Jameson Tucker (left) and Shane Bruce (right) are primed to lead Coastal Carolina in 2025
The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers are the new kids on the block when it comes to success at the FBS level.
It didn’t take long for Coastal to settle in after becoming an FBS competitor in 2017. Since 2020, Coastal Carolina has burst onto the scene as a new power in the Group of Five. The Chants boast a 70.3% winning percentage over the last five seasons (13th nationally in that span), having been to five-straight bowl games heading into head coach Tim Beck’s third year at the helm.
His second season, however, was a bit of an anomaly for Coastal as of late.
A 6-7 finish for the Chanticleers was the worst since 2019, and to make matters worse Coastal lost the Myrtle Beach Bowl on its own field. Though, it is often considered the “unwritten rule” that Year 3 for a head coach is the year where he or she can be fairly assessed on their body of work. That said, Beck claimed Tuesday that this year’s team is “the best [he’s] had” since arriving in Conway.
With all of these new faces, and a few familiar ones, he might just be right.
Coastal Carolina Head Football Coach Tim Beck praises the 2025 Chants, describing them as talented, caring, and selfless individuals who prioritize football and teamwork. He believes this group possesses the necessary talent and drive to propel the program forward. #TealNation… pic.twitter.com/K6i023ETjw
— Brandon Dunn (@BDunnsports) August 5, 2025
Departures
Like six other teams in the Sun Belt, Coastal Carolina lost its quarterback at the end of last season.
Ethan Vasko brought a dynamic, dual-threat attack to the Chanticleer offense, something that will serve him well as he follows former Coastal Carolina head coach Jamey Chadwell to Liberty. With Vasko gone, and quarterbacks Noah Kim and DJ Moore also hitting the portal, the battle for QB1 is wide open in Conway.
The ground game is the most affected area of the team, as both Braydon Bennett (Virginia Tech) and Christian Washington (SDSU) transfer out. The two running backs combined for 1,318 yards on the ground, as well as 16 of the team’s 21 rushing touchdowns. Throw Vasko back in the mix, as well as running back departures Simeon Price (Colorado) and Darren Lloyd (DII Anderson University), and Coastal Carolina loses its top five rushers from 2024.
The running back room is now primarily comprised of returner Ja’Vin Simpkins (93 yards on 14 attempts last season) and UMass transfer Jalen John (493 yards, 4 TD in 2024 with Minutemen).
While the running backs were ransacked in the portal, the Chants did a much better job retaining receivers. Senika McKie graduated after a six-year college career and tight end Kendall Karr ended up ultimately medically retiring from football due to a heart condition, but the receiving corps otherwise remains in tact. Receivers Jameson Tucker (All-SBC Preseason Second Team), Bryson Graves, Cameron Wright, and TE Cane Berrong all return. Tray Taylor is the only receiver that chose to leave, transferring to Sun Belt West Division rival Troy.
Defense is a different story entirely, as Coastal Carolina loses eight starters.
DL Clev Lubin (Louisville), DL Deamontae Diggs (Florida State), and CB Matthew McDoom (Cincinnati) hit the portal. S Tobias Fletcher, DB Courtney Eubanks, and LB Juan Powell are among graduates. Only one Chanticleer who recorded 40+ tackles in 2024 will return: LB Shane Bruce, who led the team with 75.
Coastal will also have a new kicker, place kicker, long snapper, holder, punt returner, and kick returner, meaning a complete overhaul on special teams. Only punter Emile Sebafundi returns.
Additions
Beck needed a major reload– and he picked up some intriguing pieces from the portal.
Starting with defensive backs, Beck snatched Miami Hurricanes CB Myles Mooyoung to start rebuilding that depth. Missouri CB Ja’Marion Wayne and West Virginia CB Chris Henry add to the room, standing at 6-2 and 6-0 respectively.
Another Miami DB, Robby Washington, is currently listed as a receiver for Coastal.
On the D-line, Kentucky DT Darrion Henry-Young and WVU EDGE Obinna Onwuka provide some serious size in the pass rush (both 6-4, 230+lbs). Those two are names to watch.
In total, Beck flipped 33 transfers– 20 of which beef up the defense. Of those, 11 come from Power Conference schools.
The offensive line is in the best shape it has been since 2020. All five projected starters are returners, including center Zac Elam who missed 2024. The O-line is led by LT Nick Del Grande, who received All-SBC Preseason First Team honors. Del Grande has made 25 starts in the past two seasons (yes, that’s every game), and his leadership will be relied upon to prepare Coastal to win the trenches.
What about QB?
Maryland’s MJ Morris was one of the first wins for Beck this offseason. The 6-foot-1 signal-caller is a dynamic, option quarterback with deep-threat potential, making him the early favorite to win the job. With Coastal Carolina legend Grayson McCall back in Conway as an offensive analyst– with one of the greatest SBC careers we’ve ever seen under his belt– Morris could thrive in this offense if he looks sharp in fall camp.
why not… LET IT FLY 🚀pic.twitter.com/z8F1k5Z2Wy
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) November 30, 2024
Beck also brings in San Jose State transfer Emmett Brown and returns Tad Hudson, who got his first bit of action in the Myrtle Beach Bowl in December.
247Sports ranks Coastal Carolina’s recruiting class as the 86th best in the land (6th in SBC). It is highlighted by five Top-100 JUCO players (WR Jacobi Moore, RB Breyahn Townsend, QB Samari Collier, EDGE Javen Augustus, and S Larell Howling) and RB Jevon Edwards, a South Carolina native.
The freshman with the best chance to contribute: K Phillippe LaForge. Phil Steele projects LaForge will get the starting job, but he’ll compete with Nevada transfer Kian Afrookhteh.
Sun Belt Syndicate rated Tim Beck’s seat as “Lukewarm,” but this team finally feels like his own. The echoes of Chadwell are quiet, though the expectations are bigger than ever in Conway.
The Chanticleers will begin the journey towards the SBC Championship on August 30, heading to Charlottesville, Va. to take on the Virginia Cavaliers in Week 1.
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