CCU Football Notebook: Field ready to go after rain and flooding

One factor for Coastal Carolina in deciding to install artificial turf inside Brooks Stadium over the offseason was to give the Chanticleers a better practice option on rainy days.

Well, the teal turf looks like an especially smart idea this week as the Chants prepare to host Presbyterian on Saturday while area high schools have had to relocate or delay their games this week due to water-logged fields.

“We practiced yesterday and we had plenty of rain [in the previous days] and the field was in great shape, and I thought the field was in great shape on Sunday. ‘Surf Turf’ came along at a nice time here,” Chants head coach Joe Moglia said. “We would have played on it, but it would have been tough to play on the old grass field.”

The rain did cancel Coastal Carolina’s scheduled practice Sunday and give more reason for players to stay away from the team facility during their normal off day Monday, but senior quarterback Alex Ross says overall the weather did not significantly impact the No. 1/2-ranked Chants’ preparations like it impacted so many other people in the region and the state.

“It wasn’t much different except Sunday,” Ross said. “Usually we have Sunday practice and we come in and we watch tape. We didn’t get a chance to come in Sunday because of the flooding, and then Monday is usually our off day so it was still our off day. School was canceled [so] a lot of guys got a chance to rest, sleep in and rest up, which was nice. We didn’t practice Sunday and we didn’t get to come in and watch film on Sunday, but I know a lot of guys have the app on their phones and their iPads and they’re at home watching film and critiquing themselves as far as what they can do better.”

In addition to its own game Saturday – which will be the fourth straight home game for the 5-0 Chants – Coastal Carolina is also hosting Conway High School’s football game Friday night at Brooks Stadium as the Tigers’ nearby stadium was under deep water earlier this week.

The Chants managed to still fill about half seats last week despite the threatening forecast and heavy rains that preceded kickoff, and Moglia is hoping to see the stands completely full for the third time in four home games as his team opens Big South play.

“It’s been great. I think our guys are aware of that. I think our guys have actually said to the student body ‘We appreciate what you’ve been doing,’” he said. “... I think we’ve been getting great support at home. We’re delighted with that and we’re looking forward and hopeful that will continue over the course of the season.”

Williamson to start at DE

The only notable change to the Coastal Carolina depth chart this week was sophomore Marcus Williamson being listed as a projected starter at defensive end.

Senior defensive ends Calvin Hollenhorst (shoulder) and Aaron McFarland (shoulder) are expected to be sidelined by injury, so Williamson will get a big opportunity to build on his strong start to the season.

“He’s been seeing playing time all along. He’s been doing a very, very , good job. He gets at you every week,” Moglia said. “Aaron McFarland has a sprained AC [joint] and Aaron will be out for the game so Marcus is taking his place.”

So far in five games off the bench, Williamson has 12 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a team-high four quarterback hurries and a blocked field goal.

“He’s got great get-off. He’s extremely coachable. He’ll do really well,” defensive coordinator Clayton Carlin said. “I have great confidence in him. I have very high expectations for him.”

Meanwhile, Hollenhorst – the team’s usual starter there – is likely to miss his third straight game, but Moglia said the two-time second-team All-Big South defensive end is improving.

“He’s started to move around a little bit more and now he’s in a red jersey at practice,” Moglia said. “He’s started going through drills. He’d be questionable as far as the game goes.”

As for other injuries, Ross dismissed any concerns about his ankle after he tweaked it again Saturday.

“It’s good, feels really good,” he said simply.

Said offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude: “He’s fine. He really is going to need a couple weeks just to get off it. The bye week [next week] will come at a good time. He probably will be at about 90 percent by the time we get going. He didn’t come out of last week’s game any worse than he was the week before, and he was a lot better in the game than he was the previous week. So we feel pretty good about where he is right now.”

Senior wide receiver John Israel (turf toe) is also looking fine in practice and fully expected to play Saturday.

Henderson added to watch list

Junior running back De’Angelo Henderson was officially added to the watch list for the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year award.

Henderson, who ranks second in the FCS with 534 rushing yards and seven touchdowns,, joins Ross on the list. Ross was one of 22 original candidates announced in July.

First to 100

In earning the program’s 100th win Saturday in its 55-0 shutout over Alabama A&M, Coastal Carolina became the first Big South football program to reach the milestone.

Liberty has 88 wins as a member of the Big South since 2002 to rank second on the list while Charleston Southern and Gardner-Webb have 73 each.

Coastal Carolina, which debuted football in 2003, is 100-49 since then for a .671 winning percentage, including a 37-10 mark under Moglia (.787).

“I said this in my press conference on Saturday and I want to say it again – the 100th victory is not unique to us,” Moglia said Wednesday. “We were the one who delivered on that, but the 100th victory is not unique to us. That’s the history of the program. So for any coach, any player that has ever been a part of Coastal Carolina that’s part of their legacy and that 100th victory is truly a university legacy and a university achievement and I know our university is proud of that and for anybody that’s been associated with Coastal Carolina football they can take pride in that as well.”

This story was originally published October 7, 2015 at 8:15 PM with the headline "CCU Football Notebook: Field ready to go after rain and flooding."