Liberty University announced the completion of its 2026 football coaching staff under new head coach Kelvin Peoples, naming coordinators and position coaches 48 hours after Jamey Chadwell's departure to North Carolina. The Flames promoted from within for both coordinator roles—offensive coordinator Josh Aldridge and defensive coordinator Scott Symons retain their titles—and added three external hires at position coach level.
Chadwell left Lynchburg on December 9 after four seasons and a 38-15 record, taking the North Carolina job at a reported $6.5 million annually. Liberty moved on Peoples, the program's running backs coach since 2020, within 72 hours. The staff announcement follows by two days, unusually fast for a Group of Five program managing a coaching change during early signing period. Liberty signed 18 recruits in the December window, losing two commitments in the 36 hours after Chadwell's exit.
The retention of Aldridge and Symons matters for continuity in a conference where offensive coordinator turnover averages 1.8 years per stint, per FBS data. Aldridge has been at Liberty since 2018, running an offense that ranked 22nd nationally in yards per play in 2025. Symons arrived in 2023 from Charlotte and coordinates a unit that allowed 21.4 points per game last season, 19th in FBS. Both were rumored for lateral moves to Power Four programs in the past six weeks. Liberty's ability to hold them suggests compensation bumps—likely in the $550,000–$700,000 range for Aldridge, up from an estimated $475,000—and assurances about facility investment.
The external hires are less surprising. Liberty added a tight ends coach from Appalachian State, a cornerbacks coach from James Madison, and a special teams analyst promoted to on-field role. All three programs compete in Conference USA or Sun Belt, the same labor pool Liberty has mined since its FBS transition in 2018. The moves reflect a mid-major model: pay coordinators near Power Four assistant wages, hire position coaches from peer programs at $180,000–$240,000, and preserve recruiting pipelines in Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia.
What's less clear is whether Peoples commands the same athletic department leverage Chadwell enjoyed. Chadwell negotiated a $32 million operations center expansion in 2023 and a $4.2 million salary pool for assistants, both above Conference USA norms. Liberty's administration has been publicly committed to football growth, but Peoples arrives without a head coaching track record. His five-year deal reportedly pays $2.1 million annually, roughly half Chadwell's final number. If the staff budget holds near $4 million, Liberty remains competitive in Conference USA. If it contracts, the Aldridge and Symons retentions become one-year holding patterns before Power Four poaching resumes.
The December signing class finished 63rd nationally per 247Sports composite, Liberty's highest finish in program history. Peoples' ability to hold that recruiting momentum through spring depends on staff stability and early wins in the transfer portal. Liberty has added four portal commits since December 10, all from FCS programs. The Flames open 2026 at Virginia Tech on August 29, a $1.5 million guarantee game that doubles as a regional credibility test.
Liberty's next move is likely a director of player personnel hire, a role Chadwell left vacant in 2025 to allocate budget toward on-field staff. Peoples is expected to fill it by mid-January, targeting candidates with Power Four analytics experience. The coordinators' contract extensions, if they happen, will surface in public records by February.
The takeaway
Liberty locked coordinators **48 hours** post-Chadwell, betting **$4M** staff budget holds recruiting momentum through portal and August opener.
liberty flamescoaching staffconference usajamey chadwellkelvin peoplescoordinator retention
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