Friday, Nov. 13, 2009
CCU's MacDowall likes to sling the ball around
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closeCONWAY -- Coastal Carolina quarterback Zach MacDowall enjoys the afternoons when he can unleash the inner gunslinger deep down in his psyche.
"I like to move around and sling it," MacDowall said. "That's obvious."
For the first time this season, the Chanticleers utilized an offensive game plan last Saturday that put the ball and the burden in the junior's right hand. Coastal averaged just 23.3 passes per game in its first eight games - MacDowall has been injured, so he averaged just 16.8 per game over that span - but attempted 42 in a 26-21 win over Gardner-Webb, resulting in a breakout game for an offense that has struggled all season.
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Who | Presbyterian at CCU
When | 12:30 p.m. Saturday
Where | Brooks Stadium, Conway
Radio | The Team 93.7-FM, 93.9-FM, 1050-AM
MacDowall finished 25-for-42 for 332 yards, all season highs, and Coastal finished with a season-high 473 yards after compiling just 522 in its three previous games. The threat of the pass also opened up the run for the Chants, who finished with another 141 yards on the ground.
It was really the first time all season that Coastal has successfully used the pass to set up the run instead of vice versa.
"That wasn't really the plan," Coastal offensive coordinator Kevin Brown said. "It was just what the defense gave us. What we've been doing the last couple of week is if they're going to load the box, we're going to throw it. They loaded the box, so we had to throw it that many times. It's kind of how the game went."
Coastal attempted 30 passes per game in 2008, when the offense averaged 369.8 yards per game. This year's offense is averaging just 312.3, which ranks 78th nationally.
Brown believes that MacDowall is probably more comfortable when he is in the shotgun and expecting to throw on almost every down. His 25 completions last Saturday were the most in school history and his 42 attempts and 322 yards were third most in a single game.
With the Chants struggling at receiver and along the offensive line, Brown and Co. have simplified the offense as much as possible. When MacDowall dropped back to pass against the Bulldogs, he was essentially looking at one target on most plays instead of being asked to make multiple reads.
"That's what he's used to," Brown said. "We tried to use one-man routes, so it created some easy throws and easy reads that helped get him in a rhythm."
The Chants probably would have thrown more passes if MacDowall had been able to stay healthy all season. Though backup Jamie Childers gives the Chants an added dimension with his running ability, MacDowall gives them to best opportunity to make plays in the passing game. Yet, he's started just six of nine games and hasn't been able to practice at key moments during the regular season.
Coastal coach David Bennett has challenged MacDowall, who is now mostly healthy, to play as well in the final two games as he did against the Bulldogs.
"I told him, 'Lately you've been happy splitting time. Where you were last year and where you are this year is not where I thought you'd be,'" Bennett said. "Each coach grades their players. Zach did some really good things last week, but Zach didn't grade out.
"If you're looking at stats, he had a good day [against Gardner-Webb], but we have a standard for the young man. He hasn't reached his full potential yet, but he was a lot closer on Saturday, wasn't he?"
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