Coastal Carolina Football Week in Review

There was no way Coastal Carolina could have had a better bounce-back performance Saturday after taking its first loss of the season a week earlier.

The defense, the subject of concern and criticism all week, delivered a stifling shutout while allowing Gardner-Webb only one red zone opportunity.

And the offense had its way as the No. 8-ranked Chanticleers rolled to a 46-0 win at Brooks Stadium.

With six team in the FCS top-10 losing Saturday, the Chants should see their ranking start climbing again.

Coastal Carolina (8-1, 3-1 Big South) has two big games remaining, but first, let’s review the highlights and keys from this latest win.

Game balls

CCU defensive coordinator Clayton Carlin: There could not have been more pressure on the defense after a woeful first-half performance last weekend against Charleston Southern heightened concerns about the unit. And the Chants responded with a thoroughly impressive performance that at least gives renewed hope for the defense.

CCU running back De’Angelo Henderson: The junior star needed only 11 carries to pile up 114 yards and two touchdowns.

CCU quarterback Alex Ross: Ross was just as efficient, completing 14-of-16 passes for 209 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The lone pick was a catchable pass that went off a receiver.

Ranking the top plays from the game

1. There wasn’t one play that proved more important than others in the lopsided win, but the most entertaining was tight end Craig Weick’s 39-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter. Alex Ross’ pass was intended for Devin Brown in the end zone, but it was deflected backward and right into Weick’s hands as he finished off the touchdown for a quick 15-0 Coastal Carolina lead.

2. The second-best offensive highlight was De’Angelo Henderson’s 27-yard touchdown run that put the Chants up 22-0 early in the second quarter. Henderson used a spin move around the 15-yard line to elude a defender on his way into the end zone.

3. Next on the Chants’ highlight reel was Ross’ 55-yard touchdown strike down the left sideline to Bruce Mapp. The game was well out of hand already as that put the hosts up 36-0 in the third quarter, but it was a well-executed route on both ends.

4. Not only did Coastal Carolina need a strong performance Saturday, but it needed a good start, to set the tone from the beginning. And the Chants got that as Osharmar Abercrombie capped their second possession with a 14-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion run for an early 8-0 lead.

5. The Coastal Carolina defense was simply solid throughout in the shutout, but perhaps the best highlight from the unit came late in the third quarter when freshman safety Michael Billings forced a fumble from Gardner-Webb quarterback Tyrell Maxwell that the Chants recovered at the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ 17 to set up a short touchdown drive.

6. Gardner-Webb’s best chance to snap the shutout came early in the third quarter at the end of an 11-play, 79-yard drive. A substitution infraction on Coastal Carolina would move the Runnin’ Bulldogs to the 8, but kicker Paul Schumacher missed the 25-yard field goal wide left. That ended up being Gardner-Webb’s only red zone opportunity.

7. Coastal Carolina, meanwhile, scored touchdowns on all four of its red zone opportunities. One of those came when Henderson scored on a 14-yard touchdown run late in the first half to push the lead to 29-0.

8. Gardner-Webb managed to force two turnovers. The first came in the second quarter on a deflected Ross pass off wide receiver Chris Jones that D.J. Allen hauled in near midfield. The ensuing Runnin’ Bulldogs possession went three-and-out, though.

9. In the third quarter, Jones fumbled after a 17-yard reception and Gardner-Webb’s Spencer Havird recovered the loose ball at the visitors’ 42. But that ensuing drive also went three-and out.

10. Abercrombie scored Coastal Carolina’s final touchdown late in the third quarter to push the score to 43-0 at the time. The Chants later added a 19-yard Caleb Kelly field goal.

What it means

With Charleston Southern winning again Saturday to move to 5-0 in Big South play, the Buccaneers have clinched at least a share of the conference title and will earn the league’s automatic playoff berth regardless of what happens the rest of the way.

But Coastal Carolina got a lot of help Saturday with six top-10-ranked FCS teams losing, perhaps providing the Chants with a little more leeway as they look to earn an at-large berth into the playoffs.

Nonetheless, the Chants needed to approach their final three games as must-wins, and they started that final stretch in the most encouraging way possible while rebuilding some momentum.

Looking ahead

Coastal Carolina hosts Big South newcomer Kennesaw State next Saturday at Brooks Stadium.

The Owls have had an encouraging inaugural season of football, off to a 6-3 start overall and 2-2 in the conference.

They rank second in the Big South behind the Chants in scoring, averaging 33.2 points per game, lead the league in rushing at 299.2 yards per game and have been solid on defense as well, ranking third in holding teams to an average of 19.3 points.

Kennesaw State played a light non-conference schedule and has earned its conference wins against Gardner-Webb and Monmouth.

By the numbers

0 | The win Saturday marked the first time Coastal Carolina has ever held a Big South opponent to 0 points.

2 | The Chants’ two shutouts this season account for half of the total shutouts in program history.

6 | Six teams ranked in the top-10 of the two major FCS polls lost this week.

16 | Coastal Carolina ranks 16th in the FCS in averaging 35.2 points per game.

17 | The Chants rank 17th in the FCS defensively in allowing 18.1 points per game.

31.8 | Coastal Carolina has won its four meetings with Gardner-Webb in the Joe Moglia era by an average margin of 31.8 points.

10,435 | Quarterback Alex Ross is up to 10,435 yards of total offense in his career and now trails Big South record-holder Collin Drafts of Charleston Southern by just 136 yards.

They said it

Head coach Joe Moglia on needing a win like this:

“I needed a game like this otherwise I was going to go home and have a lot of scotch tonight. I think our guys needed a good game like this, but I think across the board for everybody to play well I was proud of them.”

Running back De’Angelo Henderson on bouncing back after first loss:

“It was very important for everybody to regain their confidence. Overall, from special teams, defense, offense, just for everybody to regain their confidence and just get that feeling that we’re still one of the elite teams in the country.”

Henderson on the play of the CCU defense:

“The defense played a phenomenal game, probably the best game I’ve ever been part of with a great defense like that. You’ve got guys out there flying around knowing the challenge [with] all the heat and the criticism they took from last week, coming into this week and pitching a shutout against a good Gardner-Webb team ... I tip my hat to those guys.”

Safety Michael Billings on playing a starring role in his first collegiate start:

“It was a blessing, but you have to stay humble.”

Safety Austin Murillo on he and Billings both making their first starts:

“This is our first start so we had to gain trust throughout the week. We were preparing, we had to watch tons of film, we had to complete our assignments and we did a great job of that this week.”

This story was originally published November 8, 2015 at 7:08 PM with the headline "Coastal Carolina Football Week in Review."