2026 Sun Belt Football Previews: Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

Transcript

Speaker: All right, welcome everybody back to Warm Weather Fans, the Sunbelt Podcast. I'm your host, Brian Stone, saying Zeke Palermo today who is busy, but we are here to talk about the Coastal Carolina 2026 team, and I am joined by two guys from the Strut Podcast, Chili and TD.

Speaker: Would you guys like to introduce yourselves, maybe talk about the the podcast, how long you've been doing it and stuff like that, and then we can jump into kind of the program coastal around Coastal as a whole?

Speaker: Well, Brian, we started this podcast, and it's kind of funny because TD and I were at a coastal fundraiser, and we were just talking about coastal stuff, and it came up that I had a podcast that I do already, and we kind of decided after one to maybe six drinks that we should start a coastal podcast, and it kind of went from there. We swapped notes.

Speaker: numbers And what's kind of funny, Brian, is if you're watching the audio, TD is on the porch. That's where he started doing the podcasting on the very first show. That first show we have out, you can go back and listen to it. You can actually hear like TD walking on the porch, talking about memories of the first game that he played in, all that cool stuff.

Speaker: of So we've been around, we're starting our sixth season coming up. TD and I began it, like I said, years and years ago, it's been a labor of love because I'm a Coastal graduate. TD played football at Coastal, and we like to think that we are the premier Coastal podcast. We've got a few more popping up after we got started, but that's okay, too, it's healthy competition, but... All in all, we've had a great time so far in the first five years of the Strut Podcast. Looking forward to season six and getting off to a good start this year.

Speaker: Listen, I say all all the best podcasts start after five or six drinks, so that that totally makes sense to me. Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah, um so I grew up here Conway.

Speaker: um went to coastal my family's been there i'm one way or another since 1984. my wife and brother went there my dad worked there and so we've been around coastal athletics and the university since uh since 84 and uh it means a great deal to me my family here on the front porch today we were talking kind of in the green room if you will beforehand before we started recording uh it's been a busy summer my 11-year-old plays travel baseball. we had a pretty good year, and we wrapped up and in the end-of-year tournament, actually playing up versus a lot of good 12-year teams in the area.

Speaker: That was that. ah I finished up Wednesday and then Saturday to Wednesday. And so this is our first cut in our teeth of the of the year, and I'm back to where you can hear the cicadas here.

Speaker: I live in downtown Conway just a block off Main Street. um hosted college game day back in 2020 here at the house when we were during the covid years so the front porch of this house means a lot man it's been probably the first five or six actually probably the most of the first year from this porch honestly um and so we kind of dubbed those the porch pods and that's where it started and um we've come a long way man and this program has come a long way. i we're going to get into it about 2026 season and the, uh, the pretty neat, uh, parallels between West Virginia and coastal and our president is there. And you and Chile have ties to the Hannah, Hannah area.

Speaker: You being a South Carolina boy where I know that's going to come up. We talked about that before. So it's interesting. Look, the Myrtle beach area, you know, that's, that's West Virginia's beach, man. Like that's where,

Speaker: Marshall and West Virginia fans, I know you can't say Marshall, West Virginia fans um are coming, but I know that also, too, just Sunbelt in general, man. I know you're a Georgia Southern grad, and there's a lot of ties to um everywhere across the southeast to our area, man, and our sports and how Coastal coming into this conference has made us better. It's made the conference better.

Speaker: And I'm really excited about what's coach Coach Beard. I've got a chance to talk to him several times already. And my kids got to go to his camp this year. They had a blast. He's a dad, right?

Speaker: He's a dad first. and And so, um you know, it's just amazing the reach of the Sun Belt. And it's amazing the reach of of Coastal in general, where I mentioned earlier about our president going to West Virginia. I know that this is a Sun Belt podcast, but our first game of the year is versus West Virginia. Right. And, ye and that's kind of the reference to the first game the year where our president's there and kind of where the, where the beach for Marshall West Virginia, but I know that Marshall is into some bill. And then this year with La Tech coming in, um, my sister-in-law member from Louisiana, dude, they're going to have three Louisiana schools in the conference and, uh, we're losing Texas state or lost them. Uh, they're, they're going to the PAC 12, which was the PAC two.

Speaker: And, uh, I'm excited for the Sunbelt year, man. I'm excited for Coastal, but I'm excited for the Sunbelt as a whole through all sports, but really about football. I think this is going to be an elevated year.

Speaker: You know, one thing that was funny. nicknames for every Sunbelt team, and Texas State was the future Pac-12 champions. We do a pick-em segment every week on yeah during the football season, and that was our jokingly affectionate TD nickname for Texas State was the future Pac-12 champions. So we're we're rooting for Texas State this year in the Pac-12.

Speaker: yeah tech Texas State was funny last year because when we did our preview of them, our big knock last year was the offense is go be good. Is the defense going able to hold serve? And the answer yeah long and short of it was no.

Speaker: And ah we had we had a lot of Texas State fans, especially on YouTube, that were very upset at us ah for for calling that out. And then by the end of the season, it was like, all right, well, you started oh and five in Sunbelt play. So how how mad can you really be at that point? We kind of just called a spade a spade. But, Brian, don't you think that if Texas State was going to the Pac-12 and they were all offense and no defense, that would kind of historically hold true for Pac-12 football?

Speaker: anyway so they'll fit right in this is true that is that is the way historically it's it's gone outside of like the pete carroll usc teams that were just monsters with you know reggie bush and leinart and all those guys but yeah no i i totally agree i mean the only other better fit i think historically would have been big 12 where it's like that is a sort the conference i know fault they should have gone to Yeah, that is a no defense. Every game is 73 to 65 final type type stuff. So, yeah, no, that's the only other conference I feel like that could have been a good fit for them. ah Just play style wise. agree ah great But it'll be interesting to see how they do in the Pac-12. So, you know, i'll I'll definitely keep an eye on that. I was

Speaker: I was very complimentary and high on Brad Jackson last year. um You know, the year before he was kind of like a gadget guy and it was, it was fun to see him play like a full-time role last year. So we'll, ah we'll definitely keep an eye on them even though we don't necessarily cover them.

Speaker: But as we are here today, let's, let's go ahead and talk about coastal. So, um you know, Tim Beck, things don't go well, you know, in 2025, six and six regular season.

Speaker: um i I actually admire Coastal's athletic department a lot because there are teams in the Sun Belt that it feels like they shoot for the stars like when when they make their hires and firings. And there are teams that feel like they just shoot for the dirt.

Speaker: And they're they're like, you know what? And Georgia Southern's the exact same way. they They are fine with the status quo. We don't rock the boat. We don't try to get better.

Speaker: We just, everything stays the same at the end of the day. So I did really admire like coastal last year for finally pulling the trigger and being like the Tim Beck stuff isn't working. Like let's let's go ahead and cut, cut this now start clean, you know, all of that stuff. So I want to ask you guys, as we kind of talk about going back a couple of years, what,

Speaker: When did you guys know that the Tim Beck hire was was kind of DOA? Like it it it was not going to work and it was time to kind of cut bait. First off, don't make us go back a couple of years. But since you asked the question, we'll go ahead. um TD, I think it might have been you last year on one of the pods as the Tim Beck era was ending. You said, because he was there for three years. And think TD had the quote, and was a great quote, three years felt like three years.

Speaker: I mean, it was, it was, um it came in with a lot of fanfare. i remember talking about his resume. We talked to him on the, on the pod a couple of times. The first conversation we had with him, he he came in talking about, know, he had gone to Texas and he had worked at some other big schools. And and that's really attractive to ah to a people like, you know Sunbelt level teams.

Speaker: When you hear those guys that have spent time in those big programs bringing that big program experience, it's attractive. I'll be honest. However, i just, think the leadership was there. I think there was, um i think TD, if I'm wrong, help me. I think this was his first college head coaching position.

Speaker: And i really think that yeah as a former high school coach, you kind of want to look at it this way. Either you won or you learned. And i really want to think that leaving the Tim Beck era, Coastal learned and Tim Beck may have learned. I'm excited about Ryan Beard and what he's going to bring. He's,

Speaker: they were at the Sunbelt media days and our players that went kept talking about yeah him bringing the juice and that, that excitement's there. So there's that, but, Reflecting on Tim Beck days, there were just some things that were some glowing things occasionally. And I'm not smart enough to to critique detailed play calling. TD does that. um But I do know that from being in the press room postgame, being around some of the people that were around, you know, whenever, it just felt like when you would go into a room with Tim Beck that it was just –

Speaker: he wanted to be everywhere but where he was. And it just felt like when you'd go into the room and he would talk about a loss or a win, it was always the same tone. um He had his catchphrase of let's go back to the drawing board and fix it. And we had a news reporter on with us and she pointed out that how many dang times are we going to go back to the drawing board this season? You know, it was just one of those kinds of things that just kept happening. And after a while, you know, those of us on the strut,

Speaker: We were like, ah we're kind of tired of going back to the drawing board. We needed some new juice, some new energy. Because, I mean, I don't dislike Tim Beck personally. I just feel like it was ah just this this wet blanket of a personality that went over a vibrant program.

Speaker: Yeah, so look to kind of give you a quick synopsis of our history, David Bennett came in when I played for him the first four years. A lot of energy, lot of drives.

Speaker: We won three conference championships at the FCS level, right? Back when y'all were SOCON, we were Big South. um We became a nationally ranked team. You all in App, I know App's a big rival of Southern. I get that, but respect work do where respect's earned, right? And you all in and and App were the North Dakota State's before North Dakota State, right? Let's yeah call that what it is.

Speaker: Give your program and their program all the credit. um Then the last four five years David Beck's – I mean, um of um David Bennett's career, he just kind of flapped, right? Made the playoffs couple times, won some shared titles.

Speaker: Then we bring in Joe Moglia, and we became a perennial top-ten team, five of his seven years, five of his six years. Then introduced Jamie Chadwell as offense coordinator in the transition.

Speaker: We were three and nine our first year, to be expected. um Actually, we were – We were sitting there. We had four chances to win games that year. We could have easily been six and six, give or take.

Speaker: But then we were five and seven and five and seven, and we had lost some games where we were – I mean, we were five and three in that first or that second year. and you could But you could see the trend. That's where I'm going. yeah You could see trend, brother.

Speaker: And then you're five and seven. We lost – Of our seven games, we lost five of them by an aggregate of 24. Like, you saw the pieces there. McCall was a redshirt freshman. He didn't play but a few snaps. Others were redshirt sophomores. Like, you could see it and go, okay, wait a minute now.

Speaker: We got some pieces here.

Speaker: Insert 2020. And then just we get through another stratosphere. 20, 21, 22. And then Tim Beck takes over 23. We 8 and 5. We're like, okay.

Speaker: we're like okay get a Hawaii bowl win versus another pretty st solid 75 San Jose state, San Jose state team. I'm not doing that to church San Jose state up, but they were a good 75. They could have easily been like nine and three that year. They lost a couple of games by a score or two. We did that pod talking about them. Like this was a very, like us, they were a very dangerous seven and five team playing in one of the better 75 bowls out there.

Speaker: And again, not looking to church it up. It's just we were we were both trending well. Like we were playing well. They were playing well. McCall had gone out, though, but Vasco would come in, stabilize the team a little bit.

Speaker: um We went 8-5. We're just like, all right, we're going to give them benefit of doubt. Then we go back to back six and seven years, and we look apathetic. ah There was no juice. There was no structure. There was no culture.

Speaker: Leadership. we We changed our staffs a couple of positions. No stability. and And to Chili's point, you know when you talk to Tim, Tim's a good dude. But there was a reason why Tim Beck had never gotten a head coaching job anywhere else prior to us.

Speaker: Yeah. We know some of the back story behind that. I'm not going to do it out there because we're past it. enterner inner Ryan Beard who reminds you of David Bennett and Jamie Chadwell.

Speaker: yeah I mean, he does, man. He reminds you of he was reared in a small, moderate-sized town in Kentucky, married his high school sweetheart or college sweetheart, if you will.

Speaker: They've got three or four kids. He's worked up through the ranks like David did, like Jamie did, and If he does his job in four years, three minimum four years max, we're not going to hold on to him.

Speaker: And that's okay, man. Or he may get to that crossroad and go, dude, I kind of like it here. And I mean, look at what Jamie Chadwell did. And do I still talk to Jamie Chadwell today? He's a friend.

Speaker: think if you interview Jamie off the record, Jamie would probably tell you, and i can't speak for him, but

Speaker: maybe the four plus million dollars at Liberty is not all what's cracked up to be. And that's a shot at Liberty because they're our rival. But at the same time, they're limited on what they can do in Conference USA. I understand they made the playoffs. I get that.

Speaker: But it's just – it's one of those things, man, where that fan base up there, like most, when they pour ton of money into it,

Speaker: they expect things that may be beyond, to your point, they may be beyond what their reach actually is. it doesn't mean you change your goals, but you also have to have some reality, like with us baseball, dude, if we make the college world series once every seven to nine years, but we're in a super regional every, i don't know, three years or four years.

Speaker: And we're in that regional final every year. but like that's me, we're knocking on the door every year, right? That's what we're doing. Expectations, put ourself in position to continue being there.

Speaker: And so I say that with football, there is a vibrancy. There is an energy that we have not felt. since Jamie took over the program after Moglia revitalized it and on the on the on the heels or on the shoulders of what David Bennett built when I played.

Speaker: And so for the first time in three years, there is a true – and that was represented with what the Sun Belt came out. They put us at, what, fourth in the preseason poll?

Speaker: What does that tell you? They're like, wait a minute now. This team –

Speaker: as you hear an airplane come over downtown, conway my for right now would probably packed full of people coming to play golf. Uh, and so it's, um, there's a true excitement for the first time in three years. There wasn't even this much excitement when Tim Beck was hired. Like ah I'm going to be blunt.

Speaker: It was kind of like a man hire. It was like, Oh, okay. Yeah. it And it just was, like it was kind of like a, Probably a little bit of what, and you could I could be wrong, probably a little bit of what Todd, when when when Hilton was hired at Southern, yeah it was like, okay, he's got a good track record, but, man.

Speaker: Right, we'll see. We'll see. yeah And so that was kind of us, man. It was like a, okay, we'll see. Well, we were 8-5 in our first year. Got to give the man credit, though.

Speaker: I'll end here. You'll love this stat, though. he did beat app state every year he played them and he beat them there for the first time. So yeah if that man did anything for our program, he did beat app state three years in a row. And what's up there. So, uh, twice up there, no twice up there. That's right. He beat him twice up there, which we had never beat him there by the way.

Speaker: So shout out to Tim Beck on one thing you beat app state three years in a row you beat him twice there. Atta boy. We'll give you that. We'll give you You one thing too, Brian, to go along with that, just kind of wrapping that part up is was looking back at last year's scores. We had like four or five losses that were 20, 25 points plus. We weren't even close. But when we got beat last year, we got manhandled in the games we lost.

Speaker: And it was – it's so hard to get behind it, even though TD and I are are about as diehard coastal as they come. We'd get on the podcast – asked on our Sunday strut, which is our once a week recap of the football game on Saturday.

Speaker: And we'd be in pre-show talking about, you know, who's going to say this, who's going to say that, whatever. And I can remember the three of us going like, what what can we say about this to make it sound, quote, not as bad. However, after a while, you're like, I can't. I can't make this sound any better anymore because it is what it is. It's it's bad.

Speaker: Yeah, you can't polish a turd. you know Exactly. like It is what it is. You can't make chicken salad out of chicken. right Exactly. That's exactly what was happening. So again, i'm not ah I have two thoughts real quick, and then and then we'll get into like you know overall outlook. But I think for me, when I kind of knew that Coastal wasn't heading in the right direction, ah it was at the end of the 24 season.

Speaker: i currently live in Louisville, Kentucky, and we got gifted, me and my wife, free tickets to a Cardinals game. It was like... you know, you got the, the booth and everything else. Like it was cold that day, but we were sitting inside. It was like heated, all that stuff. And I looked at our schedule as a Georgia Southern fan. and I said, Oh, we're playing coastal today. Let's just go to the Louisville game. I think I checked my, my phone three times that day. And I was like,

Speaker: yeah, it's it's over. like ah it It was never never in doubt. like Obviously, last year has was different, but that was that was one thing. And I think the second point is you guys right now on the trajectory you're on, I don't know if you guys have have followed the whole conference, but just like a small like history lesson, you guys are on the same trajectory, I think, as Troy was when they lost Neil Brown, where it was like they lost Neil Brown, who was very good, and they were always in contention for the Sun Belt East. Yeah, he's a good ball coach. He's a great ball he's a great ball coach.

Speaker: And then they brought in Chip Lindsey, who was this like milquetoast offensive coordinator that had come over from Auburn. and And frankly, I am always weary of guys who are like, let's say a coordinator that serves under a head coach that serves the exact same function. So if you were an offensive coordinator and you work under an offensive coach, I'm like,

Speaker: you know, is it going to translate? Cause it's like most of the time, those guys don't call plays like unless the coach the head coach has given up those duties. So I'm always kind of like, eh, but then they hired John Summerall and, you know, sort of the rest is history. They took off and, and, you know, Summerall's now at Florida. So like, what a, what a quality dude, man.

Speaker: He gave a masterclass. If I may inject this, he gave a masterclass on how to respectfully transition from one program to another being transparent. We talked about Chile and I and Joe yeah talked about on the podcast, how to respectfully transition to programs. Bob Chesney did the same thing with JMU and UCLA. Also very solid masterclass on how to acknowledge, respect, handle, be transparent,

Speaker: Tell your kids, this is why I'm doing it. This is where I'm going. I'm not going lie to you. This is what you're going to hear. This is what you're going see. And he talked about that. And Summerall did an absolute wonderful job. And I think there's a ton of respect.

Speaker: I haven't run into a person yet that followed that situation, that looked at that and said, yeah, he didn't handle that well. he was That was a master class on how he handled that. Brian, I never considered that analogy you just made to going from, you know, one coach, the next one, who's not so hot to another one. That is a really good analogy for milk milk toast was about right. Milk toast was about frigging right.

Speaker: Yeah. Well, I'm, I'm currently dealing with it right now in at Georgia Southern. So I, I'm, I'm in the the low face and we're, we're stuck in a holding pattern. So we're not going anywhere soon. Um,

Speaker: So let's let's talk about a little bit ah you know about sort of the the nuts and bolts of last season. So quarterback-wise, starting the season last year, it was it was like a competition, it seemed, between MJ Morris and Tad Hudson at least early.

Speaker: um i don't know if you guys have heard from Tad Hudson's uncle on social media, but he was coming after us like all last year. He comes after everybody, so you're He came after everybody, man. Well, we what all we were doing was posting PFF analytics.

Speaker: And he was like so mad that we had the gall to post these things, which were just like passing grades. And I was like, we don't make these numbers. Like these come from somewhere else. um So you're not cooking these up in the in the old Southern lab, right? enough No, no.

Speaker: No, I don't have time to watch ah punters and grade them. like I just don't i don't have that kind of free time in life. Me neither, brother. Me neither. So in comes Samari Collier, who transforms the way that that the team offensively runs. He is much more mobile than the other guys that come in. 100%.

Speaker: um What was you guys' initial impressions of him? And, I mean, it was just such a shame that he got hurt, like, toward the end of the season because we were very close to having him on the show. Like, he was DMing us, like, on a week, like, a couple of weeks throughout the season. And we were like, yeah, man, like, we're very interested in talking to you. And then he gets hurt and he's kind of like, I got the rehab stuff to do. i don't really have time. And so that kind of fell through.

Speaker: What was you guys' initial impressions when he comes in how the offense changed behind him versus Hudson and Morris. Like, who what was you guys' as general thoughts there?

Speaker: Chili, you want me to tell you this, you got I got it, yeah. So, in the Myrtle Beach Bowl that we had played a year before, Hudson came in and was our our starter. And he did a he did an okay job. He didn't make a lot of mistakes. So, we were kind of in ors that maybe he's taken the momentum that he ended.

Speaker: And I don't want to say where he didn't play badly, but he didn't lose the game either. He managed it. He managed the game. He did a good job of managing the game and limiting mistakes. Yeah, so and when we just got beat in that game. But, know, at the same time, we're we're like, so we we know what we've got there. We don't know much about MJ Morris, who had kind of been a journeyman. Like, I think he stopped at NC State and Maryland before he got to Coastal. And he had the Beck relationship, which kind of was up a half of a red flag, if you will. And then, you know, we didn't know much about Samari Collier outside of what his resume was before he got to Coastal. Yeah, junior caller, national champion, All-American.

Speaker: Exactly. So we we knew he could do things, but we didn't we hadn't seen him play. so And then there was a fourth quarterback who was a San Jose State transfer who, from what we understood, he got hurt in camp and didn't play the season. Tore his knee.

Speaker: Yeah, tore his knee up. So we had like these four quarterbacks going into the season, and it was kind of like, well we don't know. Even right now, this year, we have no idea who the starting quarterback is going to be. But at the same time, yeah this, like last year,

Speaker: it was an open competition according to Coach Beckett. This guy's this, this guy's that. We're going to make it work, whatever. And then we come out and play against Virginia, who we felt pretty good about, and we laid a massive egg on TV, 48-7 in that loss. And ah MJ Morris looked God-awful in that game.

Speaker: Everything about that game looked god-awful, to be frank with you. And then we come out, we played Charleston Southern the next week at home and beat them only 13-0. So there was like, you know, huh kind of Kind of feeling about it. i was at the CSU game. I think TD was too. And it was just kind of like you kept waiting for like – I know it's close here, and sometimes these games start that way.

Speaker: But, I mean, ugh. It just kind of felt like blah. And as the season progressed, on the strut, we kept saying, you know, maybe give one of the other guys a chance. We could lose the next week at home to East Carolina 38-0.

Speaker: And it's just it's just awful. But then here's what I can't figure out, Brian. And, TD, I know we talked about this before last season. You're 1-2.

Speaker: You beat CSU 13-0, and then you've got to go to South Alabama. And you're like, I don't know, we're about to get slaughtered. And we win that game 38-20. So that's it was just one of those kind of seasons last year. But about the quarterback room, when Samari came in um and he started his first few snaps and was so mobile because they had played him a little bit, and he would come in and play like situational things. Like if it was third and one, he'd get under center, find a hole, and you know get a first down, and then they'd bring him right back out. I'm like, there's no –

Speaker: This guy is cool with what the situation is. So i think he made the most of his time when he got on the field and was able to play. um I just like you said, it was a shame that he got hurt last year because that might have been two or three more wins possibly. um But yeah you look at the converse side of that, too.

Speaker: If he got two or three more wins, would we still have Tim Beck as a head coach going into this season without Samari Collier? So there's something to think about there too. And I can't say yes or no.

Speaker: I'd probably say no, but you know, that's, that's what that is. But yeah yeah, this year we've got four quarterbacks. We have no idea who the quarterback is going to be this season. No, we don't. Yeah. But we're in a better four quarterback situation right now than we were this time last year and the before really since Grayson McCall.

Speaker: Um,

Speaker: Samari Collier flat out should have been playing since the Charleston Southern game. um There was, look, culture, structure, and leadership are the three things that can really derail a locker room.

Speaker: And there were issues with all three of those during the Tim Beck area. um And so call it what it is. um Collier should have been starting after the Charleston Southern game.

Speaker: There was no doubt about it. When he was on the field, we were more dynamic. When we were on the field, the defense had a chance. it wasn't just offensive drives. was offensive drives that were sustainable,

Speaker: He can move with legs. He can throw. Look, he wasn't the most accurate thrower. Let's be honest. Like he wasn't going to burn you down with accuracy, but what he could do is he can make things on the fly happen.

Speaker: And that was something that we had none of give MJ Morris credit though. When Carrier went down to the app state game to bring that game up, Morris had come in and throw a dime, right. yeah For a touchdown and then let us another drive too. So my point to all this uh,

Speaker: It was a the only thing that was consistent was inconsistency. And when you are consistently inconsistent, it's like having an umpire behind the plate who's consistently inconsistent. Nobody knows where to throw it and nobody knows where to hit it.

Speaker: And that was exactly what our fan base was dealing with. To Chili's point, if we'd got a couple more wins, does Tim Beck go? To your point earlier, give Chance Miller and at that time Michael Benson credit. They realized ah we were staring down mediocrity for another two years.

Speaker: We were going to lose the fan base from a ticket sales perspective. Look, our competition here is not Georgia Southern and App State and Liberty and Right. our Our competition here is that big orange gas ball in the sky and people have options, man. When you have beach and putt putt and restaurants and retail and golf carts and golf, I'm not being funny.

Speaker: When you have a family of like I do of three, I grew up here like you got options, brother. And I don't mean this any disrespect to Boone or Statesboro or Troy, Alabama. When you're committed to go to those games, you're committed to go those games for that experience.

Speaker: Well, if you go to a coastal game and it ain't looking like you really want, like you got tickets and you got families in from all over the country, especially in Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and more Southeast, like our actual in-state and South, Chile knows he's on the alumni board. I'm on higher ed. You're starting to see a needle move to more Southern kids. And tell something. If you got an option go to a football game, which they'll go to, if you got an option go be on the beach or club or dinner. Dude, what are you going to do?

Speaker: Like, right if you're if you're sitting there and you're seven and two, you're going to go the game. You're three and four. You got options. And that's so that's some of this. Right. And everybody laughed about the free popcorn thing last year, which, by the way, was wildly successful because all the free food that we gave away beer sales were up three like like three times as much.

Speaker: merchandise sales were up. So families that were not spending money on hot dogs and popcorn and candy, they were spending it on elsewhere. So they made their money back. Not all, not all, not all together. Now don't let that confuse you. We were up three times as much on, on the problem that we still lost money, but we did, we had to do something right. And so transition to this year, we have a quarterback room that is deeper than we've had in a while.

Speaker: We've got Ryan Beard who's bringing in, and I think you'll appreciate this. He's been a head coach. He's had to struggle, yeah right? And he understands making head coaching decisions. He understands the game management piece. To your point earlier, he's on an OC for an AC who both are calling plays, which by the way, we dealt with the last two years. Tim Beck was calling most of those plays, by the way. yeah um And so we you could see it, man. You knew it. Like I'm a former player.

Speaker: I got my resources, relationships, man. I can find out things really quick. And I don't, I say that humbly, but it's like any ballplay. Like you got your resources and you got your relationships without, stepping on toes crossing lines. You can figure out information. You can get information and go, huh, yeah, okay, that's what I thought.

Speaker: And so, but this year, with the indoor facility complete, we've swung the road around the stadium. So I think we, do we play Southern home this year? I think we do. um Southern? I think it's in Conway, yeah. So you'll notice a big difference this last time were here. The indoor facility is completed.

Speaker: The road that went next to the stadium has been moved behind the indoor. They're going to chew that road up and make that grass and tailgate partying. So it's going to be different. um It's going to different too because we've gotten a bunch of talent through the portal that Ryan Beard and then because of their relationships with the staff, he brought a lot of his guys from Missouri State.

Speaker: And, dude, he suffered there for a couple years before they were successful. He understands what our fans – I got to sit with him several times. I told him about biscuits and bow ties. you got to be able to go to every biscuit shack in this County and go to every black tie fitness County. And you got to be able to talk to both crowds.

Speaker: You got to tell that old boy that carries just like a Statesboro, that old boy that carries a lot of hunters in his pocket could probably buy your truck off of you. And the old boy at at the dunes club, who's going to be in a black tie every day playing golf.

Speaker: You've got to talk to both fan bases because you need both, both fan bases. He's done a lot of engagement with the guys already out in the community. He's doing it. He's going to every place you can. He's doing a lot of what Jamie Chadwell and David Bennett did with success.

Speaker: The prior leadership was not doing that of our program. Matter of fact, it was the least engaged team. that our football program has ever been with the community. Just call that what it is. It's not being critical. Actually, who it is.

Speaker: Because this is a place like, it's a place like Statesboro, man, and like Boone and Troy. And but you, dude, the football, baseball programs, if you will, dude, it that is, it is the pride and joy of walking around town, man. It really is.

Speaker: and um And so the quarterback room is going fun. The fact that the preseason poll has us as fourth tells us there's some people who are looking at our current roster and coaching staff, and they feel confident.

Speaker: And this is why I'm a kick back to you. I think they feel confident in a seven-plus win season. I mean, that that's fair. I mean, ah it's like – As it stands today, from what it seems like, it's like JMU and ODU, people have already kind of penciled in at the top of the East standings. I'm going to call it out now right now. JMU is not going to be the JMU of old. I'm telling you, I've heard some rumblings coming out of there, man. That's not the same program that's been the last 10 years.

Speaker: I'm just telling you. Okay. Interesting. You're going to see a little bit of ah a pullback. with that program. Billy Napier is not Kirk Cignetti and he's not Bob Chesney, which by the way, we almost had Bob Chesney at Coastal instead of going to JMU, but that's another story for another day. um Anyways, Chili knows about that story. And, but I, I think ODU is going to be poised to be really good.

Speaker: hate to say, I think lot tech is going to be a little better than people think too. Okay. This might be ODU's year in the East though. If they don't blow, if they don't stumble on their own self every year,

Speaker: right If they don't stumble, I think they could be very formidable this year in the conference, pending they don't do. They don't go ODU on themselves. They don't go ODU on themselves. But um I think Coastal is a seven-plus win season this year. I really do, man. it it That's a lot of optimism, but we just look different. We look like the Coastal of three-plus years ago.

Speaker: That's all I'm to say. yeah There's a different juice in that locker room right now. Okay, so going back to last year, this is the last thing I'll say about 2025. At least on the surface, like the way that it began and the way that it ended, Coastal had a lot of similarities to Louisiana last year, to me. Whereas ah yeah yeah they started out and they thought they had...

Speaker: we have this quarterback and by the middle of the season, they were on their third, you know, choice quarterback. And he's a mobile guy that is not, you know, not built to just stand in the pocket like a statue and not go anywhere. It was a mobile guy with more of a, an offense that needs to move with him.

Speaker: And, you saw like what the ceilings were, I think on both of those teams where it was like, we've got this guy who's dynamic, but the pieces around him need to improve. And so that's the way I felt about coastal last year. I've, I kind of still feel the same about Louisiana going into this year where,

Speaker: we we did and released our Louisiana preview with a guy who used to cover them for an ESPN radio station. And he was like, I'm not as high on Louisiana as everybody else is going into the season. He's like, I think everybody needs to take like a chill pill and and and wait and kind of wait and see on this season. And ah a lot of the things that we brought up to him are, for me, at least seem similar to what Coastal dealt with last year, where it... again so um that's gonna be super interesting heading into this year is like that coastal coastal's pivoting i mean it's like new quarterback new head coach like all of that stuff whereas like louisiana is rolling out lynch winfield again they still got the same head coach they've had the last like four years or so so we'll we'll we'll see how those approaches differ i do want to ask you guys

Speaker: As we're talking about offense, the big change obviously is is now bringing in Nick Petrino to be the offensive coordinator. yeah What does that offense project to look like? Because I did a little digging last year on Missouri State. like They played another Sun Belt team, and they just seem very pass-heavy. They are.

Speaker: Do you anticipate the offense to run the same way as it did when he was at Missouri State? I think they're going to get – And I talked to Nick over coffee at a little place called Rustic Roast here in Conway.

Speaker: Nick Flat told me, I said, Nick, how's recruiting going? And I'm going to Chili chime in on this one. But these were his words. He don't mind me saying it because said it public. He goes, man, I said, how's it going? He goes, well, um we really had no money at Missouri State, and we've got 10 times more money at Coastal to go out and recruit.

Speaker: He goes, we've had more – high caliber guys on campus on one weekend than we could ever even talk to on the phone at Missouri State. And so what they're finding is, and that's not a knock on Missouri State, dude. What they did at Missouri State, and Missouri State's a good school.

Speaker: Conference USA school, I think lot of potential there. Potential can be dangerous. But they're getting guys, and you can go see where they got guys from that maybe were at bigger schools.

Speaker: Dare I say, I don't want to sound like, A little Kirk Signetti-esque where they got some guys that may be older guys with maybe a couple years play that rap programs that just want to earn it for two years. Then they went on got a young guy or two that red-shirted, got over-recruited, that classic old-school FBS to FCS thing, right? Where they went to a Clemson, Georgia, ah Florida, sat for a year, redshirted, lost year eligibility, and then would transfer down because, they but now they can transfer into portal. I think they got some guys like that. and And Ryan's told me they're looking for culture guys. Like he said, give me a culture guy, get over, over guy that's super athletic because the culture guy is not going to quit on this program in the fourth quarter. This culture guy is going to see it through.

Speaker: to year two, right? And he talks about that. I've been able to go out to practices with my son and and listen to him. And to the point of offense, when you get a Robbie Washington stay in the backfield, that's a big piece. And Chili knows that. That was a big piece to keep here, man.

Speaker: Like yeah when he stayed, that turned, that sent the signal to a lot of people like, wait a minute now. Cause he was in the, like he was leaving, like he was gone. And then he's like, He sat down with Bobby. He sat down with Ryan and then was like, this is what guys used to tell.

Speaker: He heard things, what guys used to talk about Jamie Chadwell. like He heard some of that undertones. And so that was partly why he stayed. Partly why a lot of them stayed. And then we went out got a guy who just want to be part of a fun offense. And I think it's like with anything, um,

Speaker: who was the old ah Mac Brown. He was the head coach of Texas, made a comment, text, Tom, he goes, when we had really excellent players in Texas, man, we were really, really good. And when we didn't have really good players, Texas, we weren't very, very good. And so to to kind of echo that with what Bobby said,

Speaker: they're getting in some better ball players and we're getting it. We're, and we're winning some recruitment battles against some lower fourth sec middle tier ACC schools where guys are choosing us, not just for NIL, but because they know that there's a brand here that has one and can win again.

Speaker: yeah One thing that Coach Petrino said when he released the statement that he had been hired, I was reading his coaching bio a while back. And one thing that he said that kind of sticks out to me is they want to have the kind of offense that plays fast and attacks defenses. So, you know, that might mean lots of short passing. That might mean play action. That might be, you know, quick run.

Speaker: funds option kind of stuff. I feel like the way this is going to look, and I hope it's a complimentary style of ah offense because Beard's a defense guy. And i'm I'm really hoping that we get the kind of an offense that likes to sustain the drives the way Chadwell's offenses did when he had the option style of play because Chadwell had the ability to either you know chalk up a big play like a fake out of an option and and toss it deep to somebody and stretch the field. um But he also did a thing, and TD, help me remember this. i don't know if it was a Georgia Southern game or not. Not to bring up a sore subject, Brian, but um there was a game we played where we got the ball in the second quarter and there was about nine minutes left until halftime.

Speaker: We had God-awful field position, too. And we were able to drive the entire nine minutes and score a touchdown going into the locker room. So we had that ability then to drive, to put you to hold on to the ball, to dominate time of possession. And I feel like with the Petrino quote and what we know about Petrino offensive family tree, which is where he's coming from, because he played at Arkansas. um i'm I'm thinking that we're going to have the big playability because we've got a Robbie Washington coming back. and We've got some guys who are coming back. But at the same time, we've also got some good offensive linemen that are still hanging around the program too. So what I'm hoping for is complementary football between what the ah offense can do when it's in possession and how it sets the defense up and vice versa. like The offense can put a defense...

Speaker: it's in a spot where they don't have to be on the field for extended periods of time because the ah offense is going three and out, three and out, missed pass, missed pass, missed pass punt. that's That's kind of what I'm hoping is more complimentary this time around because we would see situations where some of the play calling year last year and years before where it was like – why did we do that?

Speaker: And we know we've got this in front of us, or this has been happening in the game. Why continue to try and buck the trend when we know what's better and what might work better? Again, let me go back and say this.

Speaker: TD and I are not the coaches, but we do know a lot about it. We've seen a lot of it. And um I'm just really hoping and I'm praying that it's going to be complimentary to a so yeah a strong defense and a productive offense this year. But if he wants to attack defenses and stuff, TD, I don't have an issue with Coastal winning games 55 to 20. I'm okay with that.

Speaker: Yeah, so bri it's ah he's going to look. Petrino's going to come in with an RPO pass more oriented, not heavy, but a pass oriented offense that is going to be able to run. With a kill like Robbie Washington, he's a big kid. like he's he's not as big He's not as small as you think he is. and But he's quick.

Speaker: And He's going to come in with a pass-oriented offense, but can the ability to grind. I mean, Ryan talked about on our podcast. When he was hired, he's like, dude, we've got to be able to go over top and grind it out at the same time.

Speaker: And that's what – I look back and watched film on Missouri State and the guys that transferred it in from Missouri State because that's the lay the land. That's the landscape. um They are a – They're going to run receivers across the field. They're going run boots. They're going run quick screens. They're going to run RPO out of that. They're going to leverage what works. And Ryan talked about that. he goes, dude, if we get into it and we think we're a little pass happy, we need to run the ball.

Speaker: He goes, doggone it, dude, we're going to frigging run the ball. He goes, in and and until they stop that, we're to keep running it to Chili's point. He said, he goes, we're going to run it and run it. We're going to tell them we're running it. Hey, man, we're going to run it right here because we run it nine times. Go back and listen to our bodies. that We're going to run it nine times. You haven't stopped it. And then when you start to stop it, we're going to run that play with an audible. And we're going to run that play out of another ah you know, another framework of ah plays. And so to your point, he is going to be pass oriented with purposeful running, right? ah Attacking the angles, attacking the corners, running some belly traps out of the gun. ah We're going to go three wide, four rod, try to spread it out.

Speaker: And again, um I told him, and he said something. he goes dude, we might win some games 38-30. But that's kind of, if you look back at Coastal's history, man, our fan base is okay with a high-powered offense and a bend-but-don't-break defense. Mowgli had it.

Speaker: David had it. Jamie Chadwell had it. Tim Beck did not have that. And so he he knows that that wins over a fan base, but he knows that that's something the first year or two, until they go get some bigger kids. But you go look at the kids where they transfer from, man. They transfer from ACC, SEC, Sunbelt schools, Pac-12 schools. I mean, they, they Big 12 schools.

Speaker: He's got kids that they needed to fill some gaps on offensively and defensively. And he knows, dude. He gets it. Now, defensively, He said, dude, we're going to attack to create turnovers. And if we get a touchdown score on us because we're attacking to create turnovers, that the house always wins on that. It's going to come back around to help us out.

Speaker: And he touched on that a little bit too. Like, we're going to attack and rally to the football. He goes, we actually grade our guys not as much on missed tackles because they get graded on that.

Speaker: But it's when the film breaks down, how many hats are on the ball? Like, legitimately, if the entire team is not within – Granted, if it's a pass in the backfield, if it's a pass downfield and there's only three kids there, one thing. But running, attack, anything within a box, if 11 hats are not within eight yards or less, they get ah they they a the whole entire defense yeah yeah does not get acc credited with a good play there. or if they're not attacking to that eight to 10 yard box to the play, like if they don't look up and they're attacking towards it. And so he's trying to create that attack mentality at a point of a contact.

Speaker: And so they're going to attack the angles on offense with a pass oriented purposeful run, but on defense four, three nickel packages, they'll probably get into some three, four, he said sometimes, but they do like the four, three, maybe stand some guys up.

Speaker: And so, man, that, That's what's goingnna have to work in a sun beltt like that's going to have to That's going to have to work against your teams like Southern and App, especially with App changing their ah offense up a little bit. They're going be more intermediate paths, running off the corners.

Speaker: Teams that we're going to play, Louisiana loves to run the football. right West Virginia loves to run the football. know they're on the Sun Belt, but they're on our games. um you know JMU, you know look, that they that's ah that's a group that loves to run it.

Speaker: And Billy Napier, when he was Florida, loved to run it. When he was in Louisiana, loved to run it. So if you can't stop the run, that old school, if you can't stop the run, you you can't stop a damn thing. And so they and the good thing is with Ryan, he's a defensive coordinator, man. ah I've liked having defensive coordinators at times be head coaches. I just do.

Speaker: Yeah. So we talked a little bit wrapping up kind of the offense talk. We talked about Robbie Washington. Is there is there any but other names that we should mention? Shout out on the offensive side of the ball before we kind of transition to defense guys that people who don't necessarily follow coastal on like a week week basis who they should be looking out for.

Speaker: yeah It's interesting you say that because i was going through the roster and I'm like, there are so many people. I don't even know who they are because TD and I are still waiting for our first show to come out. So I guess we're kind of still doing our homework. And I was going through this roster before I came on with you, just kind of learning some names. And the big talk that we've had, i guess, in the offseason is like we got – Osiris Lopez, the freshman quarterback, that signed with us. We've got another quarterback transfer that came in. We've got a receiver transfer, Goldie Lawrence, that came from Florida A&M.

Speaker: We've got these names that are coming in, and I'm just i'm going through – and And there's a Cross Johnson from New Orleans who came to Coastal from Arkansas. And he's a he's a ah fast, fast target, according to people. um Trevor Jackson signed with us, who's a mobile quarterback from Arkansas. I mean, it's – and I'll be honest with you, I'm going through just trying to find familiar names.

Speaker: ah here's ah Here's a couple names. Here's a couple names for you. Go ahead, TD. Trey Brown, linebacker. Jamarion Wayne, cornerback. Those are going be two names that you really need to keep an eyeball on.

Speaker: Those two young men are going to be something. Again, Robbie Washington, wide receiver, running back, it can play there. Again, Duari, D-line, he transferred in.

Speaker: Also a kid that you need to be mindful of. Those are some kids right there that I think – are going to be some names that you're going to be talking about when it comes time for, and I'm looking at my notes right here, forgive I'm trying to go back and, and, and get my notes pulled up here.

Speaker: ah While you're talking to you or while you're looking to you, I can say this, too, that you know we're I'm looking over some of our rosters as far as like a position people. And we've got some big offensive linemen that are here now transferred and other. I mean, I'm looking at like Mason Barton, who came to us from Jackson State. He comes in at six, seven, three thirty five. Our offensive line is is a much bigger, i want to say bigger and stronger unit this time around. Joshua Daniel is 320.

Speaker: three twenty I mean, there's some there's some big cats we got on the O-line. Trey Franklin, 6'5", 315. three fifteen I mean, it's we've got some big dudes, and I really believe, offensively speaking, to answer your question, ah it's really hard to put your – and I think you might be getting this from everybody in the Sun Belt – With this transfer portal, yeah you know everybody by about the third or fourth game who's who's making plays or doing things. But then once the bowl game is over or the season's over, whenever your time ends, you forget them because they've got like 50 other people coming in now to take their place.

Speaker: I was a former high school teacher before I became an assistant principal. And I can remember every semester would lose those kids and bring in a brand new group of kids to my class. That's what it feels like. I feel like I need to have name tags on the front and back of their jerseys so I can get to know who they are.

Speaker: wish I had a better answer for you, man. I really do. But yeah we're learning their names too, to be honest with you. Here's one too. I got my notes here. Jaden Allen Hendricks.

Speaker: He is a running back to transfer to him from Oklahoma state. He's a red shirt, sophomore, six, two, two 25. I saw him at the spring practices this year. He ran violent.

Speaker: I mean, like he ran, like he had a purpose to prove this year, dude. I'm telling you that kid reminds me of one or two other kids that we've played here.

Speaker: That is going to be a challenge. You got deuce Bailey quarterback, red shirt, freshman who came in with, um, ah Coach Beard, he was actually committed to Missouri State or played to Missouri State, and he transferred in. He's going to be somebody down the road that you're going to need to look out for too.

Speaker: You got Mason Barton, offensive line offense lineman, 335. He transferred in from Jackson State, right? I'm telling you, that kid's going to be a beast to deal with. The last couple that I was going to talk about were also Shandavian Bradley, came in from Oklahoma State,

Speaker: ah He's a kid, redshirt junior. One of those kids talk about where he was somewhere else, wants to play, wants to prove a point, got a chip on his shoulder. ben it He's a one-school kid. right He's been in Oklahoma State for the last three years. 240, defensive lineman, going to be probably on the outer half of that. Maybe either like a spur or an end or kind of outside interior guy. Those are some of the kids, too, that I think, too, could have –

Speaker: some high impact. Don't forget a kid like Zach Courtney, right. Who transferred in from Colorado. He got out of that whole Dion Sanders situation out there, dude. He's just looking for like, just something normal.

Speaker: Yeah. i He's just, yeah. kid that Kid, his statement when he came in was like, yeah, basically I'm looking forward to the culture that Coastal sad of winning. And, you know, just, it was something like, just like normal football, man.

Speaker: Like, just give me some normal, football you know then you got Wyatt Gideon who stayed he had a chance to leave but he stayed he's a senior linebacker he's going anchor to that program right he's a name that folks know and love here then you got Trey Guillera who quarterback redshirt junior he came in through Tyler junior college that's a name in that room that you need to be aware of Colton Hinton he was at Furman dude this is one of those kids that He's just a dude, man. He's 180 pounds.

Speaker: just a grinder. He's been at the FCS level. He's got one year. He's a kid that I think could be an inside slot for us. He can almost be like a Wes Welker for us.

Speaker: Just be mindful of some kid like that. Right. I saw him. He made a couple of catches in in, the spring game too. The Trevor Jackson, young man, Arkansas, six, three red shirt sophomore. He still got three years to play. um You know, it's,

Speaker: Those are just some of the kids that that that I'm looking at. that I'm going back to my notes from the spring game, guys, and I'm trying to find there was a young man, a receiver, that um that I'm real, real excited about.

Speaker: that i mean i got He reminded me of a bigger but equally fast Jared Brown. And y'all remember that name.

Speaker: You remember that name at play for coastal. He was a little bigger. Jared Brown. We also, we had a guy last year running back, Dominic nicely. Who's coming back to, he saw a lot of time as a freshman. yeah Um,

Speaker: Was the leading rusher for our team a couple of times, but he's back also as a sophomore. So we're excited to have him back. And and i'm I'm seeing him as TD has some of those names.

Speaker: Possibly a good mix on ah offensive playmakers who can take the top off the defense, plus possession guys as well. So maybe what we were saying a while ago about complementary football, that might be something that comes to fruition. that And that could be the key for Coastal this year, just offense and defense playing complementary football.

Speaker: Be nice because we didn't see it last year. It's been a while. i I mean, to you guys' this points, like from the running back spot, like Chili, I have a point based on something you said, but just talking about the running back spot, you do return nicely and Javon Edwards, who were both ah very efficient in their touches. um So I use sort of the Phil Steele magazine as my Bible to try to keep up with the teams that, you know,

Speaker: the The depth chart like varies a lot. And to to your point, you know when you talk about the the players that come in and out, it's very funny because it's like, I know Phil Steele talks to the coaches, but sometimes like when we bring people on that are in like very close to the program, like it's very different than the depth chart that we have like on paper. So it's always good to kind of hear the perspective of like, here are some guys you need to keep an eye on because every year in the Sun Belt, and this is kind of the nature of college football at this point, it's like,

Speaker: Guys like cycle in and out, like even even within the team that they're on. like that you know Nobody knew um Luch Winfield's name to start last year. Nobody knew ah you know outside the program knew who Samari Collier was like outside of Coastal fans. So we we as like and you know third party observers are like, wait, where did these guys all come from? And then it's just interesting to keep up with how it but it just sort of rises and falls throughout the the year trying to keep up with big time contributors. And sometimes they come out of nowhere and they're like major pieces to these teams. And then sometimes it's just sort of like

Speaker: Oh, where did this guy go? He was the supposed slot it in as the leading receiver for this team. oh Well, he he played like two games and then they kind of cycled him out of the lineup. So it's very interesting to hear like the way that these teams you know function ah from people that are closer to the program. I do want to, before I let you guys go, i do want to kind of run down the schedule a little bit and get you guys as just...

Speaker: Overall thoughts on on the slate. We talked about a couple of the games. You start out at West Virginia. um you know you You guys talked about the ties that like West Virginia has to to Conway and and Coastal as a program. So that'll be a fun game to watch for sure.

Speaker: You play Fordham and Delaware in back-to-back weeks ah to to open. And then you get Liberty in week four on a Thursday night, ah September 24th. what is What is you guys' is like read on those four games? like what would be you know What would be acceptable as far as the first four games go? are you are you like three and one? We have to be three and one after these games? Or is it like two and two? And then we can kind feel things out from there.

Speaker: I feel like three and one is definitely doable. I'll say that. um I don't want to put that on yeah the coaches and go, hey, if you don't go three and one, it's going to stink the rest of the way. But at the same time, yeah I also feel like three and one is a very doable goal. You want to win everything. But at the same time, I don't know a whole heck of lot about West Virginia, to be honest with you.

Speaker: i don't either. I know they struggle. Look, they're in a bit of a crossroads right now. They they got it. Look, that Rich Rod's up there. He's got some things, boys, that They got to kind of figure out this off season two going to this game. ah um I think that game might be close early and they might get away from us. But um I think there's a three quarters of that four quarter game.

Speaker: I think we might be better than anticipated. I still think we don't never like to say don't pull it out. I don't know if we're in position to pull that game out towards the end. But I think with the pieces, the coaching staff,

Speaker: Everything new. I could see some early struggles for us in that game, a tightening of that game, even a heartbeat scare, and then it gets tight and then it kind of loosens back up again.

Speaker: But I think a productive outing, if that makes sense. But Coastal has never lost to Rich Rodriguez. ever nope as an as an as a a coordinator or a head coach we've never lost to him just throwing that out but i think honestly i know td just agreed those first four games three and one is definitely doable we it's out there but i'll i'll say this too and you're going to laugh at this but i'll be totally honest with you looking at those first four games

Speaker: ah West Virginia, like TD kind of accurately said, they are West Virginia. Fordham, we should beat them in that game. yeah Delaware is a strong program. Very tough. I'm going to tell you what.

Speaker: If we can beat Liberty on that Thursday night game, it's an ESPN game. Chad... Chadwell's back. Chadwell's program is on a little bit of a decline. If we are one and three with a victory over your Liberty in that stretch, I am not going to be sad.

Speaker: So you're – yeah, if we're one – We should be. I think we're two and two. I think we split. At minimum, we're two and two, best three and one. um That Delaware game is going to be tough.

Speaker: That's a good – look, that's a – and also, too –

Speaker: the Delaware's, the JMU's, the Sam Houston States, they're not dealing with what app Southern and Coastal to deal with of about a three or four year recruitment transition.

Speaker: They can immediately be bowl eligible. Now they can immediately do it. They can, there's a lot of things that they could do immediately that our mutual programs did not have. And no complaint about that. That was just a time period in which we came up. Right. I mean, some people get pissy about it. I'm like, dude, it's timing. Right. I mean, that's like,

Speaker: it's it's just timing, but Delaware, they have also invested in that stadium. They've invested in their program and their facilities. I think they're going to be a lot better when, when people pick that game up, it was kind of like Delaware. We really, I'm like, they're a little better than you think, dude. um They have a history.

Speaker: They have a history that you can lean on. um But if I had to say, sit here and go, hey we're going to two and two, give me your two wins. Obviously beating Fordham. Cause you can't go beat West Virginia and lose a Fordham. Nope. And that's just bad.

Speaker: So at minimum, you've got to beat Fordham. um I would take a win over Liberty versus Delaware State to be 2-2 at that time, but obviously hopefully competitive losses. But 2-2 minimum, but I could see us be 3-1 with a loss to West Virginia finishing September. um i really do. I think we go to West Virginia and we just play competitive.

Speaker: Four quarters of the ball. polish up We need to polish up versus Fordham. beat Delaware. Cause I think we got Delaware in week three. Is that right? Yeah. Yes. You know, we beat Delaware that Thursday night game versus, uh, Jamie and Liberty. It's also going to be the 20th anniversary of our big South championship team coming back, which I'm a part of when we won it and made the playoffs as an at large bid for the big South.

Speaker: Um, That's also the night we're doing the 20th anniversary for that. There's a lot of things that are coming together to coach Bennett and chance and them are putting together for that Thursday and Friday, like golf and dinner and a reunion. So there's going to a lot of energy, as you can imagine around that game. And look, Jamie Chadwell being welcomed back, I think it would be a little better. There's going to some booze, but when I see I'm going to give him a hug, right? He did a lot for this program.

Speaker: People need to remember that. um But, 2-2, 3-1 is definitely out there. I humbly believe 2-2, 3-1. If we're one in three at the end of September, i mean you don't fire up the damn alarm big time, but if our only win is versus Fordham,

Speaker: It is a little concerning, right? I'm not doing the whole hot seat bull. Look, that that's... No, it's year one. It's year one. one and people are one do It's year one, month one.

Speaker: But, you know, if you're one and three your only wins versus Fordham, it does create a little bit of uneasiness because you're like, dude. But sometimes you got to take a step back to go forward. But I could see it's definitely two and two coming out of September. And if we're two and two going into Sunbelt play,

Speaker: think that positions us well to, again, be to that seven minimum plus plateau. And, if again, if he does that, man, and goes out and wins a bowl game, you're going to see some pivot happen pretty quickly.

Speaker: Yeah. All right. So here, here's your October slate. ah Here's how it it starts out. October 3rd, you host Georgia Southern. um Easy team. I really i can get i give you, i can give you some sort of like inside, you know, baseball info if you, if you want it. um a lot of, there's a large contingent of our fan base that has been done, like done, done with Clay Hilton for like years. Yeah. um We're, as a fan base, just kind of tired of the,

Speaker: you know, ho-hum every time he comes up. It's a lot like Tim Beck. Like, he comes up and yeah he shows up at Sunbelt Media Days and he says, you know, the rah-rah pep rally speech. and then And then they step on the field week one and you're like, this isn't what you sold me a fake bill of goods here. Like, last year was the perfect example. 2024, we're one game out of the Sunbelt title game if JMU beats Marshall.

Speaker: And Helton shows up at media day last year is like, we're so fired up. We can't wait to get on the field. we got killed by Fresno week one. It was never close. Like I was like, where did, I was like, where did all this piss and vinegar that you sold us in the, in the preseason go all of a sudden. um And so that, that whole season was just like a mess.

Speaker: ah It's a brand new offensive line. Our quarterback is, is presumably Max Johnson who is made of glass, um has been hurt every single place he's been. Yeah.

Speaker: Yeah, we have like basically one major returning starter on offense and Josh Dallas, the slot receiver. Other than that, it's just kind of like some guys who played sparingly last year, a brand new offensive line and a brand new quarterback, a new defensive coordinator.

Speaker: got We do have some pieces on defense. ah i Chance Gamble at corner, MJ Stroud or pass rusher, guys like that. But i I said this when we did our Georgia Southern preview with the guys from the GATA Talk podcast. I was like, this is the first year that Clay Helton has been there that I feel more optimistic about the defense than I do the offense. And like that might be a good thing. It could be a terrible thing. So we'll have to see how that goes. You never know, man. You just never know.

Speaker: um So you get Georgia Southern at home on October 3rd, October 10th, you go out to Marshall again, West Virginia. um Marshall has been getting a lot of love in the preseason.

Speaker: um I'm not, not sure. I'm a hundred percent on that boat. ah Like the Carlos Del Rio Wilson, ah just basically crowning him as what's going to be the best quarterback in the conference this year. Not, not a hundred percent sure I'm on board with that. I'm not either.

Speaker: I'm not either. i will I watched him at the end of last year get benched against us in the final game of the season. That was he had some ugly, ugly, ugly performances. I saw him against our defense at home and he had moments of solid quarterback play. And there were more moments of dude.

Speaker: what What are you doing? What are you? And like we didn't have the greatest of defenses last year. No, like and we didn't either. we had won a Southern had the third worst rush defense in the entire country last year, and their leading rusher for the coming into that game had seven carries for eight yards. um it it was just It was bad all around. He got benched for another guy that I frankly like better than him.

Speaker: ah We actually just shot our our preview for them yesterday, and it was like in the first four games, he had 11 touchdowns and no picks. less what was it? Seven games, six touchdowns, five interceptions. So they finished one against us in one game.

Speaker: Three over against us in one game on the Halloween game on the Halloween night game. And they and they finished last season one and four in their last five. So yeah I, I think it's really weird media wise, how this, everybody has just pivoted around this team and been like, no, they're going good. And you're like,

Speaker: ah but what Where is this information coming from exactly? who just being Yeah, man. I think Coastal is going to be sneaky good. i think Jamie is going be solid again.

Speaker: um think La Tech is going to be a little better than people think. I think Southern Miss is going to be better.

Speaker: ah And, you know, Georgia State can't be worse. mean, they can, but they can't be worse. um I think Del McGee's already got an airplane ticket out of Georgia. It's just going to be one to know yeah one of you wanted to pick a school that i humbly would, I would trade Kennesaw State for Georgia State right Absolutely, yeah.

Speaker: Right now. One without hesitation. um i would I would trade them. Or get rid of Georgia State and go get i don't know, He's going to say Tarleton State. Watch. He's going to Tarleton State. Watch him. Hey, let me tell you something. I started following Tarleton State on our podcast last year as a joke, but I told him, I said, dude, I just, I knew, I knew some folks there and and and and not know directly about those folks in that, like that know a lot about Texas stuff and Texas football. and they're like, dude, I'm telling you this D2 school, like they hit a gusher out there.

Speaker: No pun intended. the And they're pouring like, $20 million dollars in their men and women's basketball program. They're pouring $8 million into their football stadium. Like it's, and then lo and behold, look at Charleston state did last year in their first year.

Speaker: Like yeah it, and then, and yeah, like FCS, they're the year two or three, but then, I think they just got – they're going – think they got brought up. Is it a WAC or somebody? I can't remember who it was. But the point is, dude, Tarleton State would be a great Texas school for us, man. Like, across the board, their their sports are getting better. I would gladly give up Georgia State because their facilities are apathetic at best.

Speaker: And if people want to quote me on that and they put it on bulletin board material, that's fine. Like, nobody in our – nobody in our athletic program, which I am very – my dad was part of it for – I'm telling you, Georgia State got taken off the schedule, there would be zero, zero issue with anybody over there.

Speaker: Like, it's the easiest flight, they'll tell you, because, like, you literally it's a 50-minute flight to Atlanta. But nobody wants to go to Pantherville. Nobody. Turner Field.

Speaker: i mean, it's it's just it's awful. Anyways, I digress. i've got ah I've got a fun Georgia State story for you guys when we get off if you want to if you want to hear it from me. but ah So you guys play Georgia State on Halloween. That might be a Hugh Jackson interim coach team. um Could be.

Speaker: So we'll we'll see. November 7th, homecoming, you guys face Old Dominion. um That's going to a tough one, man. but That is going to be a tough one. Old Dominion, I think, is going to be good. I think they're going to take a small step back from where they were last year.

Speaker: i i don't think Hennicle is the level of passer that Colton Joseph was, and I think that's going to be the thing that kind of brings them back down to earth a little bit. That offense is predicated on the ability to be accurate.

Speaker: Like, TD, everybody says that. Yeah, but that offense... with the two stack offense and running the same, but that you have to be accurate. you You don't have to have a gun for an arm, but you got to be accurate.

Speaker: Yeah. Period. It's all about time. Period. And i I'm probably going to get crucified for saying that like I did last year, but I'm just like, Hennical is not the level of passer that Colton Joseph was. I don't know if ODU fans would feel like that's a controversial thing to say or not, but whatever. ah And then November 14th, you play Arkansas State at home. ah We just did our Arkansas State preview today.

Speaker: ah the The person we did it with is a radio person in Jonesboro. She basically told us that it was... ah shit or get off the pot time for Butch Jones in Jonesboro. Isn't that for him every year, though? I mean, that's it that's been his career.

Speaker: Well, so there's a lot of things that are kind of heading in. They need to capitalize on the fact that the West has taken a giant step back. quality Yes, they do. You you don't have...

Speaker: Yeah, you don't have the Braylon Braxton Southern Miss team anymore. They're starting over. ah Troy is your main competitor, I would say. Louisiana is still up in the air to me. like i so I won't be sold until I see them take a a full game and see like what they have. Because last year...

Speaker: they got smoke blown up their, up their butts all, so all preseason. And then they step, they stepped on the field game one against rice and the season was basically over from there. I mean, it was, it was over there. They're, they're transferred through three picks and got hurt in the same game. yeah And then, and then they, they started on the lunch Winfield track. So, uh,

Speaker: And then you you guys play Louisiana right after. That'll be a good barometer both for you guys and Louisiana. I i truly, these two teams, I'm like, I don't know what to expect out of either one. So that would be a good like head-to-head in the second to last game in the season. And then you play at James Madison to end it.

Speaker: JMU seems to do this with all of their coaches where it's like year one, they're good but not this like steamroller team that they were in like year two of Signetti in the Sunbelt, year two of Chesney. Like 2024, they were a good football team. They won like eight games, but they weren't, oh my gosh, like they're 12-0 going to the playoff, like all that sort of stuff. so Oh, they wanted Chesney out of there like the day before. I'm like, dude, that crowd, give that boy a year to cook. He'll be all right.

Speaker: Right. – so what would As we wrap up the schedule here, what would you guys say? It's year one for Ryan Beard and and company, new quarterback situation, no Samari Collier, like all of this stuff going on.

Speaker: What would be like realistic expectations-wise like when you look at the the wins and losses, like the standings? And what would you be disappointed by if it ended up that way after year one?

Speaker: I think six wins is definitely doable. um ah We ran a poll on our strut podcast, Twitter feed, and I actually asked that same question.

Speaker: And I can just tell you the results because they finalized today. 56% of our fans said six to seven wins was where they think we would fall. 31% said eight plus. And then we had a little bit of three or less or four to five. I think,

Speaker: Three, four, and five would be a little disappointing. um I think some of the schedule, the way things fall may work for us as well. Like I was just writing down the home games. You got Liberty at home on a special Thursday night with all the hatred that we have in our hearts for Liberty. That works to our advantage.

Speaker: Ab States at home on a Friday night. That works to our advantage as well. um Georgia Southern coming our place. ODU is this. They'll beat James Madison but lose to Louisiana Monroe kind of team. So it's it's one of those kind of things where that we might be catching them at the right time.

Speaker: in November. So I'm, I'm going to be honest. I think six wins is reasonable at seven or eight would be gravy at that point. And that's not including a a bowl game if we were to go and win that one. So that's, that's kind of how I feel about it right now is if we're competitive, TD talked about that a while ago, if in the games that we don't win,

Speaker: if if we If it looks better and we're and we're playing stronger, faster, less turnovers, more juice, if we if we have that and the culture is shining through, I'll take a six-win first-year Ryan Beard team over you know what we ended up with.

Speaker: last three seasons. That's just kind of how I feel because I think as a head coach, you're the leader of not only the team, but the entire program, its culture, and how its fan base perceives you. So if Beard is coming in with all this juice and and this culture-building ways that we hope he brings in, people are more apt to sit with a six-win season if you look pretty good the rest of the year. Yep.

Speaker: That's fair. Yeah. I think my assessment is five wins or less heartburn, lot of heartburn, but not upset. Five wins or less good amount of heartburn sticks wins.

Speaker: Completely fair, reasonable, understandable. Seven plus wins would be an absolute success in the first year losses, competitive,

Speaker: Game management. Game management. um

Speaker: Just want to see better game management. um And just four quarters of attack football, man. like when When Jamie was coaching, when Mowgli was coaching, it was four quarters of attack on offense and attack on def defense. Four quarters of attack.

Speaker: Just... Be in the damn game for four quarters if you're losing. um Again, that's that's where I'm at. I humbly think he can pull off a seven-win season.

Speaker: And I don't mean seven wins with a bowl win. I mean, I think the way the schedule works out, to your point, I think we play some West teams. I think that –

Speaker: or beatable based on the time of year we play them, right? If things don't go well early, right? I think that bodes well. And i also, I think we play some of our teams a little bit later in the year that gives us time to get better, like playing JMU towards the end the year, playing an ODU you in October, gives us five or six weeks to get under our belt.

Speaker: um ah On the other hand, I think the App State at home on Friday night is going to draw – A good crowd, but not our best crowd because Friday night football in the South, man, it it's there. That's I humbly don't like Friday night college football games. I think they are travesty.

Speaker: I think college football is great on thursdays and saturdays i really do the random late season sunbelt tuesday when they like i really wish we'd get away from that crap i understand what it's for but thursday and saturdays are college football man fridays are high school football sundays and mondays are for the nfl and i really hate that we're playing on friday night for that game i really do but um App State doesn't show me anything. And again, I might get very – Georgia Southern right now is not showing me anything that I don't think that we're – we're not overwhelming behind in talent and coaching. That's how look at it. Are we overwhelmingly behind in talent and coaching?

Speaker: Outside of West Virginia, everybody else on our schedule, I don't think we're overwhelmed in the talent and coaching. Are we maybe – slightly deficient in some, I think in certain areas based on how we perform, we might be, but I don't look at our schedule unlike last year and go, Ooh, we're going to get out coached or we're going to out athlete.

Speaker: Um, yeah. Right. And, and that's just it. Like West Virginia, if we're catching them in like week three or like week 10, sometimes you play those kinds of games, you know, I'd be like, I don't want to catch them that late. they can kind of figure some stuff out.

Speaker: But like week one, you know, let's go out and be competitive for four quarters. just And what's competitive? Three scores or less, man. Like being it where a good drive and a turnover, all of a sudden, like we're there.

Speaker: Like we got a chance. Like that's to me in those games. Now in Sunbelt games, competitive is eight points or less. A points or less, that like a score, that's competitive.

Speaker: We should not be looking, and I'm to say this before we get off, and I'm waiting for the right moment. We should never look at our schedule versus any member team and go, we're going to get our ass kicked by three touchdowns.

Speaker: That should never happen, nor for Georgia Southern, nor for anybody. We should not do that. It should not happen. It just shouldn't. um If you're Monroe, I get it.

Speaker: I'm not picking Monroe. But if you're a Georgia Southern, you're a Coastal, a JMU, Louisiana, an Arc State, you should never look down your member schedule and go, we're going to get throttled three touchdowns. It should just never happen year in year out.

Speaker: i think that's right I think that's a reasonable, fair position to be in. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I feel like that's more than fair. um at Listen, as we wrap up here, let everybody know where they can find, you know, if you want to plug your socials, where to find the podcast, the strut, all of that sort of stuff. And then we'll we'll go ahead and get out of here.

Speaker: Yeah, got a couple of things I can plug for you real quick. First off, you can find us on Apple, Spotify, all your great media platforms. We also go live so you can see us on YouTube, on our YouTube channel. All you would have to do is go to YouTube and just type in the Strut Podcast.

Speaker: It takes right to it. um We may be launching a second show where I host a fan show once a week in the middle of the week. Still working that out. Our latest thing I want to share with the fans is I'd use a lot of good technology to get this out.

Speaker: It's on my whiteboard. Check us out at the strutfanforms.freeforms.net. We just launched a web message board. In our first week, we had about 45, 50 people start to sign up and start taking part in that. And I'll be honest with you.

Speaker: We welcome any and everybody there. So anybody who's a Sunbelt person who wants to come in, and contribute, feel free to do so. Is that my microphone?

Speaker: Okay. I like I'm static here. So feel free, anybody who's a Sunbelt person, Brian, you guys at your show are welcome to come on it and contribute as well. We'll be using some of the content from that one on the strut as well. So if you want to get on the strut and you're not really on the show,

Speaker: Go to the strut fan form dot free forums dot net. Check it out. It's going really well. I mean, I think message boards for a while kind of went away. But with the interest that we had in that message board when I first got it rolling maybe two weeks ago.

Speaker: It surpassed all the rest of the Coastal Fan Forums and message boards in the first day we opened it. So really happy to have that going. um We got the blessing from the athletic department. They're aware of what we're doing and and what things we're trying to offer going forward as well. So go check it out. Check us out again. Apple, Spotify, Apple.

Speaker: You can find us on X, the strut podcast. We try to keep it consistent so you can just kind of streamline all your strut experience and on our social and all that good stuff too. So we welcome any and all content and people's comments, whatever. We even have the live comments open on our YouTube feed because we even use some of their comments.

Speaker: as talking points as well because we got some really good knowledgeable um who people who just love Coastal who take part in our discussions week in and week out.

Speaker: Awesome. Well, thank you guys both for, for joining me here, talking over the 2026 coastal Carolina football team. We will keep a close eye on the chanticleers heading into the season. And the hopefully we, we link up again and, and, and talk about, you know, them down the road and have, have one or both of you guys join us once again. So thank you guys both again, so much for joining. And this has been another episode of warm weather fans.