It was a celebration, as the Voice of the Flames Alan York described the atmosphere for Sunday’s press conference in which Jamey Chadwell was announced as the next head football coach at Liberty. Now, as the fans have left the football facilities on campus in Lynchburg, Chadwell must get to work.

“One, you’ve got to build your staff,” he said of his first steps as Liberty head coach. “I’ve got to get to know the current staff. I’ve got to get to know the players, try to earn their trust every day. Then, try to be supportive as the team gets ready for the bowl game. Coach Aldridge, I know he will do a fantastic job as the interim, any support I can give. Really just observing a lot, trying to get to know the players as much as I can. Trying to learn the lay of the land as I put a staff together and then we’ve got to recruit. The current commitments, try to keep the current commitments, try to bring some people in. Then, also, you look at the portal.”

Anytime a new head football coach is named, the first question is about his coaching staff. It is likely that Chadwell will bring several of his assistants from his time at Coastal Carolina. It is also very possible that he attempts to retain a couple assistants that were at Liberty this past season. Chadwell could also bring in a couple new faces from outside both Coastal Carolina and Liberty.

Two names that make sense that could land on the Liberty coaching staff are Coastal Carolina co-offensive coordinators Newland Isaac and Willy Korn. Isaac, who also worked with the running backs at Coastal, was the 2021 AFCA FBS Assistant Coach of the Year. He played his college football at Charleston Southern and has been with Coach Chadwell at all of his previous coaching stops including North Greenville, Delta State, Charleston Southern, and Coastal Carolina.

Korn started at quarterback in Dabo Sweeney’s first year as Clemson’s head coach and graduated from there before transferring to North Greenville and playing for Chadwell. Korn has spent his entire coaching career under Chadwell, first at Charleston Southern and most recently at Coastal Carolina where he has coached the quarterbacks since 2019.

“I think any time you’ve been with some people for a while, you know what their hearts are,” said Chadwell. “There are guys down there that I think will (fit at Liberty). I’ve obviously not had a lot of time to talk with them, but also I know there are some good people here and there are some good people across the country. I’ve got some relationships with different people. You’ve got to find out who can help you achieve the goals you want to achieve but also do it within the parameters of our institution and what we stand for.”

Chadwell has already hit the road recruiting, visiting Liberty’s current verbal commitments in the Class of 2023 ahead of the early signing period later this month. As he continues to evaluate the current roster, Chadwell and his staff will look to fill needs both through recruiting of high school athletes and by looking at the transfer portal which officially opened on Monday.

“We were working on it earlier today,” Chadwell said of evaluating the roster. “I have an idea of the current roster, a little bit, more so than the current commits and some of the kids that are committed, might have recruited them out of high school anyway so I have an understanding there. From a portal standpoint, there are a lot of people in the portal but it’s got to be the ones that do you have a need here for that position and I’ve got to find out those needs over here in the next few days.”

In addition to filling out his staff and looking for additions to it through recruiting and the transfer portal, Chadwell will also spend a good amount of his time getting to know the current players on the roster at Liberty. There are several talented players that he will want to keep out of the portal and help build his team around moving towards the 2023 season.

“I think the main thing is being genuine,” Chadwell said of relating to his new team and the players on the roster. I can’t be somebody that I’m not. I think players need to see that you’re sincere. Any place that we’ve tried to be to take over, to help them improve, we’ve poured everything in it to be the last move that you’re ever going to make. I think players see that. I think they buy into that. Genuineness and sincerity and treating the payers in the way they need to be treated.”

As Liberty’s current team begins to turn their attention to the 2022 Boca Raton Bowl, it will be Interim Head Coach Josh Aldridge who leads that effort. Chadwell will be able to attend the team’s practices and observe their habits as he continues to get to know the team. He can do that without the added stress of trying to work a game plan to prepare his team to play. Despite not having to prepare a game plan and coach the team in the bowl game, Chadwell still intends on traveling with the team to South Florida for the game.

“I have not talked about that but I’m assuming I’ll be on the plane down there doing something,” he said. “I know signing day is coming up. I have to say yes, I haven’t talked to Ian yet, but being down there and being supportive. Obviously not doing anything but watching and observing, seeing guys practice and some of those things.”