my ability and try to be like him on the field," Bailey said of his former roommate on road trips.
Despite Ederaine having graduated, Bailey still leans on his predecessor. Ederaine left Bailey some his notes that he compiled over the years, something the current Bulldog now looks over "about twice a week." If something doesn't make sense, it's a quick phone call to his former teammate if needed.
Between coaches like Peterson, and teammates like Ederaine, Bailey's dedication and thirst for knowledge has helped speed up his progress and slow down the game.
"I see everything now," the sophomore said. "I can actually feel what's going on. I can talk and react a lot faster now compared to last year."
Listed at 202-pounds a year ago, Bailey knows that it's a necessity for him to put on weight for his position. During the 2015-16 academic year, he managed to maintain the weight, but noted that when the summer came around, putting on the weight was easy since his routine was "eat, lift and sleep." The focus helped him pack nearly 20 pounds of weight onto his lean frame.
The extra weight hasn't hindered his speed as he is just as explosive, if not more so than when he first stepped foot on campus. As his athletic ability has sped up, so too has his mind. Better at anticipating what an offense will do, Peterson noted that "he's a half-step quicker this year," as he's better able to read offenses before the snap.
"Our playbook is open with him playing on the edge for us," Peterson said. "He's big enough, physical enough, good with his hands, he has heavy hands that he can play on the tackle or the tight end, but at the same time he's athletic enough to do anything we really ask him to do in coverage. We're not worried if he has this matchup or that matchup, he's a great athlete so it opens things up for us on defense."
Although only a sophomore, Bailey's experiences and commitment to team have already made him a go-to presence for teammates when looking for advice in the film room or on the sidelines. Like Ederaine did for him, he's more than willing to help teammates, letting them know what he did, what he saw and what he felt.
"He makes everyone else in the room better because of his football knowledge," Peterson said.
It's a bit of a new role for him after being one of the new faces a year ago, but trying to become more vocal is something he's willing to do.
"I've been there, I've been yelled at," Bailey said of helping his teammates who he sees in the same position that he was in. "You can't drag you're head down. You have to learn from your mistakes."
He knows he's not perfect. He knows he still makes mistakes, but it's the drive to get better, the drive to get "bigger, faster, stronger," the need to fine-tune his knowledge of the game that fuels him. As he puts it "there's never a time to stop because somebody's always coming up."
It won't be a new face, but one that was introduced to fans only a season ago. This offseasonJames Bailey made the switch from No. 24 to No. 7 as a way to honor a longtime friend from Ohio who was injured.
The tribute is just a microcosm of who Bailey is—a mild-mannered young man, who grew up loving the game as part of a family of "football people" and became surrounded by it when his family moved to Texas where he eventually starred at Lake Travis High School.
Bright lights, crowds spilling out of high school stadiums and towns shutting down, he saw it all while growing up playing in Austin. He even saw what it was like to play in front of crowds wrapped around Cowboys Stadium. Those environments helped him get a sense what was coming at the next level.
"You're mindset is kind of prepared for the next level if you get the chance to play in front of big crowds," Bailey said. "It's an incredible feeling."
Now entering his second year with the Bulldogs, it's been apparent in a short amount of time why the Fresno State coaching staff thought so highly of him.
As a wide-eyed freshman, Bailey was ahead of the curve compared to most 18-year olds. He knew concepts, knew how to break down film and take notes; it was an area of his development that was spurred by his high school coaches who would put players through nearly five hours of film study per day. The athletic ability was there, but it was that dedication off the field that allowed Bailey to not only play in all 12 games in 2015 for the Bulldogs, but make three starts at outside linebacker.
"It takes a special kid to come in, athletically, physically and mentally, to be able to come in and handle it day in and day out," said Jordan Peterson, Fresno State outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. "You've got your first full-time semester of classes and you're at college away from family for the first time. It takes a special individual to be able to play right away."
Not only did Bailey play, but he recorded 47 tackles, the most by a Bulldog true freshman since Kevin Adams' 47 in 1995. In just the fifth game of his career, he racked up nine tackles at San Jose State on Sept. 25, 2015, the most by any Fresno State freshman in a single game since 2007.
Despite the successful first year, he still went through the usual freshman problems on the field. The nerves were there and the speed of the game was far greater than what he had ever experienced.
One of his biggest influences last season, the one who helped ease the process, was former Bulldog Ejiro Ederaine, the charismatic, outspoken linebacker who finished his career second on the Mountain West's all-time list for career tackles for loss.
"I remember my first travel game to Ole Miss, I was really nervous about it, but just having him being the older guy, and him being a senior, I just tried to follow in his footsteps the best I could to my ability and try to be like him on the field," Bailey said of his former roommate on road trips.
Despite Ederaine having graduated, Bailey still leans on his predecessor. Ederaine left Bailey some his notes that he compiled over the years, something the current Bulldog now looks over "about twice a week." If something doesn't make sense, it's a quick phone call to his former teammate if needed.
Between coaches like Peterson, and teammates like Ederaine, Bailey's dedication and thirst for knowledge has helped speed up his progress and slow down the game.
"I see everything now," the sophomore said. "I can actually feel what's going on. I can talk and react a lot faster now compared to last year."
Listed at 202-pounds a year ago, Bailey knows that it's a necessity for him to put on weight for his position. During the 2015-16 academic year, he managed to maintain the weight, but noted that when the summer came around, putting on the weight was easy since his routine was "eat, lift and sleep." The focus helped him pack nearly 20 pounds of weight onto his lean frame.
The extra weight hasn't hindered his speed as he is just as explosive, if not more so than when he first stepped foot on campus. As his athletic ability has sped up, so too has his mind. Better at anticipating what an offense will do, Peterson noted that "he's a half-step quicker this year," as he's better able to read offenses before the snap.
"Our playbook is open with him playing on the edge for us," Peterson said. "He's big enough, physical enough, good with his hands, he has heavy hands that he can play on the tackle or the tight end, but at the same time he's athletic enough to do anything we really ask him to do in coverage. We're not worried if he has this matchup or that matchup, he's a great athlete so it opens things up for us on defense."
Although only a sophomore, Bailey's experiences and commitment to team have already made him a go-to presence for teammates when looking for advice in the film room or on the sidelines. Like Ederaine did for him, he's more than willing to help teammates, letting them know what he did, what he saw and what he felt.
"He makes everyone else in the room better because of his football knowledge," Peterson said.
It's a bit of a new role for him after being one of the new faces a year ago, but trying to become more vocal is something he's willing to do.
"I've been there, I've been yelled at," Bailey said of helping his teammates who he sees in the same position that he was in. "You can't drag you're head down. You have to learn from your mistakes."
He knows he's not perfect. He knows he still makes mistakes, but it's the drive to get better, the drive to get "bigger, faster, stronger," the need to fine-tune his knowledge of the game that fuels him. As he puts it "there's never a time to stop because somebody's always coming up."
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