Head Coach Jamey Chadwell

Jamey Chadwell was named the third head coach in Coastal Carolina football history on January 18, 2019.

Before taking over the reins at Coastal Carolina in 2019, he was a twotime FCS National Coach of the Year finalist and a three-time Big South Coach of the Year at Charleston Southern from 2013-16. He was also the head coach at Delta State in 2012 and North Greenville from 2009-10.

On the field, Chadwell has won over 75 games in 11 years as a head coach at Charleston Southern (2013-16), Delta State (2012), North Greenville (2009-11), and Coastal Carolina (2017, 2019-20).

After serving as the interim head coach for the 2017 season, Coastal’s first full season at the FBS level, and leading the Chants to a 5-7 record in 2019, his first season as the full-time head coach, Chadwell guided Coastal Carolina to a historical year in 2020.

In his third year as the head coach at CCU, Chadwell led the Chants 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 2020 season marked Coastal Carolina’s firstever undefeated regular season and the first time that the Chanticleers were ranked in either the Associated

Press Top 25 Poll or the Amway Coaches Poll presented by USA Today Sports.

The Chanticleers posted two wins over FBS top 25 nationally-ranked opponents, the first two such victories in program history, four wins over top 50 opponents, and was 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. The Chanticleers were also ranked as high as No. 12 in the College Football Playoff rankings, also a Sun Belt record.

For his efforts, Chadwell received several Coach of the Year honors. He was named the 2020 Walter Camp Coach of the Year, the 2020 Associated Press Coach of the Year, The Home Depot College Football Coach of the Year, the 2020 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, the Sporting News’ 2020 Coach of the Year, the 2020 CBS Sports/247Sports Coach of the Year, and the Paul “Bear” Bryant Group of 5 2020 Conference Coach of the Year. He was also the winner of the 2020 George Munger College Coach of the Year Award and was chosen by fans as The Premier Coach of College Football by Premier Players, Inc.

Chadwell was also named the 2020 Sun Belt Coach of the Year, the 2020 Werner Ladder AFCA FBS Region 2 Coach of the Year, and honored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) with the 2020 Grant Teaff Coach of the Year Award. He was also a finalist for both the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award and the Lombardi Honors 2020 Coach of the Year Award.

He 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).

Overall, the offense in 2020 led the conference in scoring offense (37.2 points per game), thirddown conversion percentage (52.3 percent), fourth-down conversion percentage (76.5 percent), time of possession (33:50), completion percentage (66.6 percent), fewest interceptions thrown (5), and team passing efficiency (177.72).

CCU was second in the league for the year in red-zone offense (88.3 percent) and second in both sacks allowed per game (1.17) and tackles-for-loss allowed per game (4.33) on the year. The Chants also ranked third in the conference in total offense (449.8 yards per game) and rushing offense (218.3 yards per game), both of which ranked in the top 25 nationally.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Chants led the Sun Belt in fumble recoveries (9) and was second in interceptions (16), which also ranked third nationally. CCU led the Sun Belt in turnovers forced (25) and in turnover margin (+13), which both ranked among the nation’s best at the end of the 2020 season.

The defense was also second in the Sun Belt in scoring defense (20.2 points per game), second in sacks per game (2.83), second in fourth-down conversion percent defense (44.4 percent), third in first downs defense (223), third in fewest passing yards allowed (204.2 yards per game), third in fewest rushing yards allowed (147.7 yards per game), third in tackles-for-loss per game (6.4), third in total defense (351.9 yards per game), and fourth in third-down conversion percentage defense (38.0 percent).

The team also ranked first in the conference and second nationally in fewest penalties per game (3.67), and was second in the Sun Belt on the season in both fewest penalties (44) and fewest penalty yards (428).

In his 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 in 2019, 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.

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 conversion percentage (40.7 percent), and fifth in sacks allowed (1.67 per game).

Both sophomore quarterbacks in Fred Payton and Bryce Carpenter surpassed the 1,000-career passing yards mark on the season, as both completed over 63 percent of their pass attempts and combined to throw for 2,379 yards and 21 touchdowns. Junior running back CJ Marable led the team in rushing with 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).

The defense improved in every area from 2018 to 2019, as the “Black Swarm” defense led the Sun Belt in fewest first downs allowed (241), was third in interceptions (11), fourth in scoring defense (30.5 points allowed per game), fourth in total defense (383.6 yards per game), fourth in rushing defense (160.1 yards per game), fifth in fewest passing yards allowed (223.5 yards per game), and sixth in red-zone defense (85.7 percent).

Junior defensive end Tarron Jackson led the Sun Belt and set a new Coastal single-season record with 10.0 sacks on the season and 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. Redshirt senior cornerback Chandler Kryst at one point led the nation and finished seventh in all of NCAA FBS with five interceptions on the season.

As a team, the Chants were fourth in the conference in punt return defense (6.43 yards allowed per game), fourth in fewest penalty yards (586), fourth in fewest penalty yards per game (48.83), fifth in fewest penalties (67), and fifth in fewest penalties per game (5.58).

A total of 11 student-athletes earned Sun Belt Conference postseason honors, as Jackson was named to the All-Sun Belt first team, becoming only the second Chant to earn first-team all-conference honors since Coastal Carolina joined the Sun Belt in 2017. Earning second-team honors was Kryst, while five Chants were named to the third team in tight end Isaiah Likely, offensive lineman Trey Carter, defensive tackle C.J. Brewer, nose tackle Sterling Johnson, and linebacker Teddy Gallagher. Receiving honorable mention recognition was Marable, wide receiver Jaivon Heiligh, tight end Shadell Bell, and offensive lineman Ethan Howard.

In the classroom, redshirt junior Jonathan Clayton earned second-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, while five other Chants in Kameron Burton, Carter, Gallagher, Michael McFarlane, and Alex Spillum joined Clayton on the CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 first team.

A 2018 Broyles Award nominee, an award given annually to college football’s top assistant coach, Chadwell was the associate head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach for the Chanticleers in 2018. He served as the interim head coach for the 2017 season due to head coach Joe Moglia taking a medical sabbatical.

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 fourthdown 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).

Not only was 2017 Coastal’s first year in the NCAA Division I FBS, but the Chanticleers were forced to play four quarterbacks due to various injuries and for the second half of the season Coastal’s offensive line was the youngest in the nation as it featured two true freshmen, two redshirt freshmen, and a sophomore. Despite those facts, Coastal landed two offensive players on the All-Sun Belt team in running back Osharmar Abercrombie (third team) and wide receiver Malcolm Williams (third team) while offensive lineman Trey Carter and receiver Chris Jones were tabbed honorable mention. Despite CCU ranking seventh in scoring offense (23.7 ppg), the Chanticleers were second in the Sun Belt in red-zone offense scoring 84.4 percent of the time.

Chadwell came to Coastal after 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.

Over the 2015 and 2016 seasons, CSU 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. CSU 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, CSU had four players named All-America while 12 earned All-Big South honors. CSU 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).

CSU 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. CSU 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. CSU led the nation in average time of possession and was among national leaders in turnover margin and rushing offense. CSU shattered several school records during Chadwell’s first year and nine Bucs received Big South postseason awards.

Chadwell, a former Buccaneer assistant coach, returned to CSU after head coaching stops at Delta State, going 3-8 in his lone season (2012), and North Greenville, going 22-14 in three seasons (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 NGU 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.

Chadwell spent five seasons on Jay Mills’ staff at CSU (2004-08) and served as the recruiting coordinator, later adding offensive coordinator duties, before leaving for North Greenville. He helped the Bucs’ program reach new heights, including winning the 2005 Big South Conference title.

He 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.

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.