Charlotte head coach and former Michigan associate head coach Biff Poggi on Jim Harbaugh’s suspension falling through:
“Great. It should’ve. Over-judicious group of idiots at the NCAA. Jim’s a straight shooter. Good dude.”
Charlotte has fired Will Healy after a 1-7 start to the season, sources confirm.
Pete Rossomando will serve as interim head coach.
@WillKunkelFOX
had it first.
Biff Poggi and the Charlotte 49ers are teaming up with HBO for a new documentary series.
Poggi was featured on “The Cost of Winning” during his time at St. Frances, and now the college version in the Queen City.
Huge for the program & recruiting.
@_agent49
had it first.
Nick Saban on Biff Poggi:
“Congratulations to Mike Hill and the Charlotte 49ers for a great hire. Biff Poggi will generate excitement and success for the program. The players will love playing for him and the coaches will love working with him. Get ready to win!”
Biff Poggi on how Charlotte will celebrate the first win over an AAC opponent and the first win in the Charlotte/ECU series:
"As soon as we step off of that bus, there are cigars waiting for every player and every staff member. We're smoking the hell out of them."
BREAKING: James Foster will get the start at QB today for Charlotte against Western Kentucky.
Chris Reynolds injured his hand in the first half against FAU and will be available in emergency situations only.
Some transfer news for Charlotte:
Derek Boykins is transferring from South Carolina to Charlotte. Boykins, a redshirt freshman, will fill an immediate void at linebacker.
He was a 3 star, the
#32
overall LB coming out of HS.
#GoldStandard
This duo combined for 23.5 sacks in their final year together at Charlotte & now they’re terrorizing QBs in the NFL.
Markees Watts has switched to linebacker & is battling for a spot with Tampa Bay, and Alex Highsmith just signed a four year extension in Pittsburgh.
#ProNiners
Biff Poggi has made 9 of 11 hires for his staff:
OC/QB: Mike Miller (UMD)
DC: Ryan Osborn (Ravens)
RB
WR: Mike Hartline (Auburn)
OT/TE: John Morookian (UM)
IOL: Kyle DeVan (CO)
DL: Wayne Dorsey (St. Francis)
LB: Greer Martini (LSU)
DBs: Rod Ojong (UB)
STC
S&C: Lewis Caralla (GT)
I have confirmed that Charlotte has conceptually approved participation for the new NCAA Football video game releasing in July of 2023.
Dynasty mode is going to go CRAZY.
.
@EASPORTS
is aiming to release a new college football video game in July 2023 🏈
Nearly 120 institutions have conceptually approved participation.
(via
@SInow
)
Takeaways from Poggi’s introductory presser:
- Charlotte will hit the transfer portal hard, but it’s not a rebuild.
- Assistant staff will “impress”. I’ve heard rumors of P5 coordinators & NFL guys joining the program.
- Main message: if you aren’t ready to win the AAC, bounce.
🚨Career Update: Excited to announce that I’ll be covering the Charlotte Hornets for the Charlotte Post (
@thecharpost
) this upcoming season.
Thanks to
@HerbLWhite1
for the opportunity, and
@m_a_h_o_n_e_y
, too. I can’t wait to get rolling covering the Hornets and the NBA.
Poggi on local recruiting:
"We're putting a ring fence around Charlotte. If you're coming to recruit Charlotte, you better pack a lunch. We're going to recruit the hell out of Charlotte."
.
@CharlotteFTBL
’s Larry Ogunjobi and the Cincinnati Bengals are headed to the Super Bowl.
Ogunjobi was placed on IR following the Wild Card round, but is the first 49er with a chance to win a ring.
.
@CharlotteMBB
has now won seven in a row, beating Tulane 75-71 on the road.
Halton is going to be slammed next weekend. ECU in town for the first time as AAC-opponents.
"I have been to a lot of P5s, but that might have been the best campus that I've seen out of them all. There is just a lot of opportunity down in Charlotte for me. It's pretty, the layout, the buildings, the facilities are just as big as Power 5s so really I see no difference."
Poggi on the defense:
“We were 130th out of 131 on defense. Last time I checked you can’t win games like that. We’re going to stop the run. We’re going to make you throw the ball, and we’re going to light you up.”
Charlotte just landed 4-star running back (according to ESPN), Durell Robinson (
@RellOfficial
), on national television during the Under Armour Next All-America game.
Huge get for the 49ers, as Biff Poggi lands his 37th commit of the cycle.
Made the drive back to Charlotte. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has read, watched or listened to any of my content this season. I appreciate every one of you.
Promise I’m going to take this to the next level in the next year.
Jalon Jones on Colorado transfer Jack Hestera:
“Jack is a Swiss Army knife. That’s little Cooper Kupp. He can do everything. He’s got the speed and route running ability, and we’ve built a great chemistry. He’s someone I can come back to when the bullets are flying.”
Elijah Spencer (
@EhSpence1
) burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2021 and won C-USA’s Freshman of the Year award in the process.
Spencer was thankful for the award, but it’s just made him hungry for more.
Per release, Biff Poggi has added 11-year NFL veteran Dre’ Bly to the 49ers’ coaching staff.
Bly will serve as a defensive analyst. He was the cornerbacks coach for the Detroit Lions last season, after spending the past four years as corners coach for North Carolina.
Huge win for the Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball team, scoring their first victory over a ranked team at home since 2010.
Lu’Cye Patterson’s two clutch FTs gave Charlotte the win, 70-68, avoiding No. 17 Florida Atlantic’s comeback attempt.
First AAC home game, first AAC win.
Florida transfer QB Max Brown has committed to Charlotte.
Brown was a three-star prospect & has three years of eligibility remaining. He served as Graham Mertz’s backup with the Gators.
Biff Poggi (1/2):
“The football team is getting better every second. (Memphis) is a team that’s going to be in the championship conversation in this league. Am I pissed we didn’t win? Yes, I am. My gut is ripped open about it. But I’m proud of our team & I’m proud of our coaches
Aaron Fearne and the Charlotte 49ers have brought a buzz back to Halton Arena.
“That’s what I want to see, and that’s what I want this community to have — a team that they love to follow and love the way we play."
For
@theobserver
:
Fearne signed a five-year contract worth up to $750K annually. He’ll be with the 49ers through 2029, per Charlotte AD Mike Hill.
Hill told me: “(Fearne’s) been able to galvanize this group in a way that’s really special. It’s galvanized our fan base, too.”
The postgame interaction that led to this story:
“Us international guys don’t care about (getting dunked on)..”
“I feel like my chances are pretty good up there, and I won’t step back from anything like that anytime soon.”
(🎥:
@CharlotteMBB
)
Whether it’s putting a defender on a poster or getting posterized himself, Igor Milicic Jr. doesn’t flinch.
I wrote about
@CharlotteMBB
’s team mentality, staying in the race for the AAC championship & the March to Madness.
For
@theobserver
:
The Player Focus series returns with
@CharlotteFTBL
wide receiver Victor Tucker. In two seasons, Vic has gone from underrated and overlooked to a 49er fan favorite, and he still has two years of eligibility remaining.
#GoldStandard
Elijah Spencer thrives under the lights. The true freshman’s breakout game came at the perfect time for
@CharlotteFTBL
.
“When I step on the field, I’m just laser-focused. It’s weird, but I just blank out. Once I blank out I know that no one can stop me.”
Biff Poggi:
"This falls on me. I’m telling you right now, I’m on a warpath. I just met with our coaches, and we're going to get it done the way I want it done - or either I’m not going to be here, or they’re not going to be here. I am not doing this for the rest of the season."
Biff Poggi on Florida transfer Max Brown:
"We got Max Brown. He's a total program-changer. His goal is to go to the NFL and he will be a really, really high sought-after player."
Linebacker Demetrius Knight has emerged as a leader for
@CharlotteFTBL
. He is reeling in one-handed interceptions, serving his teammates & seeing the game through the eyes of a quarterback.
“If he comes, he’ll change the culture. He will be the example.”
Saturday is
@CharlotteFTBL
’s 100th game. Nine years of football in the Queen City has led to this point, so we took a trip down memory lane.
I had a lot of fun with this one. I hope you enjoy.
A few things about
@CharlotteFTBL
quarterback Trexler Ivey:
-He will play ~50% of the snaps at No. 25 Florida, according to Poggi.
-His performance against GSU was the highest-ranked in the AAC and 15th-best in the county (PFF).
-He is not on scholarship.
A university source has informed me that Conference USA fined the Charlotte 49ers’ football program $10,000 for students running on the field prior to the conclusion of the Duke game.
Three things from Charlotte’s win over ECU:
-That was a big win/recruiting win for the 49ers
-Mike Hill was fired up; him & Biff Poggi shared a moment after the game
-Eyabi Okie-Anoma & Stone Handy are becoming a serious edge duo. Watch Handy here. Who does this remind you of?🌪️
BREAKING: FSU has promoted Alex Atkins to offensive coordinator.
Kenny Dillingham's deal to Oregon got done earlier today. I expect FSU to announce Atkins as new OC later today or tomorrow.
More on Noles247:
The Charlotte 49ers have announced a partnership with Nike and BSN Sports, the latter being the nation's largest direct distributor of sporting goods to school and league markets and a division of Varsity Brands, to continue to provide Nike athletic gear for all 19 programs.
Had to take a moment to highlight Alex Highsmith's (
@highsmith34
) performance against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night.
The
@CharlotteFTBL
alum has reached 10 sacks on the season, tied for fifth in the NFL.
The addition of Appalachian State in 2025 adds to a wild non-conference schedule for
@CharlotteFTBL
.
8/28 vs. App State (BoA)
9/6 vs. UNC
9/16 vs. Monmouth
11/22 at Georgia
Sources: Maryland co-OC Mike Miller is expected to become the offensive coordinator/QB coach/play caller at Charlotte. A contract is expected to be finalized in the upcoming days. Miller is a Charlotte native who was OC at Charlotte Christian back in 2016.
Biff Poggi on Tim Brewster:
"As far as recruiting, I've never seen anybody like him. He's a great analyzer of talent. He has a way with young people that is sincere, honest and true. He's a secret weapon."
Charlotte starts the post-Will Healy era with a dominant performance over Rice, winning their second game of the season, 56-23.
What a performance for interim head coach Pete Rossomando and the 49ers.
Football is BACK!
@CharlotteFTBL
’s training camp starts this morning, and I wrote about five of the numerous storylines to watch.
Replacing the Big 3, the rookie & the vet, new faces at every position and more.
Ryan Osborn:
“There are plenty of guys at Power Fives around the country who aren’t playing. 704, man. We’re here. Charlotte, we’re here. We’ll take you, and we’ll play you. We will get the best out of you.”
Charlotte’s DC Ryan Osborn has been tasked with rejuvenating one of the worst defenses in college football from a season ago.
The strength of this defense? Osborn says the front four.
“If you want to one-on-one block them, they’re going to **** you up."
For real this time! Dontae Balfour intercepts Tulsa quarterback Kirk Francis & Charlotte will win, 33-26 in overtime.
Walk-on quarterback Trexler Ivey led two lead-changing drives late, including the game-winner in OT to overcome a 17-point difference to keep bowl hopes alive.
.
@CharlotteFTBL
is a five point underdog against Florida Atlantic in the Week 8 matchup.
Richardson Stadium. Thursday night at 7:30 on CBS Sports Network.
@Coach_heals
message to the students & 49er fans.👇🏻
Sixth-year senior Chris Reynolds following the senior day victory:
"This is kind of weird because I feel like I should be taking a couple of weeks off and thinking about the next offseason here at Charlotte football, but that's not the plan anymore."
This will be fun.
The “rivalry” will be renewed for the first time since 2020. This will also be the first time Charlotte football has played at Bank of America Stadium.
With 59 yards against Rice, Victor Tucker now has 3,040 career receiving yards, ranking fourth among active FBS receivers.
The most prolific duo in school history, Chris Reynolds & Tucker, have connected for 2,593 yards & 17 touchdowns through the years. Three games left.
.
@TimBrewster
on his time so far with
@CharlotteFTBL
:
"I think that the potential of this job is amazing and I couldn’t be more fired up about the direction under coach Poggi. We’re recruiting lights out - we’re going to get them. I think good times are coming for the 49ers.”