The Coastal Carolina University football team lost on Saturday, Sept. 30 at Georgia Southern University, resulting in their worst record since before the 2020 season, 2-3.  

Comparatively to the last three seasons, the Chanticleers have gotten off to a rocky start. Senior Aidan Kenneally, who has aspirations of coaching football for a career, views the coaching change as a potential cause for football’s lack of success thus far. 

“New head coach Tim Beck came into Coastal and was hoping to keep the program just as hot as it was the past 3 years, but that hasn’t been the case so far,” Kenneally said. “When a coaching change occurs at any level of football, it shakes up the whole program to its core and requires adjustments from everyone involved.” 

The adjustment can’t be easy, he said, both for the coaches and players.  

“This means a whole new regime of coaches, implementing their new playbook, their new scheme, and their new goals,“ Kenneally said.   

Redshirt senior quarterback Grayson McCall continued to suffer from his recent turnover flaws, throwing for a career-high of four interceptions. In his first three seasons, he threw only eight interceptions combined—he now now thrown six in the first five games of this season.  

McCall completed 22 of 39 passes for 299 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed ten times for 40 yards and a touchdown.  

One of the highlights of the offensive side of the game was leading rusher and junior running back Braydon Bennett, who rushed 15 times for 114 yards and a touchdown.  

Sophomore Tanner Reyes, who transferred to Coastal Carolina this year anticipating the ability to witness another successful football season, believes McCall is being limited.  

“Offensively, the play calling has seemed rather conservative. McCall doesn’t seem to be allowed to play at his full potential,” Reyes said. 

Coastal’s defense crumbled after being up 14-7, ultimately allowing 38 total points, 438 total yards and 27 first downs resulting in a 10-point loss.