Liberty’s hiring of Jamey Chadwell to replace Hugh Freeze as head coach of the Flames’ football team has been ranked as one of the best coaching hires this cycle.
Bleacher Report recently put together a list of their top 10 coaching hires in college football this year. Liberty’s hiring of Jamey Chadwell ranked No. 4 on the list, only trailing Deion Sanders (Colorado), Luke Fickell (Wisconsin), and Matt Rhule (Nebraska).
Here is what Bleacher Report had to say about Liberty’s hiring of Chadwell:
If Jamey Chadwell can replicate the success he had at Coastal Carolina, Liberty will be in a great spot. Chadwell replaces Hugh Freeze and will guide the Flames as they move from an FBS Independent to Conference USA in 2023.
Chadwell did a fantastic job over five seasons for the Chanticleers, finishing with a 39-22 overall record, and back-to-back 11-win seasons in 2020 and 2021.
The Chanticleers saw massive offensive success under Chadwell. During the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Coastal led the Sun Belt in scoring offense, averaging 37.2 points per game in 2020 and 40.9 points per game in 2021.
His quarterback, Grayson McCall, threw for 8,019 yards and 78 touchdowns over his Chanticleers career. Chadwell’s offense also featured current Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely.
Although Coastal never had a real shot at making it into the playoff—the highest it got ranked was 12th by the committee—Chadwell is setting his sights on that goal as he takes over at Liberty.
“To have the opportunity to take this football program to the next level in Conference USA, to compete for conference championships, starting in 2024 we’re going to start competing for the CFP,” Chadwell said in a news conference, as transcribed by ESPN. “That’s our ultimate goal. Everything that we do will be working towards that.”
We’ll see how high Chadwell can take this Liberty program
The 45-year old Chadwell will take the reigns of the Flames’ football program coming off four straight eight plus win seasons under the direction of Hugh Freeze. Chadwell has been the head coach of the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers for the past four seasons. He was 5-7 in his first season in 2019 before finishing 11-1 in 2020, 11-2 in 2021, and 9-3 following Coastal’s loss to Troy in the Sun Belt Championship game on Saturday evening.
He was Coastal’s Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator for the 2017-2018 campaigns, serving as Interim Head Coach in 2017 when the Chanticleers finished 3-9 in their first year in the Sun Belt.
Prior to his time in Conway, South Carolina, Chadwell led Charleston Southern for four seasons, compiling a 35-14 overall record and 16-5 mark in the Big South Conference. His tenure include two 10-win seasons and two FCS Playoff Appearances. Chadwell was 3-1 against Liberty during his tenure as head coach at Charleston Southern as both teams were members of the Big South at the time. Overall, he is 3-2 against the Flames as a head coach, as Liberty defeated the previously unbeaten Coastal Carolina in the 2020 Cure Bowl, 37-34 in overtime.
Chadwell was the head coach for Division II North Greenville from 2009-2011, improving their record from 20-8 in his first season to 20-6 over the next two years. He was also the head coach at Delta State for the 2012 season. Chadwell has a career record as a head coach as 99-57.
Chadwell played quarterback at East Tennessee State from 1995-1999. He would begin his coaching career at his alma mater where he coached several offensive positions from 2000-2003 before a five year sting as Charleston Southern’s offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator prior to the start of his head coaching career.
