Coastal Carolina likes the hand it is dealt through the quarterback shuffle

Coastal Carolina used three quarterbacks last week in its 24-13 win at Massachusetts, and its likely three will see the field again Saturday at Georgia State.

Senior Kilton Anderson, who missed the previous two-plus games with a high ankle sprain, has been taking a significant number of reps in practice, but the work also makes his ankle sore, CCU coach Joe Moglia said.

Anderson split time against UMass with true freshmen Bryce Carpenter, who started the previous two games, and Fred Payton, with Payton getting the significant minutes in the second half after Anderson aggravated his injury and Carpenter fumbled.

Payton, of Parkview High in Suwanee, Ga., threw a pair of second-half touchdowns to lead a comeback victory and may have earned himself more playing time.

“Fred has been somebody who we think is a good football player. He genuinely is a good football player,” Moglia said.

But Moglia said the experienced Anderson will start if he’s healthy enough.

“He’s got to be ready to go. If he’s ready to go, he’s starting,” Moglia said. “He was having a great season for us. . . . He’s not as sharp as he was before he got injured so we’ll continue to take a look at that.”

Moglia explained how playing time behind center may be divvied up. “They each in effect have a solid, extended package, but it’s what they’re able to do,” he said. “At least in that package we don’t have an inexperienced guy in there, we’ve got a guy who has been running those things in practice since the middle of August.”

Local contributions

Coastal Carolina has 11 graduates from high schools on the Grand Strand on its roster.

While sophomore and St. James High alum Charles Ouverson has been Coastal’s punter all season with an injury to senior Evan Rabon of Florence, the other 10 – who are all freshmen or redshirt freshmen – have been working to earn playing time.

On Wednesday, CCU coach Joe Moglia addressed the progress of former Carolina Forest High redshirt freshman offensive lineman Antwine Loper and freshman quarterback Matt Beale, and senior defensive back Anthony Chesley spoke about former Conway High linebacker Noah Freshley.

Moglia on Loper: “He’s more mature than what he had been. He’s been playing mostly in a backup role but as a backup guy he has been doing a good job for us. I think if he continues to develop the way he needs to I think he’s going to be a really good player for us in the future. He’s still learning that but he’s doing a good job, he’s had a good attitude and he’s making a contribution to the team. I’m glad he’s here.”

Moglia on Beale: “I think he has good touch. He can throw the ball on a line. He can run pretty well. He’s a good leader. He does a good job of giving our defense a good look. I think he’s got to intensify his approach a little bit more. . . . You’re preparing now for the time you’re going to get in a game and what it’s going to look like for you a year from now. I think he can focus a little bit better, but Matt is a good kid, he’s a hard worker, he’s a good part of our team and he’s a good quarterback.”

Chesley on Freshley: “He’s a hard worker, so any guy that comes in and works hard, that’s half the battle. Then he does all of the little things correctly, so any time that happens, that’s easy. He absorbs wisdom much easier than someone who is much more resistant who is overlooking all of the details, so his future is definitely bright.”

Mountaineers ranked

Coastal (4-3 overall, 1-2 Sun Belt Conference) might just host a nationally-ranked team at Brooks Stadium next Saturday.

For the second time in the history Sun Belt football, a team has cracked the national top 25 polls as Appalachian State is No. 25 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll.

The Mountaineers, who visit Conway next week, are 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the conference, with their only loss in overtime to No. 17 Penn State in their season opener. ASU held a touchdown lead in the final minute against the Nittany Lions.

Previously, Troy hit No. 25 in the AP Poll during the 2016 season, when it started 9-1 with its only loss by six points to then No. 1 Clemson.

Appalachian State also has 78 voting points in this week’s Amway Coaches Poll to sit one spot outside the 25th spot, 17 points behind Miami.

“I think it’s great for our league to have teams ranked and be in the discussion,” Troy coach Neal Brown said. “. . . They’re very impressive. They’re playing at an extremely high level on offense and on defense. I think right now they’re the team to beat in our league. I’m happy for them. I think it’s well deserved for them to get ranked and I think it’s certainly a positive for our league.”

The Chants host the Mountaineers at 5 p.m. next Saturday as part of Homecoming Weekend. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Tickets are available through www.GoCCUSports.com or the CCU ticket office at 843-347-8499 (TIXX), and App. State supporters are likely to purchase a good percentage of them.

College GameDay handoff

The inaugural Sun Belt Conference Championship football game should receive a good amount of exposure based on an announcement Wednesday that the game will have a noon kickoff on Dec. 1 and immediately follow the popular college football pregame show College GameDay on ESPN.

The championship game will feature the winners of the conference’s East and West divisions and take place at the home site of the divisional champion with the best overall conference winning percentage.

Currently, Appalachian State, Georgia Southern and Troy all sit atop the East Division standings with unbeaten conference records. ULM is in sole possession of first place in the West Division with three teams tied for second.

Georgia Southern hosts Appalachian State at 7:30 p.m. Thursday on ESPNU in a key East Division game.

Sun Belt success

For the first time since the conference began football in the 2001 season, its teams will have a cumulative winning non-conference record. They are 20-18 overall against outside competition with one non-league game remaining.

Coastal has contributed to the success, going 3-1 in non-conference games with wins over UAB, Massachusetts and Campbell and a loss to South Carolina.

The conference is also 8-3 in bowl games over the past two seasons.

This story was originally published October 24, 2018 at 6:46 PM.