Coastal football pushes UCLA into 4th quarter but loses 2023 opener. What we learned
Coastal Carolina gave the UCLA Bruins a scare Saturday night but couldn’t seal the deal in Pasadena, California.
The Chanticleers lost their first game of the 2023 football season 27-13.
Despite UCLA leading the entire game, CCU stayed in it for the first three quarters. Coastal cut UCLA’s lead to 14-13 with about 10 minutes left to play in the third quarter.
But a UCLA touchdown and two field goals in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach, and the Chants fell to 0-1 to start the season.
What Tim Beck had to say after his first game as head coach
Even in defeat, first-year coach Tim Beck praised his team for their performance.
“Well, the positives are our guys fought really hard,” Beck said. “I thought that they battled and battled till the end.”
He was also not surprised that CCU has things to work on after the season’s first game. Among Beck’s takeaways about his team were dealing with pressure and finishing drives.
The Bruins swarmed CCU quarterback Grayson McCall all night, the fourth-year starter being thrown to the grass repeatedly. McCall was sacked four times and hit many more, and Beck said the Chants didn’t have a good solution for addressing UCLA’s defensive front.
“We didn’t handle the pressure real well tonight, at times,” Beck said. “They’ve got a really good defensive line and created some mismatch opportunities, and it showed, especially when we had to go back and try to play catch-up.”
The lack of information on UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, who had previously coached in the NFL but not at the college level, made planning for the Bruins defense harder, Beck said.
Red zone execution was also a point of emphasis for Beck. CCU controlled the ball for about 35 minutes of the game and reached their opponent’s red zone four times. But they only managed a touchdown and a field goal; the unrealized points could have tipped the scales in Coastal’s favor.
“We had opportunities,” Beck said. “We just we missed them.”
Beck was particularly complimentary of the defense, which finished with three interceptions by safety Clayton Isbell.
“We talked about getting bigger, stronger and faster. It showed,” Beck added. “We talked about being a great tackling team. We talked about creating turnovers. We did all that, and (the defense) allowed us an opportunity to win the game.”
Beck also praised McCall’s performance. The QB threw for 271 yards a touchdown and two rare interceptions, but kept CCU in the game while being covered in grass due to all the hits he took.
“I love that kid,” Beck said. “I know right now, he’s probably beating himself up because he probably thinks he could have done better, and I’m just proud of the way he played. I’m proud of the way he stood in there.”
Here’s how an interception and missed field goal curtailed CCU’s late-game momentum
Coastal Carolina looked like it could take its first lead of the game late in the third quarter. The offense had marched down the field all night. On UCLA’s 22, CCU was in striking distance of the end zone once again.
Despite being down from the game’s inception, CCU never felt out of the game. The offense was on the field for over half the game, and McCall was effectively piloting the Chants’ new air raid offense.
But a McCall pass ended up in the hands of UCLA defensive back Jaylin Davies with 5:28 left in the third quarter. The Chanticleers were unfazed by the turnover and after the defense forced a quick three and out. CCU then drove from their own 1-yard line to UCLA’s 38 for a third-and-four play with 14:40 left to play.
CCU’s running game had been stuffed all night, averaging less than two yards a carry, and a quarterback rush from McCall failed to pick up the first down. Placekicker Liam Gray missed a 33-yard field goal in the first quarter, and history repeated itself when his 55-yard attempt barely missed.
UCLA freshman quarterback Dante Moore threw a touchdown on the very next play, and CCU seemed lose all momentum after that.
Coastal was hurt on special teams by the missed kicks along with an errant punt return attempt late in the third quarter by CCU wide receiver Jared Brown, who almost took a safety after receiving the ball.
“I thought (that was) a little bit of a turning point,” Beck added.
Coastal Carolina will be at home next weekend. The Chants will match up with Jacksonville State University (2-0) at Brooks Stadium.
Jacksonville State beat East Tennessee State 49-3 in its second game of the season.
Game 2: CCU vs. Jacksonville State
When: Saturday, Sept. 9
Kickoff Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Brooks Stadium, Conway, S.C.
Where to watch: Stream on ESPN+
CCU’s all-time record against Jacksonville State: 0-1
This story was originally published September 3, 2023 at 1:53 AM.
