Sophomore quarterback Grayson McCall returns under center for Coastal Carolina this season. | Coastal Carolina Athletics
Sophomore quarterback Grayson McCall returns under center for Coastal Carolina this season. | Coastal Carolina Athletics
Bolstered by the dynamic duo of sophomore quarterback Grayson McCall and senior tight end Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina is set to kick off the 2021 season ranked No. 22 in the AP Top 25 college football preseason poll.
In a college football season that kicks off with top-ranked Alabama looking to become just the third program over the last 25 years to win a national championship after beginning the year as the preseason favorite in the AP poll, Coastal Carolina coach Jamey Chadwell and his Chanticleers are looking to once again make their own mark in the Sun Belt Conference.
“Will @AlabamaFTBL do it again this season?” FOX College Football tweeted Aug. 20.
Suffice it to say, not if Coastal Carolina gets its way, especially following an 11-1 season (8-0 in conference) that saw its lone loss come in overtime at the Cure Bowl.
The Chanticleers, who open the season at home Sept. 2 against The Citadel, will again look to McCall, Likely and sensational senior wideout Jaivon Heiligh to lead the offense.
As a freshman last season, McCall threw 26 touchdowns and 2,488 total yards against just three interceptions, and rushed for another 569 yards and seven TDs, prompting ESPN to opine, “there might not have been a more entertaining team in college football last season.”
Likely caught five TDs last season and made 30 catches for 601 yards, while Heiligh led the team by hauling in 10 TDs and 998 yards on 65 catches.
Senior linebacker Silas Kelly returns to anchor the defense, after racking up 80 total tackles, including five sacks, last season.
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