Jamey Chadwell - Head Coach - Football Coaches

Jamey Chadwell

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
lufootball@liberty.edu
Start Date:
12/05/2022

During Liberty’s first two seasons under head coach Jamey Chadwell, the Flames have reached unprecedented heights and continued they upward trajectory as one of the fastest growing FBS programs in the country.

Liberty has been the top Group of Five program in the country since the 2020 season with 47 wins, ranking ahead of UTSA (46), Coastal Carolina (45), Louisiana (45), Army (42), Memphis (42) and Tulane (40).

Chadwell became the 10^th coach in program history when he was hired on December 4, 2022. During his first season on the Mountain, Chadwell was charged with leading the Flames into uncharted territory during Liberty’s first season in Conference USA.

Liberty entered the 2023 bowl season with a perfect 13-0 record and was one of four undefeated teams in the country, joining Florida State, Washington and eventual national champion Michigan.

Chadwell guided the Flames to an unblemished 8-0 regular season record in Conference USA and a 49-35 win over New Mexico State in the CUSA Football Championship game.

Chadwell’s success positioned the Flames to receive their first-ever invitation to play in a New Year’s Six bowl game. Liberty squared off against No. 8 Oregon in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on January 1 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

Chadwell’s spread option offense allowed Liberty to finish the 2023 season ranked No. 1 in the country in rushing, averaging 293.3 yards per game. Liberty finished the year rushing for a program-record 4,106 yards and 39 touchdowns.

Additionally, Liberty ranks No. 1 in tackles for a loss allowed (2.64 per game), No. 2 in sacks allowed (0.64 per game), No. 2 in passing yards per completion (16.19), No. 3 in winning percentage (92.9), No. 4 in total offense (499.1 yards per game), No. 4 in first down offense (348), No. 8 in time of possession (33:04) and No. 9 scoring offense (38.3 points per game).

Defensively, Liberty led the nation with 21 interceptions, while ranking No. 9 in the country in turnovers gained (25).

Chadwell was well recognized for leading the Flames to a standout season in 2023. He was named the Conference USA Co-Coach of the Year, a semifinalist for the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award Group of 5 Conference Coach of the Year, the HERO Sports Group of Five Co-Coach of the Year and the winner of the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award.

During his second year on the Mountain, Chadwell guided the Flames to an 8-4 record in 2024 and an appearance in the Bahamas Bowl, giving Liberty six-straight bowl game appearances.

The Flames continued to dominate on the ground, finishing the season ranked No. 4 in the country in rushing offense (250.7 yards per game), while also ending the year ranked No. 20 in fewest interceptions allowed (7).

Chadwell guided 10 players who earned Conference USA All-Conference honors, while having several players garner additional regional and national recognition.

Redshirt freshman Aaron Fenimore, who stepped into his position as starting center the week before the season due to an injury, was named to The Athletic Freshman All-America team.

Jordan White, who was supposed to start at center for the Flames in 2024 but moved over to guard due to the preseason injury on the line, was named to the HERO Sports Group of Five All-America second team.

Linebacker Joseph Carter was the top player at his position in the Commonwealth of Virginia as he was named the Linebacker of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Richmond.

Unparalleled success followed Chadwell at each of his stops during his 13-year coaching journey prior to taking over the head coach position at Liberty in 2023.

During the decade-plus run, Chadwell posted nearly 100 career wins (99-57 record prior to coming to Liberty) with head coaching stops at North Greenville (2009-2011), Delta State (2012), Charleston Southern (2013-16) and Coastal Carolina (2017 (intern); 2019-22).

Six years prior to coming to the Mountain, Chadwell worked at the Beach (2017-22), guiding the rapid growth of the Coastal Carolina football program at the FBS level and in the Sun Belt Conference.

Chadwell coached the Chanticleers to first-place finishes in the Sun Belt Conference in 2020 and 2022 (tied for first in East) and a 31-6 record over the last three seasons. He helped Coastal Carolina secure its first two FBS bowl game appearances at the 2020 and 2021 Cure Bowl, including a win over Northern Illinois, 47-41, in the 2021 Tailgreeter Cure Bowl.

After guiding Coastal Carolina to an 11-0 regular season record in 2020, Chadwell was named the 2020 Walter Camp Coach of the Year, The Home Depot College Football Coach of the Year, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, Sporting News Coach of the Year, CBS Sports/247Sports Coach of the Year, Paul "Bear" Bryant Group of 5 2020 Conference Coach of the Year and Grant Teaff Coach of the Year Award (FCA).

Chadwell’s Chanticleers were ranked in the top 25 Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls for a total of 22 consecutive weeks from Oct. 18, 2020, through Nov. 7, 2021.

The Chanticleers were also ranked as high as No. 12 in the College Football Playoff rankings in 2020, which set a Sun Belt record.

With their back-to-back double-digit wins total in 2020 (11-1) and 2021 (11-2), Coastal Carolina was one of six teams at the FBS level to post back-to-back double-digit win seasons during the two-year span.

The Chanticleers (22-3) were one of 10 teams to win 20-plus games over the same period: Alabama (26-2), Louisiana (23-2), Cincinnati (22-2), Coastal Carolina (22-3), Notre Dame (21-4), BYU (21-4), Georgia (22-3), Oklahoma (20-4), Oklahoma State (20-5), and Clemson (20-5).

During the 2021 season, Coastal Carolina was one of four FBS teams to rank in the top 25 in both total offense (fifth) and total defense (25th) and one of eight teams to rank in the top 25 in both scoring offense (fifth) and scoring defense (25th).

The Chants had a total of three players pick up All-America recognition in 2021, as senior tight end Isaiah Likely was named a second-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF), the Pro Football Network (PFN), and the College Football All-SIS, while also picking up 2021 Phil Steele All-American honorable mention honors.

Freshman defensive end Josaiah Stewart was named to the 2021 FWAA Freshman All-American team, The Athletic's 2021 College Football Freshman All-American team, ESPN 2021 College Football True Freshman All-American team, 2021 247Sports True Freshman All-American team, and the 2021 Pro Football Network (PFN) All-American third team, while also picking up 2021 Phil Steele All-American honorable mention accolades and being named a semifinalist for the 2021 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award. Senior wideout Jaivon Heiligh was named a Phil Steele All-American honorable mention.

On top of that, quarterback Grayson McCall was named the 2021 Blanchard-Rogers Trophy (S.C. Heisman) award winner and was a repeat as the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, as a total of 16 Chanticleers picked up All-Sun Belt honors. With his second-straight Conference Player of the Year honor, McCall became one of just four student-athletes in the history of the Sun Belt Conference to pick up multiple Player of the Year honors and do it in back-to-back years.

In 2020, Chadwell led the Chanticleers to the program’s first-ever Sun Belt Conference title, an 11-1 overall mark, including an 8-0 Sun Belt Conference record, and the program’s first-ever FBS postseason bowl game.

The Chanticleers posted two wins over ranked FBS opponents, the first two such victories in program history, four wins over top 50 opponents. They were ranked as high as No. 9 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and No. 11 in the Amway Coaches Poll, both Sun Belt Conference records.

Chadwell saw five players in Tarron Jackson (Walter Camp Football Foundation (first team), Associated Press (first team), FWAA (first team), American Football Coaches Association (first team), ESPN (first team), Reese’s Senior Bowl (first team), Phil Steele Publication (first team), Sporting News’ (second team), CBS Sports/247Sports (second team), Senior CLASS second-team All-American)), C.J. Brewer (Associated Press (third team), Phil Steele Publication (honorable mention)), Grayson McCall (FWAA Freshman All-American, The Athletic’s 2020 College Football Freshman All-American), Willie Lampkin (FWAA Freshman All-American, ESPN College Football’s True Freshman All-America Team, The Athletic’s 2020 College Football Freshman All-American, 247Sports True Freshman All-American), and Isaiah Likely (Pro Football Focus (PFF) (second team)) all pick up All-American honors in 2020.

With his first-team honors from the AP, AFCA, FWAA, and WCFF, Jackson was recognized as a consensus All-American. He was also named a finalist for the Lombardi Award, the Lott IMPACT Trophy, and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and was a Bednarik Award semifinalist, a William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist, and earned a spot on the Ted Hendricks Award watch list.

Jackson would go on to be drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round (191st overall pick) of the 2021 NFL Draft, becoming just the seventh Chanticleer in program history to be selected in the NFL Draft.

McCall also picked up individual national honors, as the redshirt freshman was named the 2020 Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Most Inspirational Freshman. He was also a Manning Award Finalist, a Maxwell Award semifinalist, a Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award semifinalist, and a Shaun Alexander-FWAA Freshman of the Year Award semifinalist, while linebacker Silas Kelly was recognized as a 2020 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year.

The team earned 16 selections to the 2020 All-Sun Belt team, including 10 first-team selections. They also secured five of the conference’s six individual awards: Player and Freshman of the Year (McCall); Defensive Player of the Year (Jackson); Newcomer of the Year (D’Jordan Strong) and Coach of the Year (Chadwell).

In Chadwell’s first year as the full-time head coach for the Chants in 2019, the Chanticleers went 5-7 overall and highlighted the season with a 12-7 win on the road at Kansas, the program’s first-ever win over a Power 5 opponent on the gridiron.

For the second-straight season, the Chants missed bowl eligibility by just one win and finished 2-6 in the Sun Belt Conference. However, the Chants were competitive all season long, as seven of their 12 games on the season were decided by one score (eight points) or less.

Remaining the offensive play-caller 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. 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.

During the 2018 season, Chadwell served as the Chanticleers associate head coach under head coach Joe Moglia. He was a Broyles Award nominee, an award given annually to college football’s top assistant coach, serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

The Chanticleers’ offense in 2018 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.

Coastal Carolina 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).

Chadwell served as interim head coach during the 2017 season due to Moglia taking a medical sabbatical.

Before his days in Conway, S.C., Chadwell spent four seasons as the head coach at Charleston Southern, where he finished fourth in the FCS National Coach of the Year voting in 2015 and eighth in 2013.

He was named Big South Coach of the Year three times (2013, 2015, and 2016), led CSU to conference titles in 2015 and 2016, and guided the Buccaneers to the NCAA Division I FCS Championship Playoffs in each of his last two years.

During the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Charleston Southern was ranked in the FCS national top 25 polls for 22 consecutive weeks in addition to having a seven-week run to end the 2013 season. The Bucs finished No. 6/7 nationally in the FCS in 2015, was ranked in the FCS top 10 for nine weeks in 2016, and finished ranked No. 14/15 in the FCS final polls.

In 2016, Chadwell earned Big South Coach of the Year honors for the second-straight year and third time in four years, tying him for the most such accolades in conference history.

Charleston Southern ranked No. 14/15 in the FCS final polls as the Bucs beat three ranked opponents along the way. In addition to Chadwell’s recognition as the league’s coach of the year, Charleston Southern had four players named All-America while 12 earned All-Big South honors. Charleston Southern was first in the Big South in yards per rush (6.0) with the Bucs also ranking among the nation’s best in rushing offense (266.5, 6th) and scoring offense (33.0, 20th).

Charleston Southern broke through on the national stage in a big way in 2015, compiling a 10-3 overall record and a 6-0 Big South mark en route to achieving a pair of firsts -- an outright conference championship and an automatic FCS Division I Championship bid.

The Bucs finished the regular season as one of just three programs to go undefeated against fellow FCS competition.

Chadwell was named a finalist for the second time for FCS National Coach of the Year, finishing fourth in the national voting, and tabbed the Big South Coach of the Year for the second time after piloting a roster that included 13 all-conference selections. The Bucs finished the year ranked a program-best sixth in the STATS FCS poll and seventh in the FCS Coaches poll after reaching the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs.

CSU was 8-4 in 2014, led the country in time of possession, and ranked 16th nationally in rushing offense. The Bucs’ aggressive defense also excelled and paced the Big South in total defense, rushing defense, and pass defense.

Chadwell’s first year at Charleston Southern resulted in him being named the 2013 Big South Coach of the Year and the AFCA Region II Coach of the Year while finishing eighth in the voting for the Eddie Robinson FCS National Coach of the Year award. C

Charleston Southern set a school record for wins during a 10-3 season, climbed as high as No. 12 in the FCS Coaches Poll, spent the final seven weeks of the season in the coaches poll, and finished the year ranked for the first time in school history at No. 22/24. Charleston Southern led the nation in average time of possession and was among national leaders in turnover margin and rushing offense.

During the 2012 season, served as the head coach at Delta State, following three seasons as the head coach at North Greenville (2009-11).

After posting a 2-8 record in his first season as a head coach at North Greenville in 2009, Chadwell turned the program around in year two, going 9-3. He then led North Greenville to the NCAA DII quarterfinals with an 11-3 record in year three and the program’s first-ever national ranking, finishing the 2011 season 12th in the American Football Coaches Association DII Poll.

In 2011, North Greenville defeated every team in the South Atlantic Conference in the first year of the four-year scheduling alliance of which North Greenville is a part.

Chadwell began his collegiate coaching career at his alma mater East Tennessee State in 2000. From 2000-03, the former Anderson County (Tenn.) High School star worked with the quarterbacks, tight ends, and running backs while assisting with recruiting and offensive game planning.

From 2004-08, Chadwell was on staff at Charleston Southern before he was named the head coach in 2009. He served as recruiting coordinator and offensive coordinator, helping the Buccaneers with their first-ever Big South Conference title in 2005.

Chadwell was a four-year letterman at ETSU (1996-99) and was a two-year team captain for the Buccaneers. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics and business education in May 2000 from ETSU and completed his MBA from Charleston Southern in May 2006.

Chadwell is married to the former Solmaz Zarrineh and the couple has one son, Jameson, and two daughters, Avery and Soraya.

Chadwell at a Glance
Coaching Experience:

2023-present – Liberty (Head Coach)
2019-22 – Coastal Carolina (Head Coach)
2018 – Coastal Carolina (Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach)
2017 – Coastal Carolina (Intern Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach)
2013-16 – Charleston Southern (Head Coach)
2012 – Delta State (Head Coach)
2009-11 – North Greenville (Head Coach)
2004-08 – Charleston Southern (Offensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator)
2000-03 – East Tennessee State (QB/RB/TE Coach)

Education: B.S., Economics (East Tennessee State, ’00), MBA (Charleston Southern, ’06)
Hometown: Caryville, Tenn.
Wife: Solmaz
Children: One son, Jameson, and two daughters, Avery and Soraya

College Head Coaching Records:

Year	School	Overall	Conf.	Conf. Finish	Postseason
2009	North Greenville	2-8	--
2010	North Greenville	9-3	--
2011	North Greenville	11-3	--		DII quarterfinals
2012	Delta State	3-7	1-4	5^th place
2013	Charleston Southern	10-3	3-2	3^rd place
2014	Charleston Southern	8-4	3-2	T3^rd place
2015	Charleston Southern	10-3	6-0	1^st place	FCS Quarterfinals
2016	Charleston Southern	7-4	4-1	T1^st place	FCS First Round
2017	Coastal Carolina ^	3-9	2-6	T10^th place
2019	Coastal Carolina	5-7	2-6	T8^th place
2020	Coastal Carolina	11-1	8-0	1^st place	FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl
2021	Coastal Carolina	11-2	6-2	3^rd place	Tailgreeter Cure Bowl
2022	Coastal Carolina	9-3	6-2	T1^st place (East)	TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
2023	Liberty	13-1	8-0	1st place	Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
2024	Liberty	8-4	5-3	4th place	Bahamas Bowl