We’re at the halfway point of the 2025 Coastal Football season, with the Chants sitting at 3-3 overall and 2-1 in league play. Have we ascertained yet how good, or not good, this team is or can be? To be honest with you, I have not. One week they play well, or at least well enough, to get a win. The next week, they get completely boat raced by the opponent. Twenty-three seasons covering this team and I have not seen an opening stretch like this one, with so many peaks and valleys.
I do think we can draw some conclusions as to what we have seen. In my opinion, it will be the defense that carries this team to any bowl eligibility and opportunity for the Sun Belt East title. Aside from the Old Dominion game, the “Soul Collectors” have been consistent in their efforts and have done a good job all things considered.
That side of the ball ranks in the top half of SBC teams in scoring defense, passing defense, passing defensive efficiency, third-down and fourth-down conversion defense and interceptions. They have one shutout on the year, pitched a first half shutout the other night against ULM (allowing 8 total points overall), gave up only 6 second-half points at South Alabama, and have kept Coastal in other games for about as long as they could.
That side of the ball is going to have to continue playing consistent football and continue improving because from what we’ve seen of the offense, that side just isn’t very good. Even with Samari Collier taking the reigns for the final 3 quarters the other night against the Warhawks, given the injury to Tad Hudson and uncertainty of his future status, the offense showed little explosiveness or big-play capability.
The ground game did produce a season-high 286 yards, which was huge in the win. But the passing game only generated 92 yards, though the wind and rain didn’t help matters. Receivers dropped passes, didn’t make plays when the ball was there and some throws were nowhere near.
However, with my observations of MJ Morris, Hudson and now Collier, with enough game reps to form a reasonable opinion, if this offense is going to make explosive plays and be more potent, it will be with Collier out there. His 39-yard TD run was special and showed potential of what could happen going forward. Dominic Knicely’s block at the LOS sprung that play and Collier showed the explosiveness and ability with his legs to house it.
Collier’s TD pass to Brooks Johnson at the end of the half was a really nice ball, good touch and right on the money where only Johnson would catch it. If the offensive line can get healthy and become more consistent, eliminate penalties and bad snaps, maybe the explosion is yet to come.
Again, as of this post we don’t know the status of Hudson or who will start at QB this Saturday but it definitely intrigues me to think of Collier making his first Coastal Football start in Boone against an improved SIB on their Homecoming. The SIB rush defense is 2nd in the Sun Belt and ranks 6th nationally (85.5 ypg), so it would seem Coastal will have to generate an air attack if they hope to have any success in this football game. The weather is looking great for 3:30 pm Saturday, so why not stick with Collier and see what he does?
SERIES WITH SIB – The Mountaineers won the first six games in this series from 2005 through 2019, but the Chants have won 4 of the last 5, including the first-ever win in Boone in 2023. I may post a blog later this week of my memories covering those games, including the contest that turned this into a real rivalry, the 2020 game at Coastal.
COASTAL CONNECTIONS – Former Coastal DBs coach Curtis Fuller (2023-24) is now in the same role on the SIB staff and Ryan Yurachek, who played high school football at Carolina Forest and is the son of former CCU Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek (2010-2014), is SIB’s tight ends coach.
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It’s HATE WEEK!! CHANTS UP!