CONWAY, S.C. – Coastal Carolina head football coach Joe Moglia announced Friday that he is stepping down from his position after seven years at the helm of the program. Jamey Chadwell, the current associate head coach, will take the reins.
“The 2018 season was my 25th as a football coach and I am proud and grateful for the career I’ve had, especially the last six and seven years as part of Coastal,” said Moglia. “I have decided to step down as the head coach of the football program and, as part of the succession plan that I, President David A. DeCenzo and Director of Athletics Matt Hogue believe is best for the program, to turn that responsibility over to Jamey Chadwell.”
"I was saddened when Coach Moglia informed me that he was going to step down as our head coach,” said Chadwell. “He is an incredible mentor to not only me but also for all of the young men in our football program, past and present, and has helped develop countless student-athletes that have gone on to great success in life after football. I want to thank Coach Moglia, Dr. DeCenzo and Matt [Hogue] for this great opportunity and their support in me as the next head coach of the Coastal Carolina football program. I am excited to build on the great foundation that Coach Moglia has put in place here as we continue to move forward in becoming one of the best programs in the Sun Belt.”
“On behalf of the Coastal Carolina University family I want to thank Joe Moglia for all he has done not only to transform our football program, but for his support of the University,” said Coastal Carolina University President David A. DeCenzo. “Joe is one of those individuals who bring such great talent and success to everything he’s touched. He’s taken us to a level that years ago was simply a dream. He leaves the coaching ranks with all the well-deserved accolades; and leaves a Coastal football legacy that is poised for even better accomplishments. Thank you Joe for your inspiration, hard work, and for your love of this special place called the Teal Nation. We are all in a better place since you became a Chanticleer.”
A five-time National Coach of the Year finalist and the 2015 Eddie Robinson FCS National Coach of the Year Award winner, Moglia made an immediate impact upon his arrival at Coastal Carolina prior to the 2012 season.
In six seasons (2012-16, ’18) on the sidelines at Coastal, Moglia posted an overall record of 56-22.
After a 29-28 overall record, including going just 1-9 versus the two best teams in the Big South, over the five years prior to Moglia, the Chanticleers went a combined 51-15 over his first five years at the helm of the program, including winning four conference championships (2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016) and qualifying for the NCAA Football Championship Playoffs all five seasons.
CCU also won the program’s first-ever postseason game in 2012, won a league-record 12 games and reached the NCAA quarterfinals in 2013, and went on to match both those feats the following season in 2014. The Chants were ranked No. 1 in the FCS for eight straight weeks in 2015 and went on to go 10-2 in 2016, their first year in transition to the FBS level.
Moglia was named the Big South Conference Coach of the Year twice and the 2014 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year. He was twice named a finalist for the Liberty Mutual FCS National Coach of the Year and was a three-time Eddie Robinson FCS National Coach of the Year finalist before winning the award as the nation’s best coach in 2015.
Chadwell, a two-time FCS National Coach of the Year finalist and three-time Big South Coach of the Year, becomes the third head coach in Coastal Carolina football history. He finished fourth in the FCS National Coach of the Year voting in 2015 and eighth in 2013 and on the field led CSU to two conference titles, as well as the NCAA Division I FCS Championship Playoffs twice.
A 2018 Broyles Award nominee, an award given to college football's top assistant coaches, Chadwell has been the associate head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Chanticleers for the last two seasons. 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 fourth-down conversion percentage for much of the season.
On the field, Chadwell has won over 60 games in nine years as a head coach at Charleston Southern (2013-16), one at Delta State (2012) and three at North Greenville (2009-10).
CSU was ranked in the top 25 for 22 consecutive weeks in 2015. The Bucs finished No. 6 nationally in 2015 and No. 14 in 2016.
He also led North Greenville to the NCAA DII quarterfinals with an 11-3 record in 2011. Chadwell led the Crusaders to their first-ever national ranking, finishing the 2011 season ranked 12th nationally in the American Football Coaches Association DII Poll.
He began his collegiate coaching career at his alma mater, East Tennessee State University, in 2000.
Chadwell was a four-year letterman and two-year team captain at ETSU, receiving his bachelor's degree in economics and business education. He completed his MBA from Charleston Southern and earned academic honors while working towards both of his degrees.