Joe Moglia takes CCU on the road for the first time as head coach this Saturday.
"Furman is a better team than A&T," Coastal Carolina Head Football Coach Joe Moglia said at his weekly news conference at Brooks Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. That statement comes just four days after CCU (1-0) beat North Carolina A&T 29-13 in their season opener. The Chanticleers will visit Paladin Stadium in Greenville, South Carolina to take on Furman (0-1) with kickoff set for 5 p.m.
Coastal Carolina beat Furman 30-23 last year in Conway. CCU has won two of the three previous meetings between the schools. But the home team has won every time in the series. The Chanticleers have won just five of twelve games against Southern Conference teams over a nine year span.
Conway High product Dakota Derrrick is Furman's starting quarterback. The former WPDE All-Zone selection threw for 201 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in a 24-21 loss at Samford last weekend. CCU defensive tackle Johnny Hartsfield says Derrick is dangerous on the option sweep, "We were a little weak on the edges last week so, maybe they'll attack our edges this week, that's a little bit of his strength."
Darlington native Ray Early handles both the punting and kicking chores for Furman. Early was 3-of-3 on points after touchdowns and averaged 41.4 yard per punt in the Paladins season-opener.
Coastal Carolina is one of only three Big South Conference schools to open with a victory in 2012. Presbyterian and Stony Brook also won last weekend. CCU enters the Furman game on a four game win streak dating back to last season.
The Paladins have won 12 straight home season openers, 13 consecutive non-conference home games since 2005, and 21 straight non-conference regular season home clashes dating back to 1999.
