“We have our base offense, but you have to build off it based on who your personnel and what they can do well,” offensive coordinator Nick Petrino said. “It’s a learning process for coaches, too, learning what our personnel can do and how to take advantage of it.”
Petrino, the son of former NCAA coach Bobby Petrino, credits his father with helping him develop an offensive system that is adaptable to the starting quarterback’s skill set. Who wins the job will go a long way toward deciding how the Chants will operate this season.
“There are certain things we like to do and a lot of it starts with your quarterback and what they do well,” Petrino said. “I’ve had all different types of quarterbacks. I’ve had guys that could run, guys that could do both, I just had one that couldn’t run at all.”
Coastal returns a talented receiving corps, led by senior Karmello English and junior Robby Washington, and welcomes top transfers Krosse Johnson (Arkansas), Colton Hinton (Furman), and Trishstin Glass (Wake Forest).
The race for playing time at running back, offensive lineman and virtually every position on the field is up for grabs this spring as the Chants try to form a cohesive unit.
“You have to work on that piece of it as much as scheme, as much as the weight room,“ Beard said. “We have culture meetings. We have team-bonding activities. We want these guys to be around each other.
“Those types things are really important for a program, and I believe that’s how you win. I believe if you have a cohesive group and you truly have each other’s backs, you develop that team-first mentality, the success will come.”
Coastal caps spring practice with a March 27 spring game that will include a 7-on-7 flag football game, a live DJ and other festivities. The spring game falls on the same weekend CCU hosts Banana Ball on March 28-29. The Chants kick off the 2026 season Sept. 5 at West Virginia.