DALLAS – After leading their respective teams to the CUSA Championship Game in their first seasons in the league, Liberty’s Jamey Chadwell and New Mexico State’s Jerry Kill were named Conference USA Co-Coaches of the Year, as voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Chadwell has led the Flames to a 13-0 season and a berth in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl during his first season in Lynchburg. Heading into bowl season Liberty ranks No. 23 in the College Football Playoff rankings, as the highest-ranked Group of Five program, No. 18 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 20 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. Chadwell led the Flames to new heights in 2023, setting a program record in wins in a season, and also guided Liberty to its first Conference USA title.
The Flames boast the nation’s top rushing offense (302.9 yards per game), third-best total offense (514.9 yards per game) and the nation’s fifth-best scoring offense (40.8 points per game), while also intercepting the most passes in the country (21), forcing the second-most turnovers in FBS (25) and allowing just 22.2 points per game. Chadwell leads the Flames into the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl to take on No. 8 Oregon (11-2) on Monday, Jan. 1, at 12 p.m. CT on ESPN with a chance for a 14-0 season.
Kill has led the Aggies to a 10-4 record and a CUSA Championship Game appearance in New Mexico State’s first year as members of the league. It marks just the second time in program history that the Aggies have won double digit games, 1960 being the last, and Kill has the Aggies in a bowl game for the second consecutive season, another feat only accomplished once before in Las Cruces (1959-60). New Mexico State was also named Cheez-It National Team of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America for their performance in a 31-10 drubbing of SEC foe Auburn on the Plains on Nov. 18.
The Aggies rank 12th in the country in rushing offense (202.7 yards per game), fourth in red zone defense (71.4%) and a defense that allows just 21.8 points per game. Kill’s Aggies are set to face off with Fresno State (8-4) on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 4:45 p.m. CT in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, also on ESPN, with an opportunity to tie a program record in wins (11).