Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

CCU notebook: Reserve back gets his chance

CONWAY -- Midway through the second quarter, Coastal Carolina reserve tailback Marcus Whitener was pulled from the game in favor of true freshman Jeremy Height. Whitener came to the sideline and ripped the chinstraps unbuckled from his helmet.

"I was just frustrated, because I wanted to show what I could do," Whitener said. "I didn't feel like I was getting an opportunity."

When he finally did get his chance in the second half, Whitener left a big impression. He had just seven career touches before Saturday's 26-21 win over Gardner-Webb, but carried six times and caught four passes, including a touchdown, in the second half to help the Chanticleers extend their winning streak against the Bulldogs.

With tailback Eric O'Neal shelved with an ankle injury, Height and Whitener were used to spell starter Tommy Fraser. Height fell out of favor after fumbling in the first half, and Whitener kept making plays.

On Coastal's first drive of the second half, Whitener caught a 10-yard dump from Zach MacDowall, split two defenders and raced for a 39-yard touchdown, the first of his college career. It gave the Chants a 17-14 lead.

"I started talking to God right there," Coastal coach David Bennett said. "I was like, 'Gosh almighty, that's Whitener in the game?' When Marcus Whitener kept his balance and scored right there I was like, 'Thank you Jesus.' That was a great play."

Whitener also caught a 14-yard pass early in the fourth quarter, setting up a Coastal field goal. Though he fumbled later on, receiver Brandon Whitley recovered and the Chants scored the winning touchdown on Fraser's four-yard run.

Whitener, who rushed for more than 2,000 yards as a senior at Union County, finished with six carries for 19 yards and four catches for 71 yards.

Nickel plated

To combat Gardner-Webb's four-receiver sets, Coastal utilized the nickel package as its base defense for the first time all season. The Chants held the Big South's top offense to 239 yards, well below its average of 382. An offense that was averaging 226 passing yards per game was held to just 103.

"If they were going to beat us, they were going to do something they don't do every day and that's run the ball consistently," Coastal defensive coordinator Curtis Walker said.

The Chants gave up 136 yards on the ground, but Gardner-Webb averaged less than four yards per carry.

Odds and ends

Earlier this season Coastal freshman H-back Akeem Wesley became the second player in school history to catch a touchdown on his first career reception. Wesley's second career catch also went for a score Saturday. His two touchdown catches are tied for the team lead. ... Coastal ran 32 more offensive plays than the Bulldogs and was 12 of 18 on third down. ... With receiver Adrian Sullivan injured, Coastal used fourth-string corner Tre Henderson as a slot receiver, one of the positions he played in high school. Henderson rushed once for no gain.