Bio

Chase Calcagni is back for his second season on the Gulf Coast staff in 2026, having continued his impressive coaching career, which includes stops at the NCAA Division I and high school levels.

The 2025 Bulldogs offense rewrote the Gulf Coast record book on the way to a 9-2 record and a berth in the MACCC championship game. Wide receiver Tyler Henderson finished in the top five in school history in receptions (67), receiving yards (1,202) and receiving touchdowns (12). Quarterback Landon Varnes used Calcagni’s group to lead the NJCAA in completions (210), attempts (316), yards (3,296), touchdowns (31) and passing efficiency (177.6). He set the school record for passing yards, yards per attempt, yards per game and touchdown passes.

Gulf Coast led the NJCAA in total offense per game (466.1 yards), passing yards (3,452) and passing yards per attempt (10.4).

Henderson signed with Alabama, leading a three-person signing class from the wide receiver room that included Mason Beverly (Southern Miss) and Antwaan Mays (Robert Morris), also headed to Division I schools.

Calcagni had a successful stint as the offensive coordinator at Baker High School in Mobile for the 2021-2023 seasons, where the Hornets rewrote the offensive record book. Baker averaged 8.8 yards per play, and the 2023 team ranked second in the state of Alabama by averaging 445.1 yards. Calcagni was also the special teams and recruiting coordinator. During Calcagni's time at Baker, he helped 20 players sign to play college football, including four Division I wide receivers. 

Before that, he spent three years at the University of South Alabama. He served as director of player personnel and recruiting, handling roster management and recruiting strategies. He also served as an offensive analyst and was the program’s liaison between the football program and high school coaches as well as NFL teams. At South, he recruited or helped contribute to three Jaguars being drafted and 12 being picked up as undrafted free agents. Two of the three draft picks were wide receivers Jalen Tolbert (third round) and Kawaan Baker (seventh round), and three of the 12 UDFA's were wideouts.

In 2017, Calcagni was the outside linebackers coach and special teams assistant at Armwood High School in Tampa, Fla. The team advanced to the Class 6A state championship game, finishing 15-1. The Hawks set a school record with seven shutouts and allowed 6.1 points per game. They also set state records with 224 tackles for loss and 66 sacks. Armwood sent 17 players to Division I schools, including three from his position group. One of Calcagni's position players, Jerome Ford, is on the Cleveland Browns roster.

Calcagni was on the University of Central Arkansas staff in 2015-16, serving as an assistant for defensive line, quarterbacks and linebackers. The team went 17-7 overall and 15-3 in the Southland Conference. The 2016 team went 10-3 and scored the Bears’ first-ever home FCS playoff victory. Calcagni also helped with NFL Liaison responsibilities during his time in Conway, helping recruit or contribute to four Central Arkansas players being drafted and two being picked up as undrafted free agents.

He started his coaching duties at the University of Findlay in Ohio, where he was the safeties and cornerbacks coach. Calcagni also served as a special teams assistant and video coordinator. In Calcagni's first year as a college coach, he coached and produced All-American safety Harold Jones-Quartey. Jones-Quartey signed as an undrafted free agent after the season, went on to start for the Chicago Bears as a rookie and later won a Super Bowl with the Eagles.

Calcagni graduated with a bachelor’s in kinesiology and P-12 teaching, with a coaching endorsement from the University of Arkansas in 2014. At Central Arkansas, he earned a master’s in school leadership, management and administration in 2017. He is married to Lauren Calcagni, a special education teacher who works as an autism evaluator with Goodwill Gulf Coast.