CONWAY, S.C. – Redshirt senior defensive end Tarron Jackson was named the 2020 Preseason College Football News (CFN) Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year and joined senior running back CJ Marable on the CFN 2020 Preseason All-Sun Belt Team.
 
Jackson was also ranked as the No. 1 player in the CFN 2020 Preseason Top 30 Sun Belt players list, while Marable came in at No. 11 overall.
 
Tarron Jackson
A two-time All-Sun Belt selection, earning first-team honors in 2019 after third-team recognition in 2018, Jackson led the Sun Belt and set a new Coastal single-season record with 10.0 sacks last season. His 72 yards lost from his 10.0 sacks was also a CCU single-season record. He also led the team and ranked fifth in the Sun Belt with 13.0 tackles-for-loss, of which 9.5 came in conference play, and was second on the team with a total of 60 tackles on the season. He added a school-record 13 quarterback hurries, forced two fumbles, and tallied two pass breakups from his defensive end position.
 
Named a 2019 team captain, Jackson recorded five tackles or more in six of the Chants' 12 games on the season, including a career-high 10 stops in the home contest versus Georgia State on Oct. 12. Jackson capped off the season by tying the CCU single-game record of 3.0 sacks in the regular-season finale win over Texas State on Nov. 30.
 
This preseason, Jackson has earned countless awards, including being named to the 2020 Bednarik Award watch list, an award given to the best defensive player in college football annually. He was also named to the 2020 College Football Yearbook Group of 5 Preseason Starting Lineup and was a first-team preseason selection by Phil Steele, Athlon Sports, and Lindy's Sports.
 
CJ Marable
In his first season as a feature back, Marable led the team in rushing with 1,085 yards in 2019 which ranked fourth in the Sun Belt. He etched his name in the CCU record books as he became just the fourth Chant to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season. His 1,000-yard rushing season was only the sixth in school history joining De'Angelo Henderson (2014, 2015, and 2016), Lorenzo Taliaferro (2013), and Patrick Hall (2004).
 
One of four team captains for 2019, Marable led the team in rushing attempts (204), rushing touchdowns (11), total touchdowns (14), and all-purpose yards (1418), while ranking second on the team in receptions (38) and receiving touchdowns (3).
 
Marable, who ranked third in the Sun Belt in total touchdowns (14), fourth in scoring (86), and seventh in all-purpose yards per game (118.2), totaled six 100-yard rushing games on the season. His six 100-yard rushing games were the third-most in the Sun Belt, while his career-high game of 172 rushing yards at ULM on Nov. 23 last year was the seventh-most rushing yards in a game by a player in the Sun Belt in 2019. He also scored a touchdown either on the ground or through the air in 11 of CCU's 12 games on the season and has caught at least one pass in 20-straight games dating back to the 2018 season. In just two years at CCU, he has climbed to seventh all-time in CCU history with 1,804 career rushing yards (this doesn't include his 1,038 rushing yards on the ground at Presbyterian College as a freshman in 2017).
 
The preseason honor is the fourth of the season for the running back, as he was also named to the 2020 Athlon Sports Preseason All-Sun Belt first team and earned a spot on the preseason second-team for both Phil Steele and Lindy's Sports.
 
Season Tickets
Season tickets can be purchased by calling the Chanticleer Athletics Ticket Office at 843-347-8499, by going online to www.GoCCUsports.com and clicking on Tickets along the top menu bar or by visiting the Chanticleer Athletics Ticket Office located in Arcadia Hall from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday.
 
Season ticket renewal applications are available online and can be accessed by clicking here – LINK.

Season tickets are the most cost-effective way to enjoy a fall event in Horry County and this season there are a variety of options available.

For complete coverage of CCU football, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalFootball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUsports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.