Towson coach Gordy Combs knows his team’s best chance to beat Coastal Carolina on Saturday night starts with the play of his offensive line.
“We are trying to get our run game established and that’s very important so then opponents can’t sit on [quarterback Sean] Schaefer,” he said. “We are much more effective when we do that.”
The Tigers (1-2) are looking to rebound from their defeat at fourth-ranked Richmond (2-1) last week when they visit the Chanticleers (1-2) at 7 at Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C.
Towson has struggled to establish a running game this season, as the offensive line has paved the way for a meager 117 yards on 75 carries for a minuscule average of 1.6 yards per carry.
Coastal Carolina, which lost 66-10 at Penn State and 23-19 against Colgate before dominating Monmouth, 26-7 last week, has allowed 747 yards on the ground this season. The Chanticleer defense yields an average of 249 yards per game on the ground and 5.5 yards per carry.
“We feel like we can do a lot of things,” Towson redshirt sophomore Steve Holmes said. “We just have to capitalize, make things to right, and make sure Schaefer can get the ball to us.”
Morgan State seeks second straight win
Morgan State redshirt sophomore running back Devan James believes his team can have success running the ball against Winston-Salem State on Saturday night.
“I pretty much have the confidence because we’ve got a great offensive line,” James said. “That’s really important because it lets us set the tone and start fast.”
The Bears (1-1) have rushed for 472 yards in their first two games, including consecutive 100-yard performances by James who has 292 yards with a touchdown on 50 carries.
But Morgan State will have to cut down on its errors to beat Winston-Salem State (0-2) at 7 at Bowman Gray Stadium in North Carolina. The Bears have committed four turnovers and a staggering 16 penalties for 175 yards in just two games.
The Rams took advantage of the Bears mistakes in last year’s matchup at Hughes Stadium when they rallied for a 19-17 win on a 24-yard field goal with seconds remaining. But Winston-Salem State is coming off a 16-13 loss to Savannah State and on Monday offensive coordinator Nick Calcutta left the program.
Morgan State is coming off a 49-7 win over North Carolina Central, the school’s largest margin of victory since 1976.
“We want to carry this momentum down there,” Morgan State coach Donald Hill-Eley said. “They are a very competitive team and we will be prepared for the challenge.”
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