While Coastal Continues To Roll On the Field; Tensions Continue To Rise Behind the Scenes
Conway, SC. - The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers are rolling in their title defense, sitting at a perfect 9–0 entering their late Week 10 bye. But while everything looks pristine between the lines, seven straight wins by 20 or more since their 20–10 nail-biter against Clemson; things appear to be unraveling quickly behind the scenes in Conway.
Although no official statement has been released, multiple sources indicate that the relationship between head coach Kade Vaughn and newly appointed athletic director Mike Buddie is deteriorating fast. The tension reportedly began after Coastal’s 79–6 dismantling of Georgia Tech, when Buddie issued Vaughn an undisclosed fine for “conduct unbecoming of an Atlantic Coast Conference head coach.” The letter accompanying the fine was described as strongly worded, instructing Vaughn to “begin playing nice with his contemporaries” and reminding him that, while they compete on the field, ACC programs remain partners in building the conference brand.
Vaughn’s response was pure defiance. He pre-wrote a check for triple the original fine and had it sent first class to Buddie’s home, timed to arrive the morning of Coastal’s Week 8 showdown with Wake Forest. The Chanticleers then proceeded to thrash the Demon Deacons 65–20, keeping their starters in for the entire contest.
Buddie’s follow-up was equally emphatic: another fine; double the amount of the check Vaughn sent, and a private meeting with Buddie and university president James Winebreak. According to sources, Vaughn was standoffish during the meeting, openly questioning Buddie’s motives in front of Winebreak. Vaughn reportedly accused Buddie of using his expiring contract as leverage, framing the disciplinary actions as a message to “play ball, or be replaced.”
Earlier in the season, Vaughn had attempted to bypass Buddie altogether, approaching Coastal’s senior leadership directly to discuss a long-term extension. Vaughn, sources said, wanted to negotiate midseason to prevent contract speculation from becoming a distraction during another potential championship run. Leadership instead informed Buddie of the meeting and reaffirmed that only he would oversee negotiations. On his timeline.
Following that meeting, Vaughn and the Chanticleers responded in their trademark fashion: by hanging 66 points on LSU in Death Valley. His postgame remarks didn’t do much to cool tensions either.
“No one can accuse us of running up the score now,” Vaughn quipped, after playing true freshman quarterback Anthony Prude for the entire fourth quarter to give last year’s No. 1 QB recruit live reps.
With Coastal entering their bye week, the drama has momentarily subsided, but not for long. Buddie has reportedly issued Vaughn an ultimatum ahead of the Chanticleers’ highly anticipated Week 11 return to Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Hurricanes.
It was in that same stadium last season that Vaughn and Miami head coach Mario Cristobal engaged in a now-infamous pregame and postgame feud, capped by Vaughn wearing a replica of the Hurricanes’ Turnover Chain to midfield after Coastal’s 45–13 win — sparking a heated confrontation that required coaches and officials to intervene. That incident ultimately led to an ACC-issued fine and, sources believe, played a key role in former AD Chance Miller’s reassignment, paving the way for Buddie’s hiring.
“Coastal wants to look and feel like a legitimate ACC institution,” one insider said. “That includes professionalism from the top down. They didn’t think Chance was enforcing that, so Buddie was brought in to clean it up.”
Now, the two figures steering the most polarizing program in college football are at another crossroads. According to multiple reports, Buddie’s latest directive to Vaughn was simple:
“The turnover chain stays home. Or you do.”
