How CCU’s defense has stolen the show from its prolific offense over the past three weeks
Redshirt freshman quarterback Grayson McCall and the Coastal Carolina offense has received a lot of praise this season, and rightfully so.
McCall is one of the nation’s top-rated QBs and the Chants are 14th in the country in scoring among teams that have played more than three games.
But the defense has been the strength of the 15th-ranked Chanticleers over the past three games, and is seemingly getting better.
CCU has not allowed a TD and has allowed just six points over its past 10-plus quarters, going back to the second quarter of a 28-14 win against Georgia Southern on Oct. 24 and including wins over Georgia State (51-0) and South Alabama (23-6).
“It feels good to kind of see all that hard work come to fruition,” senior defensive end Tarron Jackson said. “We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing. . . . I feel our ceiling is very high. I feel we still haven’t played our best game. I feel we have some stuff to work on, but when all of us are clicking together I feel we can be special.”
The Chants are up to seventh in the country in fewest points allowed per game at 16.3 among teams who have played at least four games – they are 14th in the nation overall.
Among teams with four games played CCU is ninth in total defense (309.6 yards allowed per game), fourth in passing yards allowed (174.9), 24th in rushing yards allowed (134.7), 13th in third-down conversion percentage (33.3 percent), 10th in turnovers (13) and 12th in interceptions (8), which has contributed to a favorable turnover differential of 13 to 8.
They lead the Sun Belt in points, total yards and passing yards allowed, and are third in fewest rushing yards.
“I think we’ve just been playing team defense. Everybody has been playing really accountable to each other, everybody’s in the right spots,” senior linebacker Silas Kelly said. “We’ve got a lot of seniors on the team, older guys who have played a lot of football, so when the going gets rough and maybe somebody is out of position and they don’t know what check to make we’ve got guys out there that can help them out and know what they’re supposed to do.
“So when you have a team and defense that’s playing together and playing soundly. . . you’re able to put good games together, be able to stop offenses and execute a game plan.”
Several key contributors were added to the defense this year in a variety of ways. Linebacker Jeffrey Gunter transferred back from N.C. State, cornerback D’Jordan Strong is a junior college transfer, and linebacker Kendricks Gladney Jr. is a graduate transfer from Middle Tennessee.
Starting nose tackle Jerrod Clark changed positions, and linebackers Kelly and Enock Makonzo returned from injuries suffered early in the 2019 season. They were added to defensive line stalwarts Tarron Jackson and C.J. Brewer, as well as last year’s leading tackler in linebacker Teddy Gallagher and added depth this season.
“We had some guys come in that we thought would take our defense to that next level, but they needed time to adjust to our scheme and all that,” Chadwell said. “I think now they’re comfortable and you’ve seen the last three weeks they’re playing at a high level.
“Obviously our defensive line was always going to be a strong suit, but I think our linebacker play has increased, getting Silas Kelly back, and our secondary is playing well.”
In addition, safeties coach Addison Williams was added in the offseason after a season at Auburn. He was previously a two-year secondary coach at Furman under defensive coordinator Chad Staggs, who is in his second year as CCU’s defensive coordinator.
Being able to rely on the defense has made Chadwell’s life easier as a decision-maker.
“That helps you as the head coach knowing you don’t have to force things, you don’t have to try to do certain things, go for it on fourth down or this or that because you have confidence in your defense and what they can do,” Chadwell said. “There have been times in the past where you felt like you needed to score every down to try to keep up and win a game, and that’s not the case.
“And it’s hard to play defense in college football these days, it’s an offensive game. But our guys are playing well.”
Honors piling up
Jackson was on everyone’s preseason All-Sun Belt First Team and was the College Football News 2020 Preseason Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year, and the 6-foot-2, 260-pound fifth-year senior is living up to the billing.
In addition to being named the Sun Belt’s Defensive Player of the Week two consecutive weeks for his performances against Georgia State and South Alabama, Jackson was named the Walter Camp FBS National Defensive Player of the Week and was added to the 2020 Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list.
He recorded 10 tackles, including 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries on Saturday.
“I think for him that’s a sign of the work he’s put in, in the time he’s been here,” Chadwell said. “. . . And I think, too, and Tarron will tell you this, that’s a representation of his team and the way the defense is playing. They’re getting opportunities to go out there and make some plays in key moments, and a lot of guys are making them and he’s obviously making tons of them. That’s great for him and it’s great for our program that you can get those type of recognitions from a national perspective.
“Other guys on our team know if they perform at that level they have an opportunity to obtain those awards, and from a recruiting standpoint it’s a big deal too.”
For the season, Jackson has 33 tackles, including 9.5 for loss and six sacks, and three forced fumbles, and for his career he has 37.5 tackles for loss and 22 sacks.
MB Bowl set
Coastal Carolina is already bowl eligible for the first time, and its possibilities include the inaugural Myrtle Beach Bowl, which will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 21 at Brooks Stadium and will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN Events announced last week.
If the Chants reach the Sun Belt Conference championship game, which will be held on Dec. 19, they won’t be eligible to play in the bowl in their home stadium just two days later.
Whether the Chants reach the championship game will likely come down to winning or losing against Appalachian State on Nov. 21 at Brooks Stadium. The winner will likely be the East Division champion, and the loser will await its bowl options.
”For us to be bowl eligible, I know that was a goal of this football team and to be able to do that through six games, I’m proud of the guys for that,” Chadwell said. “I’m thankful we’re there already. But when you get a taste of that success you want to keep it going, you don’t just want to settle at that. So I think this team has a good mindset from that. Hopefully we’ll continue to push forward and want to get better and better and see how high we can go.”
One projection has the Chants facing Marshall of Conference USA, which is also undefeated and ranked this season, in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. The game will feature teams from two of three conferences: Sun Belt, Conference USA or Mid-American Conference.
“We’ve never played in a bowl game so . . . it wouldn’t matter if we were playing in the Toilet Bowl, a bowl game is a bowl game,” senior offensive lineman Trey Carter said.
The Chants would prefer a New Year’s Six bowl game, which is awarded to the highest ranked Group of Five conference champion in the College Football Playoff rankings. But other teams including No. 7 Cincinnati of the American Athletic Conference currently have the inside track to that opportunity.
While some Chants would undoubtedly like to travel for a bowl game, Jackson and some other teammates would appreciate the opportunity to play at home, particularly during the limitations of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’d have the opportunity to get a lot of family to come to the game, and that’s a big moment for my family too,” Jackson said. “I feel it would be big to get a game at home. We’d have fans in the area that could come to the game and continue to see the journey we’re on this season.”
Lineman on way out
An offensive lineman who has played in all seven games this year and was a potential starter at guard next season has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal in an attempt to leave the Coastal program, according to the 247Sports and Rivals recruiting services.
Redshirt junior Sean Fitzgerald, a 6-foot-2, 285-pound guard who has been playing behind Carter and freshman Willie Lampkin (6-1, 295) at the guard positions, has reportedly entered the portal as a grad transfer and has left the team.
Fitzgerald transferred to CCU prior to the 2018 season from Michigan, where he walked on in his home state after initially committing to Air Force. He has played in all 31 games over the past two seasons, starting seven as a redshirt freshman in ’18.
Volleyball also ranked
The CCU football team has some company on campus in the national polls.
For the first time in program history, the CCU volleyball team is ranked nationally by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), entering at No. 15 overall in this week’s AVCA Coaches Poll.
The Sun Belt Conference East Division champions had received votes for four-straight weeks heading into this week’s poll before finally breaking through and into the top 15.
Coastal’s 14-0 start is a program record, topping the nine wins to open the 2019 season. The Chants have lost just five sets of the 47 played this season, and have won 16 consecutive sets entering its two-match series with Appalachian State (1-10) at the HTC Center on Thursday (6 p.m.) and Friday (1 p.m.).
Saturday’s Game
What: No. 15 Coastal Carolina (7-0, 5-0 Sun Belt Conference) at Troy (4-3, 2-2 SBC)
When: Noon
Where: Veterans Memorial Stadium, Troy, Ala.
TV: ESPN2
Radio: WRNN 99.5 FM
Online: www.goccusports.com
This story was originally published November 11, 2020 at 4:53 PM.
