Sept. 14, 2010
Game 2
Coastal Carolina vs. Georgia Southern
- Armed Forces/Public Servants Day
- 2010 CCU Home Opener
- Postgame Fireworks
Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010 - 6:00 pm
Brooks Stadium
Coastal Carolina's FB Notes vs Georgia Southern in PDF Format 
Series Information
This is the third meeting between Coastal Carolina and Georgia Southern. The Eagles won each of the previous two meetings.
Coastal dropped a 38-21 decision at #24 Georgia Southern in 2006 and a 42-34 setback in 2007 at Brooks Stadium.
In 2006, Georgia Southern scored on five of its first six possessions, with a missed field goal, and rolled up 347 rushing yards, compared to just 99 by Coastal, thanks to 172 rushing yards by Lamar Lewis and 131 by Chris Covington. However, the total offense yards were nearly the same as Tyler Thigpen threw for 316 yards and two scores. Jerome Simpson was the main target, catching eight passes for a school-record 207 yards.
In 2007, Coastal Carolina put some offense together and hung in, but could not stop Georgia Southern quarterback Jayson Foster, who rushed for 263 yards and a school-record six TDs, while Lewis had 206 rushing yards, averaging 11.4 per attempt.
Coastal had two big plays. Jamie Fordham had a 61-yard rushing TD, just 17 seconds after GSU's opening score and current senior Keon Cunningham picked off a tipped pass from Foster and returned it 29 yards to set up a score.
Georgia Southern out-gained Coastal 570-370, including 512 yards on the ground. CCU managed 205 yards on the ground and 165 in the air and was 8-of-17 on third down conversions, as compared to 5-of-15 for GSU.
Chants vs. Southern
Coastal Carolina is 3-6 all-time versus the Southern Conference. Coastal's three wins came against Elon (2005) on the road, Wofford (2006) on the road and #3 Furman (2006) at home.
Coastal Carolina's Home Opener
Coastal Carolina will open its 2010 home schedule this weekend versus Georgia Southern. This is the first time in Coastal's storied history that the Chants opened the season with two road games, waiting until week three for their first home game. The Chanticleers are 5-2 all time in home openers, including a 21-14 victory over Newberry in the program's first ever game in 2003 and a 31-27 decision over #1 James Madison in 2005. Coastal Carolina is 30-10 all-time at home, including a perfect 5-0 mark last season and a 12-0 mark in the 2004 and `05 seasons combined.
Working Overtime
Coastal Carolina played its fourth overtime game this past weekend, a five-overtime loss (47-45) at Towson. Coastal is now 1-3 in such contests, losing 41-34 to Presbyterian in 2007 and 34-27 in double OT to Charleston Southern in the 2005 season finale with a 34-31 win over Gardner-Webb in 2005.
Keeping It Real
The Chanticleers play in Brooks Stadium with Benton Field being natural grass. Prior to last season, Coastal Carolina only had played 10 games on artificial turf. However, last year, the Chants played on artificial turf in four of its six road games and opens 2010 playing on the fake stuff in their first three road games (West Virginia, Towson and Richmond).
For its history, Coastal has played 65 of its 81 games on natural grass. The Chanticleers are 46-19 (70.8) on natural grass and 30-10 (.750) at home thanks to a 5-0 mark in Brooks Stadium in 2009.
When playing on artificial surfaces, Coastal Carolina is just 4-12 in its eighth year.
A Good Start is Good; But Not at Towson
In its eighth season, Coastal Carolina is now 32-6 (.842) when scoring first in a game after a 47-45, five-overtime loss at Towson. Coastal took the opening kickoff and staked a quick 7-0 lead.
Going a step further, Coastal Carolina is now 37-8 (.822) all-time when leading at the half. The Chants took that same 7-0 lead over Towson at halftime. Coastal is 21-3 when leading at the half at home and now 16-5 when doing so on the road.
Despite the Loss at Towson...
There are some positives the offense can take away from the five-overtime loss at Towson. First, after Towson scored to tie the game at 7-7, the offense scored on its next two possessions to go up 14. Also, after converting just 2-of-14 third downs at West Virginia, Coastal was 9-of-18 on third down at Towson and had just three, three and outs. Most importantly, after being shutout at WVU, Coastal was scored on all six of its red zone opportunities, including four times in overtime.
0-2 But Defense Putting Up Decent Numbers
Coastal Carolina is 0-2 and its defense has given up 78 points in two games. However, the defense has been very opportunistic is among the Big South and NCAA leaders in several categories. Leading the defense is sophomore Andrae Jacobs, who leads the Big South and ranks 18th nationally in tackles, getting 11 stops in each of his first two games.
Coastal is:
• 2nd in the BSC and 29th nationally in turnover margin (+0.5)
• 1st in the BSC and among the NCAA top 30 in fumbles recovered (2) and interceptions (2)
• 2nd in the BSC and 16th in the NCAA in tackles for losses per game (7.5)
Other League Leaders
Even though Coastal Carolina was shutout at West Virginia, senior running back Eric O'Neal leads the Big South and ranks 21st nationally in scoring (9.0 ppg). O'Neal scored three times in the five-overtime loss at Towson, twice on the ground and once receiving. Two of his scores came in overtime. O'Neal also ranks fourth in the league in rushing (51.0 ypg).
Dominique Davenport and Marcus Lott are tied for the team lead, ranking 24th nationally, interceptions. Each have one pick in their two games (Davenport at WVU and Lott at Towson). Davenport also leads the Big South and ranks 25th nationally in passes defended (1.50/game -- a pick and two PBU), while Lott is tied for second in the league in passes defended (one INT and one PBU).
Justin Durham, who made field goals of 42 and 43 yards in overtime, leads the Big South and ranks 30th nationally in field goals made (1.0/game). Despite missing a PAT in the second overtime, Durham was honored as an honorable mention Kicker Performer of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards.
Davenport Reaches Milestone
With 11 tackles in his first two games, senior Dominique Davenport eclipsed the 200-tackle plateau for his career, now with 202. While he has been a very productive player, Davenport is the beneficiary of playing four extra games in his career. As a junior, Davenport had 39 stops in three and a half games, suffering a season-ending injury in week four and getting a medical redshirt for the 2008 season.
On the Career Active NCAA FCS List
Zach MacDowall ranks:
• 15th in career passing yards (4,032) • 17th in career completions (315)
• 19th in career passing attempts (544) • 20th in passing TDs (26)
• 16th in total offensive yards (4,490) • 19th in TDs responsibility (36)
Josh Norman ranks:
• 8th (tied) in career interceptions (10)
Ben Erdman ranks:
• 7th in career punts (159) • 11th in career punting yards (5,596)
Justin Durham ranks:
• 4th in career FG Made (36) • 3rd in career FG attempts (56)
• 13th in points scored (184)
O'Neal, Gause Play Well at Towson
Seniors Eric O'Neal and Racheed Gause each had a productive outing at Towson. O'Neal scored three times, rushed a team-best 18 times for 68 yards and caught a team-high six passes for 107 all-purpose yards.
Gause, seeing his first action of 2010, averaged 4.3 yards per carry, getting 13 rushes for 56 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown.
O-Line Provides Protection
After allowing 25 sacks in 2009, Coastal Carolina's offensive line did not allow the highly-touted West Virginia defense to record a sack in the season opener. Coastal Carolina was one of 25 FCS schools that did not allow a sack in the season opener. Of those 25, three played FBS schools -- two of which were Coastal and Towson.
Zach MacDowall was sacked once at Towson in 33 pass attempts and, with an average of just 0.5 sacks allowed per game, CCU leads the Big South and ranks fifth nationally.
Taken Aback
Despite facing Heisman Trophy candidate and an explosive offense, Coastal Carolina's defense dropped the Mountaineers behind the line of scrimmage nine times for minus 27 yards. Leading the way were sophomores Andrae Jacobs and Chris Thomas, each with 1.5.
Coastal's nine TFLs at West Virginia tied for 12th-best in the FCS after week one. However, that stat should not surprise the Chanticleer faithful as Coastal has ranked first or second in the Big South in tackles for loss in each of the last five seasons.
Coastal added six TFL at Towson and, with an average of 7.5 TFL/game, Coastal ranks second in the Big South and 16th nationally in tackles for losses.
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