Defending the Crown - 2033 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Season Preview
Conway, SC. - The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers are preparing for their second national title defense, and unlike the uncertain, chaotic offseason that followed their first championship run, this one feels different. This time, the Chanticleers are reloaded and ready to defend the crown. At the center of it all is the man who makes the teal machine hum: All-American quarterback and Heisman contender Fredrick Meredith.
Back in 2029, fresh off their 2028 championship, Coastal entered camp without a clear starter after Bryce Underwood declared for the NFL. The resulting QB carousel haunted that season. This year? There’s no such doubt. Meredith announced his return in trademark fashion — with a cinematic video announcing his return to defend the crown and was bringing the Teal Trio with him. Within hours, excitement surged across Conway. The clip confirmed not just Meredith and his trio of trusted pass catchers return, but shortly after defensive captain Anthony Atogwe and the entire bruising defensive front that helped seal last year’s 24–17 national title win over Texas A&M announced their return in tandem.
Still, even with the star power returning, Coastal enters 2033 with 11 new starters across both sides of the ball — including an entirely rebuilt offensive line. “It’s a feeling-out process,” admitted second-year offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri. “You don’t just replace five starters overnight. But we’ve got talent. Trevor Dobbins and Frank Marvin started at Power Five programs. Devin Trinidad’s been in our system, and Nick Cobb’s filled in before. So while they’re new together, the floor is high.”
Vaughn’s expectations for that new-look line are anything but modest. “Under ten sacks, five yards a carry — or we’re not doing our job,” said head coach Kade Vaughn. “We’re not the hunters anymore. We’re the hunted. And now that we’re in the ACC, we’re getting everyone’s best shot, every week. If we don’t raise the bar, we’ll get knocked off the mountain.”
Statistically, Coastal’s offense ranked top-five nationally last year behind a high octane passing attack, but the scoreboard in the national championship told another story: just 197 passing yards and no touchdowns.
Publicly, Meredith said all the right things — “Team win. Stats don’t matter when you’re holding the trophy.” Privately? That performance stuck with him. “He’s more locked in than ever,” said one staffer. “Last year, he wanted revenge. This year, he wants perfection.”
That edge has spread through the wide receiver room. Dorian Allen, the Buffalo transfer who caught 83 passes for 1,071 yards and 13 scores last season, has quickly made his mark. “Crisp,” said Sunseri simply, when asked to describe Allen’s routes.
With proven chemistry between Meredith and Tavares Tinker, Bernie Bender, Tyler Hagg, and tight end Jamal Stephen, Coastal now boasts one of the deepest skill groups in the country and possibly the most unselfish. “We’ll make sure everyone eats,” Meredith joked this spring. To ensure that happens, Vaughn implemented a new standard: every pass catcher must attend Monday film sessions with the QBs. “If you catch the ball, you’re watching tape with Fred,” Vaughn explained. “I did the same thing as a player — it’s how timing, spacing, and trust get built. It’s how you turn good into elite.”
Sunseri, meanwhile, has added even more flexibility into his offense: more motion, more option routes, and fewer audibles. “We want answers built into every look,” he said. “No panic, no guessing. Just recognition and execution.”
If the offense has continuity at the top, the defense is learning to adjust without its cornerstone. Gone is Mike Momah, the All-American corner who routinely erased opposing WR1s.
“It’s easy to call plays when you’ve got a guy like Mike who just deletes half the field,” joked defensive coordinator Tony White. “But I like this challenge. We’ve got competitors.”
White’s new-look secondary will feature Emanuel Abrams stepping into a full-time role, with Robert Eling and John Landman expected to rotate heavily. Safety Randy Granger is the lone returning starter in the back end. And if coverage falters? Expect punishment. Keke Allotely, the hard-hitting special teams ace who forced eight fumbles last year, takes over at free safety — and he’s not changing his mentality.
“Goal No. 1 is to stop completions,” Allotely grinned. “Goal No. 2? Make them regret catching it. I’ve been watching a lot of Ryan Clark film. We’re bringing that same kind of attitude this year.”
Fortunately for White, the front seven remains terrifyingly intact. Ramon Queiro and Alfonso Smith both posted double-digit sacks last season, and with Atogwe quarterbacking the defense again, expectations remain sky-high.
“We know our corners are green,” said Smith. “That just means we’ve gotta make sure the QB never gets the ball off." Ramon Queiro quickly added, "Sin piedad — no mercy.”
Unlike past seasons, Coastal won’t open with a tune-up or neutral-site showcase. ACC play begins immediately — Week 1 at Virginia Tech. From there, the Chanticleers face a brutal midseason stretch: home vs. Clemson, at Penn State, home vs. Tennessee, then Louisville and road trips to LSU and Miami to close the year.
The regular season finale? A rivalry renewed — Liberty returns to Conway for Senior Night.
When asked (again) about traveling to Miami instead of hosting the Hurricanes, Vaughn smirked. “We can line up wherever they want — Hard Rock, Brooks, the National Championship,” he said. “Results aren’t gonna change. We’re running that fade and walking out still wearing their chain.”
While Vaughn’s swagger remains intact, questions have begun swirling about his future in Conway after an offseason that came and went without a contract extension. Newly hired athletic director Mike Buddie confirmed an extension for Vaughn was “on the list,” but declined to elaborate at his introductory press conference — a moment many insiders interpreted as an early power play.
“Play by my rules, or we’ll find someone who will,” was the tone that echoed among agents and athletic departments across the region. Buddie later clarified that no negotiations would take place during the season “to keep focus on the present,” but as kickoff approaches, the optics are undeniable: a two-time national championship coach entering the final year of his deal.
“We’ve never seen that,” said one industry source. “Guys with that résumé usually have a lifetime contract or they’ve already left for a blue-blood job. The only time you see a coach on a one-year deal after winning it all is when something’s off behind the scenes.”
Vaughn, for his part, brushed off the chatter.
“Chance [Miller] and I had some stuff in motion, but Mike’s just getting settled,” Vaughn said this week. “We’ve talked, but it’s not something that needs to be a weekly soap opera. Case closed.”
Behind the scenes, however, the relationship has reportedly been tense — more coexistence than collaboration. Multiple sources confirmed that Buddie requested the removal of the infamous “Trophy Wall” from Vaughn’s office — a display of opposing mascots the Chanticleers “claimed” during their 2028 title run.
Vaughn immediately refused.
“That wall represents confidence,” Vaughn reportedly told staff. “It says no matter who we line up against, we don’t flinch. We deliver ours.”
Buddie countered that it perpetuated an “us vs. them” mentality that Coastal had outgrown. “It creates division among schools that should be united under the ACC banner,” Buddie explained. “We compete, yes — but we also represent something bigger than ourselves. A conference. A standard.”
The standoff ended only after Vaughn threatened to leave — with the wall — if the order wasn’t rescinded. Whether it was a bluff or not, the message was received. The wall stayed.
The coach and the AD did too.
But as the Chanticleers prepare to defend another national crown, one question lingers louder than ever in Conway: Can two alpha leaders coexist long enough to keep Coastal on top of the college football world, or will internal strife end a dynasty before it can begin.
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 2033 Schedule
Week 1 | @ Virginia Tech (5-7)
Week 2 | #2 Clemson (12-4)
Week 3 | @ #11 Penn State (9-4)
Week 4 | #10 Tennessee (10-3)
Week 5 | @ Florida State (8-5)
Week 6 | #19 Louisville (9-4)
Week 7 | Georgia Tech (7-6)
Week 8 | Wake Forest (5-7)
Week 9 | @ LSU (8-5)
Week 10 | BYE
Week 11 | @ #4 Miami (10-3)
Week 12 | @ Pittsburgh (7-6)
Week 13 | Liberty (11-3)
Coastal Carolina 2032 Roster
98 Overall // 98 Overall // 99 Overall
* Indicates Starter
(R) Indicates Redshirt
QB
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Fredrick Meredith | JR(RS) | 6'5 | 206 | 76 | 94 | Dual Threat | Impact |
| Anthony Prude (R) | FR | 6'3 | 192 | 80 | 80 | Dual Threat | Elite |
| Koren Moses | FR(RS) | 6'1 | 200 | 77 | 79 | Dual Threat | Star |
| QB JC Uche | SR(RS) | 6'1 | 210 | 73 | 76 | Pocket Passer | Normal |
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Cornell Jennings | JR | 5'11 | 205 | 92 | 92 | Elusive Bruiser | Star |
| Duke Kryspin | SR(RS) | 6'4 | 216 | 74 | 86 | Backfield Threat | Normal |
| Fredrick McCallum | SO | 5'11 | 165 | 85 | 85 | East/West Playmaker | Elite |
| Jamar Hape | FR(RS) | 6'0 | 185 | 77 | 78 | East/West | Impact |
| Skylar Lichtensteiger (R) | FR | 5'10 | 186 | 77 | 77 | East/West Playmaker | Elite |
| Terrence Flemiing (R) | FR | 6'0 | 166 | 76 | 76 | Backfield Threat | Impact |
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Tyler Hagg | JR(RS) | 5'11 | 188 | 76 | 94 | Route Artist | Star |
| Bernie Bender | SR(RS) | 6'4 | 171 | 75 | 94 | Speedster | Impact |
| *Tavares Tinker | JR(RS) | 6'4 | 166 | 75 | 90 | Speedster | Impact |
| *Dorian Allen | JR(RS) | 6'4 | 209 | 87 | 87 | Contsted specialist | Impact |
| Frank DuBose | SR(RS) | 5'10 | 192 | 74 | 87 | Route Artist | Impact |
| Morgan Biggs | FR(RS) | 6'1 | 167 | 78 | 83 | Route Artist | Elite |
| George Ofodile | FR(RS) | 6'2 | 205 | 74 | 76 | Gadget | Normal |
| Darin Best (R) | FR | 6'4 | 205 | 78 | 78 | Physical Route Runner | Star |
| David Heeney (R) | FR | 5'7 | 177 | 74 | 74 | Route Artist | Impact |
| Marco Sawyer (R) | FR | 6'3 | 199 | 74 | 74 | Gadget | Elite |
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Jamal Stephen | SR | 6'7 | 250 | 78 | 90 | Pure Possession | Star |
| DaWann Rochell | FR | 6'4 | 207 | 75 | 75 | Physical Route Runner | Impact |
| James Kindred | FR | 6'3 | 214 | 69 | 69 | Contested Specialist | Impact |
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Trevor Dobbins | SR | 6'5 | 332 | 98 | 98 | Pass Pro | Elite |
| *Devin Trinidad | JR(RS) | 6'7 | 316 | 76 | 90 | Agile | Impact |
| Prince Keke | FR(RS) | 6'5 | 326 | 76 | 81 | Well Rounded | Star |
| Lee Omameh | JR(RS) | 6'6 | 323 | 77 | 80 | Pass Pro | Normal |
| Rich Swenson | SR(RS) | 6'6 | 280 | 65 | 87 | Well Rounded | Impact |
| Chance Cochran | FR(RS) | 6'7 | 295 | 74 | 79 | Pass Pro | Impact |
| Chip Sabri (R) | FR | 6'7 | 308 | 80 | 80 | Agile | Elite |
G
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Frank Marvin | SR(RS) | 6'5 | 332 | 93 | 93 | Pass Pro | Impact |
| *Jose Small | SO(RS) | 6'4 | 311 | 76 | 92 | Well Rounded | Elite |
| Mike Kinlaw | SO(RS) | 6'4 | 285 | 75 | 89 | Well Rounded | Star |
| Ty Sahara | JR(RS) | 6'5 | 296 | 76 | 87 | Agile | Impact |
| Keelan LeCounte | SR(RS) | 6'4 | 321 | 67 | 88 | Raw Stength | Star |
| Slade Levcik | SR(RS) | 6'5 | 326 | 75 | 83 | Raw Strength | Normal |
| Juan Gammon | SO(RS) | 6'4 | 296 | 74 | 81 | Agile | Impact |
| Quincy Lemon | FR(RS) | 6'4 | 321 | 76 | 79 | Pass Pro | Normal |
C
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Nick Cobb | SR(RS) | 6'3 | 290 | 70 | 89 | Agile | Star |
| DeAndre Conte | SR(RS) | 6'1 | 293 | 77 | 85 | Raw Stength | Impact |
| Willie Sails | SO(RS) | 6'1 | 289 | 76 | 82 | Agile | Star |
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Ramon Querio | SR(RS) | 6'5 | 233 | 88 | 94 | Speed Rusher | STar |
| *Alfonso Smith | SR(RS) | 6'3 | 261 | 83 | 94 | Speed Rusher | Elite |
| Monte Miner | SO(RS) | 6'5 | 243 | 82 | 90 | Speed Rusher | Star |
| Russ Devan | SO | 6'3 | 234 | 82 | 89 | Speed Rush | Elite |
| Gill Frantz | FR(RS) | 6'6 | 243 | 78 | 86 | Power Rush | Impact |
| Cole Fasano (R) | FR | 6'3 | 221 | 81 | 81 | Speed Rusher | Impact |
| Greg Shaw (R) | FR | 6'6 | 236 | 79 | 79 | Power Rusher | Star |
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Jermaine Uzomah | SR(RS) | 6'4 | 303 | 79 | 94 | Power Rusher | Star |
| Imani Wake | SR(RS) | 6'5 | 228 | 70 | 87 | Pure Power | Impact |
| Jason Ivory | JR(RS) | 6'5 | 287 | 76 | 81 | Speed Rusher | Normal |
| Taylor Doucet (R) | FR | 6'6 | 325 | 78 | 78 | Gap Specialist | Impact |
| Barry Reyna | FR(RS) | 6'3 | 286 | 68 | 70 | Speed Rusher | Normal |
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Tyrone Flinn | JR(RS) | 6'0 | 236 | 95 | 95 | Thumper | Elite |
| *Trevor Bausby | SO(RS) | 6'2 | 225 | 78 | 90 | Thumper | Elite |
| Carl Urbik | JR(RS) | 6'0 | 225 | 78 | 90 | Thumper | Star |
| Craig Bragg | SR(RS) | 6'2 | 217 | 75 | 86 | Lurker | Normal |
| Derek Chris | JR(RS) | 6'3 | 225 | 77 | 83 | Thumper | Impact |
| Quincy Creer | SO(RS) | 6'2 | 225 | 76 | 78 | Signal Caller | Normal |
| David Bean(R) | FR | 6'4 | 216 | 78 | 78 | Signal Caller | Normal |
| Russell Bouchard(R) | FR | 6'1 | 242 | 76 | 76 | Thumper | Normal |
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Anthony Atogwe | JR(RS) | 6'1 | 214 | 80 | 94 | Signal Caller | Elite |
| Stephen Lynn | FR(RS) | 6'2 | 231 | 78 | 86 | Thumper | Elite |
| Cordell Marvin | SO(RS) | 6'0 | 222 | 77 | 85 | Thumper | Impact |
| Mike Dwumfour | FR(RS) | 6'2 | 220 | 76 | 82 | Thumper | Star |
| Donald Ezeala(R) | FR | 5'11 | 223 | 77 | 77 | Thumper | Elite |
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Emanuel Abrams | JR(RS) | 6'2 | 208 | 78 | 90 | Field | Star |
| *Robert Elling | SR(RS) | 5'10 | 184 | 89 | 91 | Boundary | Elite |
| John Landman | SR | 5'11 | 196 | 78 | 90 | Field | Star |
| Channing Armour | SO(RS) | 6'0 | 197 | 77 | 89 | Coverage Specialist | Star |
| Dexter Bibbs | SO(RS) | 6'2 | 171 | 79 | 85 | Bump and Run | Star |
| Jacques Howe | SO(RS) | 5'11 | 197 | 75 | 81 | Bump and Run | Star |
| Desmond Schrader (R) | FR | 6'0 | 199 | 80 | 80 | Bump and Run | Elite |
| Miles LaBorn | FR(RS) | 6'0 | 183 | 75 | 76 | Bump and Run | Impact |
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Keke Allotey | SO(RS) | 6'1 | 192 | 75 | 94 | Coverage Specialist | Elite |
| Steven Middlebrooks | FR(RS) | 5'11 | 188 | 77 | 80 | Coverage Specialist | Normal |
| Trevor Iverson | JR(RS) | 6'2 | 195 | 75 | 78 | Hybrid | Normal |
| Terrence Bulaga (R) | FR | 6'0 | 192 | 75 | 75 | Hybrid | Impact |
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| *Randy Granger | SR(RS) | 6'2 | 175 | 81 | 88 | Coverage Specialist | Normal |
| Ross Gossett | JR(RS) | 5'10 | 214 | 74 | 82 | Box Specialist | Normal |
| DeVeon Doucet | FR(RS) | 6'1 | 209 | 76 | 79 | Box Specialist | Impact |
| Ian Ojulari | FR(RS) | 6'1 | 244 | 75 | 82 | Hybrid | Elite |
| Name | Class | Height | Weight | Orig OVR | Current OVR | Tendency | Dev Trait |
| K Gene Marable | SO | 6'0 | 182 | 77 | 82 | Accurate | Normal |
| P Dalton Randall | FR | 6'1 | 197 | 79 | 79 | Power | Impact |
( 
2032)
