Coastal debut

In September 2015, the Sun Belt announce that Coastal Carolina would join its conference for the 2017 season, and the Chanticleers made their media debut as a Sun Belt member Monday.

Coastal Carolina began its transition from an FCS to FBS program last season, when it went 10-2 as an independent team. As part of the NCAA transition, the school will not be eligible for postseason play until the 2018 season.

“That’s fine with me as long as we make everybody at Coastal Carolina proud,” said senior running back Osharmar Abercrombie, who rushed for 507 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2016. “It’s pretty tough for some guys. Everybody wants to play for a bowl game. But us, right now, we’re just focused on making Coastal Carolina proud.”

The Conway, S.C., university was last a member of the Big South Conference in 2015, when it went 4-2 in conference and lost in the first round of the FCS playoffs, 41-38, to The Citadel.

Last season, the Sun Belt’s four bowl victories were the most in league history.

“I think we’re coming in at a great time because the conference is at an alltime high,” associate coach Jamey Chadwell said. “We feel like we’re going to be a great addition to this conference, where we feel like we’re the ones picked No. 1, and we’re the ones talking about a New Year’s Eve bowl. We wouldn’t have made the jump if we didn’t think so.”