South Carolina Football: Top 3 candidates to replace Will Muschamp

3. Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina HC

Jamey Chadwell might seem like an “out of the box” hire, and he would be. However, he knows the state of South Carolina because of his time at Coastal Carolina and Charleston State.

There is an argument to be made that Chadwell does not have enough pelts on the wall to coach in the SEC, but he’s an offensive coach, and the Gamecocks need to put points on the board.

During Chadwell’s two seasons as head coach, the Chanticleers have averaged 34.2 points per game. Redshirt freshman dual-threat quarterback Grayson McCall is one of the best players in the Group of Five. In his first season as the starting quarterback for the Chants, McCall has thrown 1,393 yards and 16 touchdowns. He is also the team’s second-leading rusher with 271 yards and four scores.

This season, the Chanticleer defense has become one of the best in the Group of Five, surrendering just 16.3 points per game. Defensive linemen Tarron Jackson, Jeffery Gunter and CJ Brewer have combined for 15 sacks. The Chanticleer defense is solid at all three levels.

Chadwell is solid on the recruiting trail, with the Chanticleers third in the Sun Belt in the 2021 recruiting rankings. He might not be the splashiest hire the Gamecocks could make, but that doesn’t mean Chadwell would not be the best hire they could make.