Four CCU players selected to play in FCS Senior Scout Bowl in Myrtle Beach

Former Coastal Carolina head football coach David Bennett will coach Chanticleers – albeit just a handful of them – one more time.

Bennett, who has been relieved of his coaching duties to be reassigned within the university, will coach the South squad – which includes four Chanticleers – in the second annual Football Championship Subdivision Senior Scout Bowl that will kick off at 2 p.m. Saturday at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium in Myrtle Beach.

Tight end Jamie Childers, offensive linemen Bryan Brooks and Tim Franklin and defensive back Marcus Lott are among the players selected to play for the South squad in a game featuring some of the top FCS players in the country.

Childers and Lott – who likely won’t play because of an injury – were on the initial roster announced late Sunday night. Bowl co-founder George St. Lawrence confirmed Monday evening that Brooks and Franklin had been added to a roster that could fluctuate more this week.

“We’re very honored to have those [CCU] guys in the game,” St. Lawrence said. “I believe Coastal Carolina is going to be very well-represented and these guys are very deserving.”

Bennett, meanwhile, didn’t waver on his intentions to coach the game, even after he was relieved of his duties at CCU.

“It’s about the experience for these young men, so you go heck yeah, we’re coaching in this thing,” said Bennett, who will be joined in the competition by his coaching staff. “It’s going to be fun times spending time with kids coming from all over the country.”

In Virginia at the time, St. Lawrence said he was shocked when he heard Bennett would no longer be CCU’s coach. However, he was pleased when Bennett told him he would still like to coach in the all-star game despite the adverse circumstances.

“In no regard was I expecting him to do what he did. He’s such a class guy,” St. Lawrence said. “He’s been instrumental in having this game in Myrtle Beach. He said ‘I’ll still coach it if you want.’ With it being such an adverse time, I told him, ‘do what is best for you,’ and he said ‘I want to coach it. I’m ready to go.’ I said, ‘OK, coach. We’re on.’

“I think he’s a fantastic representation of what FCS football is all about. I’m honored that his last game in Myrtle Beach will be with us.”

St. Lawrence said the decision to move the game from Middletown, N.Y., to Myrtle Beach has helped bolster an even stronger field of players.

“We have probably got twice as many All-American and all-conference players than last year,” St. Lawrence said. “I attribute much of that to moving it down to the South in the Myrtle Beach area. The benefit of the weather plays into the psyches of the kids a little bit.

“I understand we will have good weather [this week]. I think that’s a draw as well. It allows the players to [perform in front of scouts] in an environment where it’s not 35 degrees.”

Besides playing alongside some of the best FCS players, Bennett told Franklin and Brooks in jest that the game will present for them another unique opportunity.

“It will be a lot of fun. I told Franklin and Brooks – I talked to them on the phone today – I said ‘Won’t it be fun to play in a game when no one is hollering at you?’ They started laughing,” Bennett said.

Sun News staff member Ryan Young contributed to this story.