CONWAY | After intercepting Gardner-Webb with four minutes remaining, Coastal Carolina corner Josh Norman raised a hand in the air to celebrate as a defender was wrestling him to the ground.
By now the Chanticleers should know that celebrating prematurely is dangerous against any opponent, much less the Bulldogs. Nevertheless, Gardner-Webb should know the dangers of testing Coastal's ball-hawking sophomore.
Norman tied a Big South record with three interceptions, including one in the end zone in the game's final minute, to help the Chants preserve a much-needed 26-21 victory over their conference rivals Saturday.
“We needed that one,” Coastal coach David Bennett said with a sigh, seemingly more relieved than excited about extending his good fortune against the Bulldogs and coach Steve Patton.
Since winning the series opener in 2003, Gardner-Webb has lost six straight to the Chants, and Patton has beaten Bennett just once in 10 career meetings. To make matters worse for the Bulldogs, four of the last five meetings have been decided by six points or less.
If Coastal (4-5, 2-2 Big South) can salvage anything from this season, Norman will certainly be viewed as the savior. He intercepted Gardner-Webb's Stan Doolittle, who entered with just two picks in 249 pass attempts this season, three times in the second half. Two of them were on the Bulldogs' final two drives.
Seeking the game-winning touchdown, Gardner-Webb had driven to Coastal's 28 with 23 seconds remaining in the game. On fourth-and-15, Doolittle lofted a pass to receiver James Perry, but Norman came down with the jump ball to seal Coastal's first win in a month.
“I had a little thought, but I didn't realize [they were coming at me] until Stan stood back there and looked over,” Norman said. “My eyes got real big. I was like, ‘Man, I'm going for this ball regardless of who is around me.'”
Norman's heroics overshadowed a coming-out party for Coastal's offense, which outgained the Big South's top-rated offense 473-239. The Chants had just 522 combined yards in their last three games, losses to Liberty, Stony Brook and Clemson.
Throwing to set up the run instead running to set up the pass, Coastal kept the Bulldogs guessing. Taking snaps in the shotgun, quarterback Zach MacDowall efficiently orchestrated the spread offense, completing 25-of-42 passes – to 11 different receivers – for 332 yards. The Chants set season highs in completions, attempts and yards passing.
Coastal trailed 14-10 at halftime, but MacDowall, looking much like the 2008 version of himself, improvised on third-and-nine from Gardner-Webb's 39 early in the second half. Checking down to his fourth option, the junior connected with wide-open tailback Marcus Whitener, who split two defenders for a 39-yard touchdown.
“I told him to be ready for his check down,” MacDowall said. “He was waiting there. … I was able to dump it to him and he took off.”
Gardner-Webb retook the lead later in the quarter, turning a blocked field goal into Patrick Hall's second rushing touchdown, but MacDowall engineered consecutive scoring drives to secure the win. First, he led to Chants to a field goal, cutting the deficit to 21-20 with 12:14 left.
On Coastal's next drive, MacDowall and Co. drove to Gardner-Webb's 21 after a 20-yard completion to Marquel Willis on third-and-15 extended the drive at midfield. Whitener fumbled on a two-yard carry but receiver Brandon Whitley came out of the pile with the ball, allowing tailback Tommy Fraser to score on a four-yard run two plays later. Fraser finished with 90 yards on 23 carries.
Coastal led 26-21 with 4:17 left, and that's when Norman took over. On the first play of the ensuing drive, he picked off Doolittle at midfield, raising his arm to celebrate before the play was even over. That interception didn't seal the win, but his seventh of the season on the next drive certainly did.
His defensive mates forced two incompletions and sacked Doolittle for a five-yard loss on third down before Norman outjumped Perry in the end zone.
“On that last one I would have [preferred] that we would have thrown it somewhere else, but that's easy to say when you're on the sideline, it's fourth down and you're quarterback is trying to make a play,” Patton said.
“We just tried to get the best matchups. Obviously they can take more chances with [Norman] over there.”
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