CCU dominates Jacksonville State on the road to start 2024 football season

The game was over midway through the second quarter, but Coastal Carolina didn’t get the message as it continued to pour on the offense.

Coastal Carolina opened the 2024 season with a 55-27 win over Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Alabama,. It was the second consecutive meeting between the two schools with rooster mascots, with Coastal winning the first game 30-16.

The game also provided a point of comparison for how much second-year head coach Tim Beck’s unit improved from his inaugural season in Conway.

“(There) was a lot of question marks,” Beck said. “We had a great game plan on both sides of the ball.”

While CCU again beat their Conference USA opponent, the Chants achieved their 2024 victory more easily than their at-home win in 2023.

In that 2023 home game in Conway, while CCU scored first, the Chants struggled running the ball to start the game. CCU also had some trouble containing Rich Rodriguez’s offense before eventually finding their footing in the second half.

On the road in 2024, Coastal again scored first but wasted little time establishing their dominance on Jacksonville State’s field. JSU’s quick-paced offense didn’t phase CCU’s defense, which frequently stuffed Gamecock running backs at the line of scrimmage or made themselves at home in JSU’s backfield as they often harassed or sacked the opposition’s quarterbacks.

Jacksonville State’s string of three-and-outs gave offensive coordinator Travis Trickett more time to score on the Gamecocks beleaguered defense.

While both sides had turnovers — CCU had two, while Jacksonville State had three — the Chanticleers pounced on every opportunity while JSU seemed stuck in neutral and couldn’t capitalize.

Coastal also shed one of the trends that cost them in 2023, as each Chanticleer flight into the red zone ended in points. If Coastal’s performance against Jacksonville State proves to be the new normal in Conway, it could mean a successful season in Conway.

Coastal Carolina wants to run the ball well —and it did

Trickett said he wanted to run the ball this year, explaining that grinding out yards on the ground served as a surefire way to achieve success in the Sun Belt Conference.

He kept to his word as the Chants ran the ball without hesitation against JSU, finishing with almost 30 carries for close to 150 yards in the first half and about 300 by the end of the game. Whether it was sophomore Ja’Vin Simpkins or redshirt senior Braydon Bennett — Coastal’s running backs frequently navigated their way past Jax State’s defensive line and into open space.

Both serve different functions. Simpkins, a Miami, Florida native showed why he was heavily recruited out of high school, using his quickness to dash past the Jax State defense and rack up yards. However, despite averaging around 7 yards a carry, Simpkins also had a fumble on a third-and-short conversion attempt with an ill-advised hurdle attempt.

Meanwhile, Bennett took a more direct approach, lowering his shoulder to punch through JSU’s defense when tasked with carrying the football. Even quarterback Ethan Vasko, known for his mobility, got involved in running the ball and finishing the game with almost 40 yards on the ground and a touchdown.

Throughout the game, the Gamecocks didn’t seem able to resist the Coastal’s rather straightforward attack.

Time and again, Coastal ran the ball in similar designs play after play, a clear sign that CCU could exert their will on the gridiron and the Gamecocks could do little to stop it. Beck said he was pleased with his team’s physical play and added CCU running attack was crucial in eating up clock and prevent the JSU from getting back into the game.

“We had to run the football. We had to keep them off the field,” he said.

The Chants’ success on the ground also speaks to an offensive line fully realizing the momentum they built through the second half of 2023. Besides switching blocking schemes from previous years, the Chants offensive line is physically more extensive than in previous years. All five starters stand at least 6 feet, 3 inches tall and weigh at least 300 pounds.

How CCU’s Ethan Vasko proved why he’s the starting QB

Despite Beck not naming who would start against the Gamecocks before the game, Vasko seemed the likeliest candidate to take the job. Vasko did trot out as Coastal’s starting quarterback and silenced any doubt that he was Grayson McCall’s heir to the Teal throne.

Apart from running the ball, where Vasko took a few notable hits piloted the Chants through the air, mainly using the short passing game at first, frequently checking down or making the conservative throw.

However, as Coastal did last year, the Chants’ dedication to the short passing game merely served as subterfuge, as CCU burned Jacksonville State multiple times with deep strikes to either wide-open or lightly covered wide receivers.

It was up to Vasko to make those throws, and with about 250 yards passing and two touchdowns, he delivered for the Chants. In 2023, Vasko occasionally missed a critical throw or would take off and run on a pass play, but against Jacksonville State, Vasko showed growth in his game.

“We knew what we were going to get out of Ethan (Vasko),” Beck said.

The clearest sign of this was Vasko’s 8-yard throw to Cameron Wright in the third quarter. With the pocket collapsing, Vasko stepped up and hit a tight window throw to Wright while taking a hit rather than scrambling with the ball.

While Vasko showed his arm talent, his receivers aided in CCU’s demolition of JSU’s pass offense. Twice on quick slant passes, Vasko found either Tray Taylor or Jameson Tucker dashing across the field, the latter pass resulting in a touchdown.

While Tucker showed in 2023 his speed as one of Coastal’s most reliable vertical threats, Taylor revealed himself as a vital piece of CCU’s passing attack, as he caught a 36-yard touchdown in the first quarter and finished the game with three catches for 98 yards.

The offense, coupled with a complimentary defense that stymied the Gamecocks for the first three quarters, got three sacks, and only gave up 4.1 yards per carry, the Chants showed an early glimpse of what they could be this season.

“It’s gonna be amazing,” Taylor said.

The Chants will face William & Mary at 7 p.m. EST on Sept. 7, at home in Conway.