Photo by: WVU Athletic Communications
Countdown to Kickoff: Coastal Carolina Preview
September 05, 2026 07:00 AM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University's 2026 football season kicks off later today with a nonconference clash against Coastal Carolina of the Sun Belt Conference.
The Chanticleers are now coached by Ryan Beard, who comes from Missouri State where he orchestrated the Bears' transition from an FCS playoff contender into a competitive FBS program last season.
Missouri State won seven games in 2025 and faced Arkansas State in the inaugural Xbox Bowl. Just 37, Beard has already earned a reputation for producing fundamentally sound, well-coached football teams. The Bowling Green, Kentucky, native and Western Kentucky graduate brings a defensive pedigree to the table after advancing through the coaching ranks on the defensive side of the football.
He served assistant coaching stints at Western Kentucky, Louisville and Central Michigan before assuming the defensive coordinator role at Missouri State in 2000.
Three years later, Beard was promoted to head coach and is now in Conway attempting to revive the success Coastal Carolina enjoyed earlier this decade when Jamey Chadwell had the Chanticleers in the top 25.
Following back-to-back losing seasons under Tim Beck, Coastal made the move to bring in Beard, who is onboarding nearly 60 new players - among them a dozen or so of his Missouri State guys, including redshirt freshman quarterback Deuce Bailey.
Beard has not publicly named a starting quarterback for today's game, which has forced West Virginia defensive coordinator Zac Alley and his staff to do some extra prep work during the offseason studying Bailey's Missouri State games and also Tre Guerra's Tyler Junior College tape to evaluate what throws they can make and how well they move in and out of the pocket.
Bailey passed for 335 yards in limited action last year, while Guerra accounted for 2,811 yards through the air in leading Tyler to a conference championship.
The backfield and wide receiver corps feature new players, while the offensive line also underwent a complete remodeling. Offensive coordinator Nick Petrino, son of Bobby Petrino, utilizes a pro-style offense that includes some tradition under-center alignments with the quarterback.
"Offensively, they can have a whole lot of stuff we haven't seen," West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said earlier this week.
Last year, Missouri State was balanced offensively attempting 384 passes and 376 runs, although 40 sacks surrendered during the regular season counted as rushing attempts and must be factored into the equation.
Missouri State allowed eight sacks in its bowl-game loss to Arkansas State, requiring some adjustments that Mountaineer Sports Network sideline reporter Jed Drenning will discuss during today's pregame radio show.
Speaking of adjustments, West Virginia coaches are anticipating making plenty of them early in the game.
On the other side of the ball, Beard's defensive coordinator, L.D. Scott, utilizes a 4-2-5 scheme that can easily morph into a 4-3 based on what he does with his nickel back.
He could choose to go with a bigger, linebacker-type at that spot if West Virginia has some success running the football. The Chanticleers were able to convince last year's starting linebackers Tray Brown and Se'Von McDowell to remove their names from the transfer portal, and also retained 6-foot-2, 207-pound senior corner Ja'Marion Wayne.
A couple of Power Four transfers, Oklahoma State edge Chandavian Bradley and Michigan State mike linebacker Marcellius Pulliam, are listed as starters and should bolster the defense.
Lindy's Sports lists Pulliam as the team's top newcomer after logging 12 tackles in 16 games with the Spartans over two seasons following one season at Miami in 2023.
"They are going to be very well coached," Rodriguez said. "They rarely give up big plays or easy, cheap ones. They are going to be in the right spot all the time, and you can tell by watching their games, their schemes and what they're doing."
South Carolina State transfer Nico Cavanillas Alti, who made 15 of 19 field goals last season, is expected to handle the place-kicking chores, while Roland Podesta, a transfer from Boise State, is the punter.
"They've got some really good football players, and you're not sure where they are going to be lined up all the time," Rodriguez observed.
Here is today's Countdown to Kickoff:
10 – Over the last TEN years, West Virginia has posted a 68-31 record when rushing for at least 100 yards in a game.
9 – The Mountaineers have just NINE players among the returning 34 who have started at least one game during their college careers in Morgantown.
8 – Since 2022, West Virginia has had EIGHT defensive/special teams touchdowns, but only one last year – Jordan Scruggs' 80-yard interception return against Houston.
7 – WVU finished SEVENTH in the Big 12 and 40th nationally in penalties with 69 in 12 games, an average of
6 – The Mountaineers have SIX players with at least 39 game's-worth of college experience: Jason Chambers (46), Malik Agbo (44), Andrew Powdrell, Kamari Wilson and Josh Sapp (41), and Geimere Latimer II (39).
5 – Legendary West Virginia University player Pat White's jersey number FIVE is being retired during a brief on-field ceremony prior to today's game.
4 – There are FOUR foreign countries represented on the 2026 Mountaineer football roster – Prince Strachan (Freeport, Grand Bahamas), Jack Cassidy (Derry, Ireland), Emerson Joy (Calgary, Alberta) and Tobi Haastrup (London, England).
3 – Rich Rodriguez's 194 career victories rank THIRD among all active Power Four coaches.
2 – West Virginia has TWO prominent ties to Coastal Carolina. Current University president Michael T. Benson served as Coastal Carolina's president from 2021-25, while senior offensive assistant Travis Trickett was the Chanticleers' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2023-23.
1 – Coastal Carolina's FIRST visit to Morgantown in 2010 was a 31-0 season-opening loss to the Mountaineers.
"I'm excited for our guys," Rodriguez said. "They've worked hard coming up to this week to get ready, and now we'll see what we have."
Prior to today's game, West Virginia is retiring assistant quarterback's coach Pat White's No. 5 jersey, making it the seventh football number retired and the eighth overall with the University retiring Jerry West's No. 44 in all sports.
White's name will also be placed on the stadium wall alongside Mountaineer football immortals Sam Huff, Ira Errett Rodgers, Bruce Bosley, Darryl Talley, Major Harris, Chuck Howley and coach Don Nehlen.
Fans are encouraged to wear white and be in their seats by 11:30 a.m. in time for the pregame ceremony to take place approximately 15 minutes before kickoff.
National television coverage will be provided by TNT, TruTV and HBO Max (J.B. Long, Mike Golic Jr. and Coy Wire) while Mountaineer Sports Network radio coverage will get the day started with the Mountaineer Tailgate Show at 9 a.m. on stations throughout West Virginia, online via WVUsports.com and the popular Varsity Network and WVU Gameday apps.
This year marks veteran play-by-play announcer Tony Caridi's 30th season in his current role and 43rd overall covering the Mountaineers with the network.
Kickoff is set for noon.
Afterward, be sure to stop back for complete postgame coverage.
The Chanticleers are now coached by Ryan Beard, who comes from Missouri State where he orchestrated the Bears' transition from an FCS playoff contender into a competitive FBS program last season.
Missouri State won seven games in 2025 and faced Arkansas State in the inaugural Xbox Bowl. Just 37, Beard has already earned a reputation for producing fundamentally sound, well-coached football teams. The Bowling Green, Kentucky, native and Western Kentucky graduate brings a defensive pedigree to the table after advancing through the coaching ranks on the defensive side of the football.
He served assistant coaching stints at Western Kentucky, Louisville and Central Michigan before assuming the defensive coordinator role at Missouri State in 2000.
Three years later, Beard was promoted to head coach and is now in Conway attempting to revive the success Coastal Carolina enjoyed earlier this decade when Jamey Chadwell had the Chanticleers in the top 25.
Following back-to-back losing seasons under Tim Beck, Coastal made the move to bring in Beard, who is onboarding nearly 60 new players - among them a dozen or so of his Missouri State guys, including redshirt freshman quarterback Deuce Bailey.
Beard has not publicly named a starting quarterback for today's game, which has forced West Virginia defensive coordinator Zac Alley and his staff to do some extra prep work during the offseason studying Bailey's Missouri State games and also Tre Guerra's Tyler Junior College tape to evaluate what throws they can make and how well they move in and out of the pocket.
Bailey passed for 335 yards in limited action last year, while Guerra accounted for 2,811 yards through the air in leading Tyler to a conference championship.
The backfield and wide receiver corps feature new players, while the offensive line also underwent a complete remodeling. Offensive coordinator Nick Petrino, son of Bobby Petrino, utilizes a pro-style offense that includes some tradition under-center alignments with the quarterback.
"Offensively, they can have a whole lot of stuff we haven't seen," West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said earlier this week.
Last year, Missouri State was balanced offensively attempting 384 passes and 376 runs, although 40 sacks surrendered during the regular season counted as rushing attempts and must be factored into the equation.
Missouri State allowed eight sacks in its bowl-game loss to Arkansas State, requiring some adjustments that Mountaineer Sports Network sideline reporter Jed Drenning will discuss during today's pregame radio show.
Speaking of adjustments, West Virginia coaches are anticipating making plenty of them early in the game.
On the other side of the ball, Beard's defensive coordinator, L.D. Scott, utilizes a 4-2-5 scheme that can easily morph into a 4-3 based on what he does with his nickel back.
He could choose to go with a bigger, linebacker-type at that spot if West Virginia has some success running the football. The Chanticleers were able to convince last year's starting linebackers Tray Brown and Se'Von McDowell to remove their names from the transfer portal, and also retained 6-foot-2, 207-pound senior corner Ja'Marion Wayne.
A couple of Power Four transfers, Oklahoma State edge Chandavian Bradley and Michigan State mike linebacker Marcellius Pulliam, are listed as starters and should bolster the defense.
Lindy's Sports lists Pulliam as the team's top newcomer after logging 12 tackles in 16 games with the Spartans over two seasons following one season at Miami in 2023.
"They are going to be very well coached," Rodriguez said. "They rarely give up big plays or easy, cheap ones. They are going to be in the right spot all the time, and you can tell by watching their games, their schemes and what they're doing."
South Carolina State transfer Nico Cavanillas Alti, who made 15 of 19 field goals last season, is expected to handle the place-kicking chores, while Roland Podesta, a transfer from Boise State, is the punter.
"They've got some really good football players, and you're not sure where they are going to be lined up all the time," Rodriguez observed.
Here is today's Countdown to Kickoff:
10 – Over the last TEN years, West Virginia has posted a 68-31 record when rushing for at least 100 yards in a game.
9 – The Mountaineers have just NINE players among the returning 34 who have started at least one game during their college careers in Morgantown.
8 – Since 2022, West Virginia has had EIGHT defensive/special teams touchdowns, but only one last year – Jordan Scruggs' 80-yard interception return against Houston.
7 – WVU finished SEVENTH in the Big 12 and 40th nationally in penalties with 69 in 12 games, an average of
6 – The Mountaineers have SIX players with at least 39 game's-worth of college experience: Jason Chambers (46), Malik Agbo (44), Andrew Powdrell, Kamari Wilson and Josh Sapp (41), and Geimere Latimer II (39).
5 – Legendary West Virginia University player Pat White's jersey number FIVE is being retired during a brief on-field ceremony prior to today's game.
4 – There are FOUR foreign countries represented on the 2026 Mountaineer football roster – Prince Strachan (Freeport, Grand Bahamas), Jack Cassidy (Derry, Ireland), Emerson Joy (Calgary, Alberta) and Tobi Haastrup (London, England).
3 – Rich Rodriguez's 194 career victories rank THIRD among all active Power Four coaches.
2 – West Virginia has TWO prominent ties to Coastal Carolina. Current University president Michael T. Benson served as Coastal Carolina's president from 2021-25, while senior offensive assistant Travis Trickett was the Chanticleers' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2023-23.
1 – Coastal Carolina's FIRST visit to Morgantown in 2010 was a 31-0 season-opening loss to the Mountaineers.
"I'm excited for our guys," Rodriguez said. "They've worked hard coming up to this week to get ready, and now we'll see what we have."
Prior to today's game, West Virginia is retiring assistant quarterback's coach Pat White's No. 5 jersey, making it the seventh football number retired and the eighth overall with the University retiring Jerry West's No. 44 in all sports.
White's name will also be placed on the stadium wall alongside Mountaineer football immortals Sam Huff, Ira Errett Rodgers, Bruce Bosley, Darryl Talley, Major Harris, Chuck Howley and coach Don Nehlen.
Fans are encouraged to wear white and be in their seats by 11:30 a.m. in time for the pregame ceremony to take place approximately 15 minutes before kickoff.
National television coverage will be provided by TNT, TruTV and HBO Max (J.B. Long, Mike Golic Jr. and Coy Wire) while Mountaineer Sports Network radio coverage will get the day started with the Mountaineer Tailgate Show at 9 a.m. on stations throughout West Virginia, online via WVUsports.com and the popular Varsity Network and WVU Gameday apps.
This year marks veteran play-by-play announcer Tony Caridi's 30th season in his current role and 43rd overall covering the Mountaineers with the network.
Kickoff is set for noon.
Afterward, be sure to stop back for complete postgame coverage.
Players Mentioned
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