Norfolk, VA: Coastal Carolina head coach Tim Beck is known for his work with quarterbacks. He’s had to put those skills to good use lately as CCU’s QB depth is being tested. Down starter Grayson McCall, the Chanticleers turned to back-up Jarrett Guest in last week’s 34-6 romp over Marshall. However, during that game, Guest was injured and unable to make his second straight start on Saturday as Coastal traveled to Old Dominion.
No problem for Beck and company as redshirt freshman Ethan Vasko, a one-time ODU commit, turned in a second half for the ages to lead CCU to a 28-24 comeback win over the Monarchs in front of 17,982 fans at S.B. Ballard Stadium. The win was Coastal’s fourth straight and moved the Chanticleers into second place in the Sun Belt East Division standings. It also made CCU bowl eligible for a fourth consecutive year.
Game Story Courtesy of CCU Media Relations: Coastal Carolina outscored Old Dominion 22-3 over the final 17 minutes and used a 14-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Vasko to Sam Pinckney to defeat the Monarchs, 28-24, on Saturday night in Norfolk, Virginia. Pinckney finished the game with seven catches for 69 yards and tied the FBS record of 54 consecutive games with a reception, which was set by Central Michigan’s Bryan Anderson from 2006-09. Pinckney has a catch in all 34 games he has played at Coastal Carolina after catching a pass in his last 20 games at Georgia State.
Old Dominion took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Chants chipped away in the second quarter with a pair of Kade Hensley field goals as Coastal’s defense held the Monarchs to just 60 yards in the period.
ODU stretched its lead on its opening drive of the second half with a 30-yard touchdown pass to make the score 14-6 with 10:45 to play in the third quarter. The Monarchs struck for another 30-yard touchdown pass with 2:02 left in the quarter to go up by 15, but Vasko answered two plays later with a 75-yard touchdown run pull the Chants back within one score at the 1:42 mark.
Trailing by eight in the fourth quarter, Coastal Carolina embarked on its longest drive of the night to that point as the Chants marched 78 yard in six plays. CJ Beasley capped the drive with a 17-yard touchdown run and Vasko took a handoff on the two-point conversion and stretched to the goal line to tie the game at 21-21 with 8:11 remaining in the game.
ODU regained the lead with 1:24 on a 38-yard field goal, but Coastal quickly drove into Monarch territory as Vasko hit Kyre Duplessis for 32 yards. After a pair of quarterback runs, Vasko lofted a pass into the corner for Pinckney, who came down with the ball to put Coastal ahead with 23 seconds to go.
Micheal Mason paced the defense with 12 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack. The Chants finished the game with 9.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks as a unit.
Coastal Carolina returns to Brooks Stadium next Saturday for Military Appreciation Day against Texas State. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
