Chadwell grew up in Tennessee and attended East Tennessee State University, where he played quarterback from 1995 to 1999.[2][3] He began his coaching career in 2000 at East Tennessee State before taking an assistant position at Charleston Southern in 2004. He won several coach of the year awards in 2020 after leading his Coastal Carolina team to an 11–1 record.
After his playing career ended, Chadwell began his coaching career at his alma mater East Tennessee State in 2000.[4][5] He remained as an offensive assistant with the Buccaneers through the 2003 season when he left to take a position at Charleston Southern.[6]
After serving as an assistant offensive coach with the Charleston Southern Buccaneers, on February 6, 2009, Chadwell was hired as the head coach at North Greenville University.[7] During his three-year tenure with the Crusaders, Chadwell had an overall record of 20 wins and 14 losses (20–14).[8] He also led the Crusaders to their first all-time appearance in the NCAA Division II football playoffs following the 2011 season.[9] In the playoffs, Chadwell led the Crusaders to the quarterfinals where they lost to Delta State 28–23.[10]
On January 2, 2012, Chadwell was hired by Delta State to succeed Ron Roberts as the head coach of the Statesmen.[11] Chadwell resigned as head coach of the Statesmen after only one season on January 17, 2013, to take the same position with Charleston Southern.[12][13] During his one season at Delta State, he compiled an overall record of 3 wins and 7 losses.[12]
On January 17, 2013, Chadwell was formally introduced as the third-ever head coach at Charleston Southern.[13]
On January 8, 2017, Chadwell was named the new offensive coordinator at Coastal Carolina.[14]
On July 28, 2017, Chadwell was named interim head coach for Coastal Carolina as head coach Joe Moglia took a medical leave of absence.[15] Coastal Carolina finished with a 3–9 record on the season. Despite the losing record, the Chanticleers had five losses by a touchdown or less.[16] The school announced on January 5, 2018, that Moglia had been medically cleared to return to full-time coaching and would reassume the head coaching position.[17]
In 2018, the NCAA released a detailed report concerning numerous NCAA violations across the Charleston Southern athletic department that occurred during Chadwell's tenure as head football coach. The athletic department was found to have incorrectly certified 55 student athletes across 12 sports over a six-year period, and football players were found to have used scholarship funds to purchase electronics and jewelry from the campus book store. Ultimately, the NCAA sanctions included vacating 18 wins from the 2014 and 2015 football seasons and the 2015 Big South Championship, in addition to several vacated wins in other sports. Also vacated were three wins over crosstown rival The Citadel, games during which CSU used ineligible players.[1]
On January 18, 2019, Chadwell was formally introduced as the third head coach at Coastal Carolina.[18] Coastal Carolina finished with a 5–7 record, highlighted by victories over Kansas and Troy.[19]
On February 14, 2021, it was revealed that Chadwell more than doubled his salary with a new agreement he signed in December 2020. His base salary was $850,000 for the 2021 season and included a $50,000 increase every year until the contract was scheduled to end on December 31, 2027. Chadwell's increased pay made him the second-highest paid coach in the Sun Belt Conference.[24] In the 2021 season, Chadwell led the team to a 10–2 regular season mark.[25] The Chanticleers won the Cure Bowl over Northern Illinois 47–41.[26]
In the 2022 season, Chadwell led the team to a 9–3 regular season record.[27] The season ended with a 53–29 loss to East Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl.[28]
On December 4, 2022, Chadwell was introduced as the 10th head coach in Liberty history.[29][30] Chadwell led Liberty to an undefeated regular season in 2023.[31] He led Liberty to a 49–35 victory over New Mexico State in the Conference USA Championship.[32] The Flames' season ended with a 45–6 loss to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.[33]
^Rothschild, Will (November 13, 2011). "North Greenville gears up for playoffs". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Spartanburg, South Carolina. Retrieved January 3, 2012.
