CCU vanquished college football rival App State on ESPN. Did Coastal save its season?
Coastal Carolina needed a win entering its game Thursday night.
The Chanticleers had lost three straight games, and their season seemed to be teetering. The game Coastal needed to reset its year with also had more meaning. It was nationally televised on ESPN, and CCU was facing its bitter rival, Appalachian State. Coastal had the opportunity to beat its Sun Belt Conference rival for the third straight year and reclaim momentum, and the Chants seized it.
In front of the second-biggest Brooks Stadium crowd of the season, CCU (5-4) beat the Mountaineers (4-5) 38-24. The win saw CCU return to the explosive team that had given the Chants a 3-0 start to the season. Coastal discarded the sluggish starts that cost it in its recent losses with a quick score on its first drive.
Head Coach Tim Beck said after the game that the victory meant a lot considering CCU’s struggles during October.
“We played with passion, played hard and played smart,” he added.
CCU quarterback Ethan Vasko seemingly overcame his previous problems, which got him benched, and consistently found receivers downfield. He finished the game 14-18, passing with 150 yards and a touchdown. The running game proved effective again, and Coastal navigated its way downfield to score against an App State defense that couldn’t stop the Chants. CCU’s defense assisted the offense in its scoring efforts.
Wracked by injuries, Coastal struggled to stop the Mountaineers’ run game but made up for it by securing three turnovers. These gave CCU strong field position to score and sapped App State of its strength.
The win is Coastal’s first SBC victory since beating Old Dominion this October. Here’s what we learned from the game:
Here’s how Ethan Vasko’s returned to form for Coastal Carolina
Vasko’s performance helped solidify his position as CCU’s starting quarterback. He found his receivers throughout the game and occasionally pushed the ball down the field when the opportunity presented itself. Vasko also used his feet when necessary, although he took several serious hits from App State defenders and was at times limping during the game.
The last two games have seen a noticeable departure from Vasko’s struggles against James Madison and the University of Louisiana Lafayette that led to his benching. Receivers were dropping passes, and the passing game rarely looked to go deep as it had to start the year. Vasko wasn’t turnover-prone but had an average completion percentage of less than 29 in those two losses.
Now, Vasko’s returned to the dual-threat quarterback that Beck tasked with leading CCU towards the end of 2023 after Grayson McCall and Jarrett Guest went down with injuries. Vasko displayed those skills in the first quarter when App State defenders forced Vasko from the pocket with less than a minute left. He scrambled to the right side of the field to avoid the sack, pointed to wide receiver Cameron Wright and threw a high ball away from the Mountaineer defender that only Wright could catch.
Beck said after the game that Vasko’s grown since being benched against the Ragin’ Cajuns and had earned the opportunity to keep playing as Coastal’s starting quarterback.
“We gave him that opportunity, and you can see that growth and development from him in the last couple of weeks,” Beck said.
Why Beck seeded play-calling duties to make sure his team was still bought into the season
The victory also helped forestall CCU’s season from spiraling further. Morale fell, and a team leader questioned the effort of some of his teammates. Beck fired the offensive coordinator, Travis Trickett, to help stem CCU’s struggles on offense and planned call plays in the future. However, the effort didn’t work against a Troy team that only had a win entering their contest.
Beck said that after the App State win, he felt he needed to ensure players were bought into the program still. He spent the week before the game ensuring that their mental edge remained. Winning helped reinforce that and prevent a further collapse in morale. Beck added that after the game, he was proud that his team had continued to believe in his vision for the program.
“You tell the guys, ‘Hey, man, keep fighting. Keep fighting. Keep fighting. Good things are going to happen.’ Finally, they do; that’s just validation,” he added.
Part of this included giving up the playcalling duties Beck had taken after firing Trickett to tight ends coach Kriss Proctor and offensive line coach Derek Warehime. Beck said he felt he couldn’t be successful as a head coach by solely focusing on creating the offensive scheme.
“They know what I like and don’t like what my thoughts are,” Beck added. “Last game, it was difficult. I’m talking to Ethan (Vasko); I look up and (Temple’s) on the 40-yard line. I’m like, ‘What happened?’ So, I felt like that was something that was needed.”
Beck and the Chants will have to prove they can sustain this performance as they attempt to secure a trip to a bowl game with three games left in the regular season. CCU previously struggled with staying consistent and will have to prove itself against one of the best teams in the Sun Belt Conference.
CCU will next go on the road to face Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, on Nov. 16. Marshall is 5-3 on the season and currently ranked second in the SBC East division.
This story was originally published November 7, 2024 at 11:30 PM.
