Saturday, Nov. 07, 2009

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (3-5, 1-2 Big South) vs. Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs (5-3, 2-1)

Series | Coastal leads 5-1 after winning 23-18 in 2008. Coastal has won last five meetings.

Weather | 63 degrees at kickoff; Sunny; Zero chance of rain.

Injuries | Gardner-Webb: N/A. Coastal: RB Eric O'Neal (ankle), WR Adrian Sullivan (ankle) and KR/PR Jake Owen (hamstring) are doubtful; TE Myron Rogers (knee), DT Matt Johnson (arm) DB Ray Emmerling (knee), LS Jamie Perkinson (shoulder), QB Josh Thomas (shoulder), OT Alex Wolfe (shoulder) and RB Robert Morris (knee) are out for the year.

Key number: Eight

Coastal coach David Bennett and Gardner-Webb coach Steve Patton have met nine times in their careers, including three times when Bennett was head coach at Division II Catawba. Bennett has won eight of those head-to-head matchups. Patton's only win was in 2003, a 38-17 decision at Brooks Stadium in Coastal's inaugural campaign.

Key matchup

Coastal's offense has slipped to 108^th in the nation in scoring (14.4) and 87^th in yards (292.3). Gardner-Webb's defense has been solid but not spectacular this season, surrendering 313 yards and 23.3 points per game this season. The Bulldogs are not nearly as athletic as Clemson's defense, so the Chants may find some openings to make plays on the ground and through the air.

Quarterback

Gardner-Webb's Stan Doolittle is completing 63 percent of his passes and has thrown just two interceptions in 249 attempts this year. Coastal's rotating duo, Zach MacDowall and Jamie Childers, have a combined 13 picks in 183 attempts. Gardner-Webb has the nation's 30^th-ranked passing offense. Coastal is 97^th.

Edge | Gardner-Webb

Running back

Neither team has a rusher averaging more than 50 yards per game. Gardner-Webb's Patrick Hall (5-foot-11, 220 pounds) had 118 yards against Charleston Southern three weeks ago but hasn't had more than 84 in any other game this season. Coastal's Tommy Fraser and Jeremy Height figure to carry the load today as Eric O'Neal recovers from another high ankle sprain. Height took snaps in the Wildcat formation twice last week against Clemson.

Edge | Push

Wide receiver

Gardner-Webb has five players with 10 or more catches who are averaging 10 or more yards per reception. Coastal has only four players with 10 or more catches, and two of them, Fraser and O'Neal, are averaging less than six yards per reception. Bulldogs H-back James Perry (6-0, 184) is Doolittle's favorite target. He has 44 catches for 525 yards, an average of 11.9 yards per completion.

Edge | Gardner-Webb

Offensive line

With the exception of freshman left tackle Jamie Dunaway, Gardner-Webb, which starts two seniors and two juniors, is experienced along the offensive front. The Bulldogs surrender just 1.5 sacks per game, an impressive number considering the Bulldogs attempt 33 passes a game. Coastal's offensive line gives up 2.4 sacks per game (82^nd nationally), and the Chants attempt 10 fewer passes per game.

Edge | Gardner-Webb

Defensive line

Coastal's defensive line has been a strength all season. The Chants were solid against Clemson last week and will need a similar effort against the conference's best offense. Gardner-Webb's defensive front doesn't make a lot of tackles, but the Bulldogs are able to generate a pass rush from inside and out. Reserve nose tackle Matt Goods is tied for second in the league in sacks behind Coastal defensive end Phillip Oboh, who leads the Big South with 4.5.

Edge | Coastal

Linebacker

Gardner-Webb relies on its linebackers to make the bulk of the plays and typically, they do. The team's leading tacklers are linebackers Marty Patterson (strong side), Mario Brown (weak side) and Jeffery Williams (middle). Williams was the Big South Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Patterson is tied with Goods with four sacks, showing his ability to create havoc off the edge. Despite not starting a game all season, Coastal reserve inside linebacker E.J. Brown is fourth on the team with 36 tackles.

Edge | Gardner-Webb

Secondary

Coastal corners Josh Norman and Marcus Lott each had an interception against Clemson, showing their ability to shine on a big stage. Gardner-Webb also has several ball hawks in the secondary, including corner Bryce Nixon and safeties Chris James and Darren Rogers. Nixon and fellow corner Jermaine Grandison are in on a lot of tackles, but they may not be as strong in coverage as Norman and Lott.

Edge | Coastal

Special teams

The teams' kickers are a combined 23-of-29 this season, though Gardner-Webb's Ryan Gates has been better from beyond 40 yards, hitting 3-of-4 attempts. Coastal's Justin Durham is 10-for-13 but has missed all three attempts from 40-plus. Neither team is great in the return game, though Coastal had found a sparkplug in kick/punt returner Jake Owen, who will not play after pulling a hamstring against Clemson.

Edge | Push

Coaching/Intangibles

For whatever reason Bennett has had Patton's number over the years, frustrating his rival on a number of occasions. Still, Patton's team enters the game with more confidence despite a loss to Stony Brook last week. Coastal has lost three straight games and hasn't shown much improvement in its deficient areas over the course of the season.

Edge | Gardner-Webb

Pick

Gardner-Webb 24, Coastal 21

Saturday Morning Quarterback

Now or never?

If Coastal is going to salvage anything from the 2009 season, the campaign starts now. If the Chants, who end the season with Presbyterian and Charleston Southern, finish 1-2 or even 0-3 over their next three games, the future of the program will certainly be questioned in the offseason. A 2-1 or 3-0 finish could give Bennett and Co. some momentum heading into recruiting season.

Home sweet home

For the first time in nearly a month, Coastal plays in Brooks Stadium. The Chants were 3-2 after beating VMI on Oct. 10 but have been bruised and beaten in losses at Liberty, Stony Brook and Clemson. Fittingly, today is Homecoming.

A new man?

Much was expected from Coastal quarterback Zach MacDowall this season, but he's been wildly inconsistent. The junior is completing just 56 percent of his passes, has seven interceptions and just four touchdowns and has been in and out of the lineup with injuries. Last week against Clemson he threw an interception on his first pass attempt. MacDowall has looked like a new man in practice this week, zipping tight spirals all over the field. We'll find out today if that translates into a solid outing when it matters most.