CCU’s Jamey Chadwell addresses rumors that he’s a candidate for the Virginia Tech job
With Coastal Carolina’s success over the past two seasons, head coach Jamey Chadwell’s name was sure to come up for head coaching openings this year, and Virginia Tech is the first.
The Hokies fired Justin Fuente on Tuesday and at least one betting site, Sportsline, has established Chadwell as the favorite to fill Virginia Tech’s opening.
Chadwell said early Wednesday afternoon that he has not heard from Virginia Tech, nor any other program with a current opening, which would include LSU, Southern California, TCU, Washington and Washington State.
“I’ve not been contacted by anybody and my representation has not been contacted by anybody,” Chadwell said. “Does that mean that might not happen eventually? I’m sure that might come down the pike. But typically I know where I stand. Usually, anytime you have success people are going to throw your name out there, ‘Oh this might be a good fit, that might be a good fit.’
“But nobody has contacted me and we’re extremely excited about what we’re building here and we’ve got to finish off this season and continue to build this program where we want it to be.”
Coastal moved up to the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Sun Belt Conference from the Football Championship Subdivision beginning in 2017, when Chadwell was hired as the offensive coordinator and associate head coach under then-head coach Joe Moglia.
After three consecutive losing seasons — two under Chadwell, including a 3-9 record as an interim coach in 2017 during Moglia’s medical sabbatical — Coastal has gone 19-3 over the past two years, including an undefeated regular season in 2020.
The Chanticleers were ranked for 22 consecutive releases of both the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll prior to this week, going back to October 2020 and ascending as high as No. 9 in the AP poll last year.
“Obviously that (interest) shows you’re having success in your current year. . . . Any time names get popped out there, everybody gets sort of thrown out — hey whose the coach that’s doing well right at this time?“ Chadwell said while joking about a couple of the higher-profile coaching vacancies. “I told LSU no thanks, they said they’re going after somebody else, and then USC, I told them I’m not a California guy I’m Myrtle Beach for life.”
Chadwell, 44, will likely be more of a serious candidate for coaching jobs in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic, as he is a Tennessee native and East Tennessee State alumnus who has spent all 12 years as a head coach in the Southeast — including 11 in South Carolina at North Greenville, Charleston Southern and CCU. He has no head or assistant coaching experience at a Power Five conference school, which may be a primary detraction for larger programs.
Chadwell won most if not all of the national coach of the year honors in 2020, including the Associated Press, Paul “Bear” Bryant, Walter Camp, Eddie Robinson and ESPN Home Depot awards.
His name was mentioned for a few head coach openings last season and he was reportedly interviewed by Gamecocks athletic director Ray Tanner for the South Carolina opening that was eventually filled by Shane Beamer.
CCU renegotiated Chadwell’s contract late last year, bumping his base salary from below $400,000 annually to between $850,000 and $1.15 million over each of the next seven years, with increased annual performance bonuses and a hefty buyout for termination without cause. He and his staff can supplement their pay with performance bonuses totaling up to $2.6 million annually.
The university is now more protected financially if Chadwell leaves for another NCAA or professional coaching job. If he leaves before Dec. 20, Chadwell must pay the university a buyout of $1.15 million. His buyout decreases to $950,000 in 2022, and drops incrementally each year to $350,000 between Dec. 20, 2026-27. His buyout was $150,000 under his previous contract.
Chadwell is an offensive coach who calls Coastal’s plays, and the Chants have one of the nation’s top offenses.
CCU’s triple-option spread offense ranks fifth in the nation in FBS in points per game this season with 42.3, eighth in rushing yards per game at 228, eighth in total yards per game at 493, and 36th in passing yards per game at 265.
The Chants (8-2) are 4-2 in the Sun Belt with games remaining against Texas State at home Saturday and at South Alabama next Friday.
This story was originally published November 17, 2021 at 1:00 PM.
