Coastal Carolina Chanticleers:
The good times in Conway might be coming to an end. The titans of the teal turf are missing their leader, as star QB and record-setter Grayson McCall transferred to NC State, leaving a massive hole at the most important position on the field. Even with McCall, the Chanticleers lacked the same panache under Tim Beck after Jamey Chadwell bolted for Liberty. They had a solid record, but every facet of the team took a step back.
Now, amidst heavy losses in the transfer portal, another big step back is expected. Bowl eligibility is a real question mark and this could be the year where the questionable hire of Beck rears its ugly head.
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Offense
Holdover Ethan Vasko and Michigan State transfer Noah Kim have been duking it out for reps throughout the spring and summer. Vasko obviously knows the offense and led the bowl win over San Jose State with McCall sidelined. He also posted a 7/1 TD/INT ratio overall with a 62.3% completion rate last season. There might be something there with the former Kansas recruit, who originally committed to Old Dominion to stay close to home.
Unfortunately, star WR Sam Pinckney is trying to make the Carolina Panthers and second-leading receiver Jared Brown transferred to South Carolina. Vasko was the second-leading rusher with 368 yards and trailed the leader by fewer than 40 yards. This offense is lacking skill-position talent and more players left after spring practice. Incredibly, the Chanticleers were 127th in TD% in the red zone last season.
Defense
The defense has several regression signs. They were 80th in yards per play allowed, but 50th in scoring defense. This group was 101st in third-down defense last year, but finished +6 in turnover margin, so there were some metrics that offset. The Chants are missing a lot of impact players from last year’s defense. Their top three tacklers, including top sack man Micheal Mason, are gone.
Mason had seven sacks. Nobody else had more than three. The transfer portal was unkind on defense as well, so this group has taken a major step back on the talent front.
Outlook
Like I mentioned, bowl eligibility is definitely hanging in the balance. Coastal does have winnable roadies at Jacksonville State and Temple and going 3-1 or better in the non-conference may be the easiest path to a bowl, as Troy and Louisiana are tough crossover contests. Their win total line sits at 6.5 and I have 6.04 wins. The vig is a tad cost-prohibitive for me, but I think even 6-6 might be a stretch.
Pick: Under 6.5 Wins
