Charles Huff and Memphis add one of nation’s top young coordinators to staff

While at Illinois College in 2024, Drew Chance and Illinois College (D-III) lit up the scoreboards and record books en route to capturing our FootballScoop Division III Coordinator of the Year Award.

Now Chance is set to make the jump to the FBS level.

The accomplished small college coordinator has accepted a position on staff with Charles Huff at Memphis, where he will serve as assistant quarterbacks coach.

In his first season back at his alma mater calling the offense, Chance was instrumental in the program’s turnaround from 5-5 to 9-1, leading an offense that helped IC capture their first Midwest Conference title in school history, and punched their ticket to the Division III playoffs. 

In his two seasons with the program, Illinois College had the second-ranked offense in the country, averaging just under 560 yards per game and nearly 48 points per game, setting conference records for both points and yards in a single season.

The Blueboys would also lead the country in passing offense at 384 yards per game while producing the conference player of the year and a pair of AFCA All-Americans. In capturing the 2024 FootballScoop Division III Coordinator of the Year honor, Chance mentored the nation’s leading passing (who also happened to be his younger brother, Destin), as well the country’s leading receiver as well.

Chance made the difficult decision to leave his alma mater prior to the 2025 season to take over as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Bethel University (NAIA – TN).

Before getting his chance as the primary play caller, Chance began his career at the Division II level as the pass game coordinator and quarterbacks, and tight ends coach at West Virginia State.

As a prep quarterback in Illinois, Chance led Auburn HS to its first state title appearance back in 2015. He carried that success with him to Illinois College where he helped lead entire league in total offense during the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons, leaving the school ranked 3rd all-time in school history in passing yards, completions and total touchdowns.

He joins a staff led by first-year Memphis head coach Charles Huff, who tabbed Old Dominion offensive coordinator Kevin Decker as the Tigers new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Both Decker and Chance have developed a mastery of the deep choice concept taking high school and college football programs by storm the last several seasons and will now work together as that becomes a staple of Memphis offense.