Coastal Carolina fired head coach Tim Beck. It ends a turbulent three-year tenure marked by sharp regression and a string of lopsided losses that overshadowed early optimism for the program. Beck finished 20-18 after taking over the Chanticleers in December 2022. It was his first college head-coaching role after more than three decades as an assistant at major programs.
The decision follows a collapse that defined the end of Coastal Carolina’s 2025 season. The Chanticleers closed with three straight defeats after a 6-3 start and were outscored 110-17 in back-to-back blowouts against South Carolina and James Madison. Coastal’s 59-10 loss to the Dukes punctuated the slide and widened an already growing gap between the programs. James Madison won all three meetings with Beck by a combined score of 154-31, underscoring Coastal’s struggles to stay competitive in pivotal matchups.
Coastal’s issues extended beyond a rough finish. Five of the team’s six losses this season came by at least 38 points, continuing a pattern that had emerged under Beck. Of his 18 defeats, 15 were by double digits, and nine were by at least 20. Those margins became increasingly alarming for a program accustomed to stability under former coach Jamey Chadwell, who led the Chanticleers to national relevance before departing for Liberty.
Tim Beck knew the writing was on the wall at Coastal Carolina
Beck acknowledged the mounting problems after the loss to South Carolina, citing missed tackles, breakdowns in coverage, and unexpected formation adjustments the team had not fully prepared for. He emphasized the inability to finish plays and execute in critical moments, saying his players needed to “fight for the next play” but failed to consistently recover from early mistakes.
After an encouraging 8-5 debut season in 2023, momentum faded with a 6-7 finish in 2024 that ended in a Myrtle Beach Bowl loss. The 6-6 record this year, combined with Coastal’s struggles to compete against stronger opponents, ultimately pushed the program to make its second coaching change in less than three years.
The school is expected to name an interim coach during a scheduled staff meeting. Early candidates for the permanent job include South Carolina defensive coordinator Clayton White, who previously worked with Coastal athletic director Chance Miller.
Coastal Carolina will now enter a critical search as it attempts to regain stability and reclaim its place among the Sun Belt’s top programs.
