Coastal Carolina coach Joe Moglia is taking a leave of absence because of a continuing medical problem and will miss the 2017 season.
Moglia, 68, announced his plans Friday in a first-person letter on the school's athletics website. Coastal Carolina granted him a five-month leave to deal with what he called a bronchial asthmatic reaction to allergies, which causes inflammation around his lungs and results in difficulty breathing.
Moglia said he has had the problem for three years and wants to get it fixed. He said doctors have told him that the time away will solve the issue and that he will be "100 percent ready" to return to coaching.
"I recognize most coaches wouldn't make this decision, but I'm not like most coaches and I very much believe I am making a smart long-term decision in exchange for a near-term sacrifice," Moglia wrote.
Assistant head coach Jamey Chadwell will take over Coastal Carolina during its first FBS season in the Sun Belt Conference.
"Aside from this being a smart and prudent decision about his long-term health, I think we see from this another example of what makes Joe such a unique, extraordinary person," athletic director Matt Hogue said in a statement.
"He is gifted with an ability to evaluate situations and make decisions from a perspective most people don't see. He's an ahead of the curve person and that is a major factor here. This level of proactivity will position him to return and lead our program to many more successes."
Moglia missed conference media days because of a medical procedure.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.