---
title: "CCU Football Preps for Opener with New Staff, Roster"
url: https://www.hereaiken.com/2026/09/01/coastal-carolina-football-season-opener-new-staff/
date: 2026-09-01T05:29:02-04:00
modified: 2026-09-01T05:29:02-04:00
author: "Mavis Threadgill"
categories: ["Education"]
site: "HERE Aiken"
attribution: "HERE Aiken"
---

# CCU Football Preps for Opener with New Staff, Roster

*Source: [HERE Aiken](https://www.hereaiken.com/2026/09/01/coastal-carolina-football-season-opener-new-staff/) — September 1, 2026 by Mavis Threadgill*

The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football team is preparing for its season opener on September 5 with significant changes to both its roster and coaching staff. More than 50 newcomers have joined the team, and the coaching staff is almost entirely new, following first-year head coach Ryan Beard from Missouri State.

This extensive turnover means that scouting for the Chanticleers will involve examining schematics from Missouri State, where offensive coordinator Nick Petrino and defensive coordinator L.D. Scott previously held their respective roles. Player film for Coastal Carolina quarterbacks, for example, will draw from five different schools, including Missouri State, Arkansas, and Tyler Junior College.

Coach Beard and Petrino at Missouri State last season emphasized a passing game, averaging 279.9 yards per game through the air and 112.5 yards per game on the ground. Missouri State finished 7-6 in its inaugural FBS season, with a 5-3 record in Conference-USA, culminating in a 34-28 loss in the Xbox Bowl. Defensively, Missouri State employed multiple fronts, shifting between 4-3-4 and 3-3-5 alignments.

The University of South Carolina Aiken Pacers, a local NCAA Division II team, are not directly impacted by these specific Division I changes, but the broader landscape of college football roster fluidity is a consistent theme across all levels of the sport. The challenges of preparing for a team with many unknowns, as described by coaches, highlight the strategic complexities inherent in early-season matchups.