Patrick Covington was promoted to assistant head coach in February 2019 and is in his 10th year overall as the offensive line coach with the Coastal Carolina University football program in 2019. Overall, Coastal has led the league in fewest sacks allowed twice and he has coached players to a total of 20 all-conference honorees, including All-Americans Jamey Cheatwood, Chad Hamilton, and Voghens Larrieux.
In 2019, the Coastal Carolina offense recorded over 400 yards of total offense five times, including a season-high 636 yards in the road win at UMass. Behind the offensive line, the Chants were 23-for-29 (79.3 percent) on fourth-down attempts which was the second-best percentage both nationally and in the Sun Belt, while the 23 fourth-down conversions were tied for the third-most nationally behind only Army and Navy with 26.
The CCU offense also ranked first in the Sun Belt in time of possession (33:24), first in completion percentage (65.0 percent), fifth in third-down conference percentage (40.7 percent), and fifth in fewest sacks allowed (1.67 per game).
Covington's offensive line unit, that saw three starters in Steven Bedosky (10 games), Ethan Howard (2 games), and Antwine Loper (2 games) miss a total of 14 games due to injuries, helped protect both sophomore quarterbacks in Fred Payton and Bryce Carpenter who each surpassed the 1,000-career passing yards mark on the season and completed over 63 percent of their pass attempts on the year.
The frontline unit also cleared the way for junior running back CJ Marable to rush for a team-high 1,085 yards on the season, which ranked fourth in the Sun Belt, and 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 joining De'Angelo Henderson (2014, 2015 and 2016), Lorenzo Taliaferro (2013), and Patrick Hall (2004).
In 2018, the Chants’ offense led the Sun Belt and ranked in the top 25 nationally in rushing yards per game, red zone offense, time of possession, first downs, and both third- and fourth-down conversion percentage for much of the season. CCU finished the year ranked in the top 10 nationally in fourth-down conversion percentage (68.8), fewest penalties (52), fewest penalties per game (4.33), and fewest penalty yards (493). Redshirt sophomore Trey Carter was named All-Sun Belt honorable mention for the second-straight year, while Carter, Brock Hoffman, Ethan Howard, and Steven Bedosky started on the offensive line in all 12 games on the season.
In CCU’s first year in the NCAA FBS and Sun Belt Conference in 2017, Coastal had the youngest offensive line in the nation for the second half of the season featuring two true freshmen, two redshirt freshmen, and a sophomore. However, Coastal rushed for over 100 yards four times while rolling up 434 total yards at Sun Belt co-champion Appalachian State and 359 yards at Arkansas. The unit helped running back Osharmar Abercrombie earn All-Sun Belt honors while Trey Carter was named honorable mention All-Sun Belt.
Coastal’s best collective effort by an offensive line came in 2016. The season saw CCU go through six quarterbacks and, for a period of time, was without its top two running backs. However, Coastal averaged 254.3 rushing yards per game despite teams knowing Coastal was going to rely on its rushing attack. In fact, Coastal rushed for at least 200 yards in 11 of its 12 games, including three games of over 300 yards. Without its top two running backs and with Chase Tidwell injured, Coastal had two games that two players each rushed for at least 100 yards. Voghens Larrieux, who played both left and right tackle due to injuries, was named an All-American and the unit helped running back De’Angelo Henderson capture All-America honors, be a Walter Payton Award finalist for a second year and set an NCAA Division I record by scoring a touchdown in 35-consecutive games.
In 2015, Alex Ross and De’Angelo Henderson were both tabbed All-Americans while both were finalists for the STATS FCS National Offensive Player of the Year Award. Henderson also made it three-straight years with a Chanticleer earning Big South Offensive Player of the Year honors. Ross and Henderson were able to accomplish such lofty goals thanks to first-team All-Big South picks Voghens Larrieux and Sam Ekwonike, while Chase Tidwell picked up second-team honors. The unit helped CCU lead the Big South in eight different categories, including passing offense, red zone offense, and total offense.
The 2014 season was just as successful, as Coastal returned to the NCAA FCS quarterfinals, started the season 11-0, and was ranked No. 1 in the nation the final two weeks of the regular season. Offensive lineman Chad Hamilton was named first-team All-American while Kevin Hart (first team) and Mo Ashley (second team) were added to the All-Big South squad. The unit, whistled for just 10 penalties for the season, helped Coastal lead the nation in fourth-down conversions while ranking fourth in first downs, ninth in third-down conversions, 13th in scoring offense and 18th in total offense. Coastal once again led the Big South in fewest sacks allowed (1.14 per game, 15th nationally).
The unit helped quarterback Alex Ross earn Big South Player of the Year honors and finish seventh in the Walter Payton Award voting while running back De’Angelo Henderson was tabbed first-team All-Big South while leading the league in both rushing and scoring.
Covington’s front five in 2013 helped the Chanticleers set 25 school and 17 Big South offensive records while paving the way for All-American and Walter Payton Award candidate Lorenzo Taliaferro. While Coastal set numerous records, the group’s largest point of pride was leading the FCS in fewest tackles-for-loss per game (3.33) while continuing its tradition of protecting the quarterback by ranking 26th in the nation in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.33). Overall, Coastal ranked among the NCAA FCS top 10 in six categories while leading the Big South in third-down conversions, completion percentage, first downs, red zone offense, scoring offense, and total offense. Jamey Cheatwood was named All-America and was joined on the All-Big South first team by both Chad Hamilton and Drew Herring.
The 2012 season was one of Coastal’s most productive on the offensive side of the ball in the program’s history. The Chants led the Big South in total offense and passing offense while ranking 25th nationally in rushing (199.34 ypg), 34th in passing (238.54 ypg), 18th in total offense (437.77 ypg) and 13th in scoring offense (34.31 ppg). In fact, Coastal set CCU single-season records for total offense (5,691 yards) and scoring with 446 points. The Chants also set a CCU single-season record by rushing for at least 200 yards in seven-straight games. At season’s end, center Pat Williams was named first-team All-Big South while left tackle Chad Hamilton earned second-team honors.
In 2011, Coastal Carolina once again led the Big South, while ranking 13th nationally, allowing just 13 total sacks (1.0 per contest). His offensive line helped quarterback Aramis Hillary lead the Big South, rank 10th in the NCAA and set a CCU single-season record in pass completion percentage (65.5). Hillary was also 19th nationally in pass efficiency (146.51) while the Chants finished 22nd in the stat as a team (144.11). At season’s end, Jamey Cheatwood would make his second-straight All-Big South second team, while Tim Franklin was also tabbed second-team all-conference.
Covington made an immediate impact in his first year in 2010. While inheriting a veteran group, the same group that had allowed 25 sacks in each of the previous two seasons, the unit only allowed seven sacks and did not allow more than one sack in any contest under Covington’s tutelage that season. The Chants led the Big South and ranked third in the NCAA with its average of 0.58 sacks allowed per game. The unit also helped running back Eric O’Neal lead the Big South and set a CCU record with 179 rushing attempts and quarterback Zach MacDowall rank among the NCAA top 40 in seven statistical categories. For their efforts, Seth Smalls and Jamey Cheatwood were singled out as second-team All-Big South selections.
Prior to returning to Coastal for the 2010 season, Covington spent three years at the Air Force Academy working with the Falcon’s offense. In 2009, Covington helped the Falcons to an 8-5 record and a victory over Houston in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. Covington worked closely with the offensive line for three years, which was one of the best in the league and finished second nationally in rushing with an average of 299.5 yards per game in 2007. Air Force’s rushing average in 2007 was its best since winning its only national rushing title in 2002 with a 307.8 per-game average. The Falcons won their 26th conference rushing title in 2009 and third-straight with Covington’s assistance.
Covington was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Coastal Carolina for the 2006 season and was part of a coaching staff that led the Chanticleers to the Big South Conference championship with a 9-3 record.
Covington is a 2006 graduate of Furman University. He was a three-year starter and four-year letterwinner for the Paladins from 2002-05. A two-time Southern Conference all-conference selection, he was rated as the No. 6 guard in NCAA I-AA football by The Sports Network. He was a Sports Network first-team All-American and an Associated Press second-team All-American in 2005.
In 2005, the Furman offense averaged a school-record 469.9 yards of total offense per game. The Paladins ranked third in the nation in rushing and reached the semifinals of the 2005 NCAA I-AA Playoffs. Covington was also a team captain his senior year and was a 2006 National Strength and Conditioning All-American.
A native of Charlotte, N.C., Covington attended Myers Park High School where he was a three-year starter and served as a team captain. He is married to the former Ann Louise Duncan. The couple has a son, Gus, and a daughter, Annie.
Patrick Covington's Coaching History
2006: Coastal Carolina (Strength and Conditioning)
2007-09: Air Force (Offensive Assistant)
2010-18: Coastal Carolina (Offensive Line)
2019: Coastal Carolina (Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line)
