This is a young Charlotte program that’s in desperate need of a break.
In 11 years at the FBS level, it has one winning season with last year’s 1-11 run, with no conference or FBS wins, the worst of the bunch.
The pressure is off. No one will be expecting anything, so go surprise, 49ers.
Charlotte Has Nowhere to Go But Up
© Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The Biff Poggi idea – a former Michigan assistant who didn’t fit the true head coaching type – was an outside-of-the-box shot at greatness that didn’t work.
The two years under his watch were a struggle, and it required a total redo to come from Tim Albin, a wonderful hire from Ohio.
Everything started fresh last season, and the results were disastrous. There’s another overhaul of talent, the schedule is a problem, and …
Let it rip, Charlotte.
Charlotte Quick Hits
- Head Coach: Tim Albin (2nd year: 1-11; 9th year: 59-38)
- Best Case / Worst Case: Flirt with bowl eligibility/A second straight season without an FBS win
- Key Player: Grayson Loftis, QB Jr. or Conner Harrell, QB Sr.
- 2025 Record: 1-11
- Biggest Question: Is there anything the 49ers can do right on either side of the ball on a consistent basis?
Charlotte Key 2025 Stats
- 1st Quarter Scoring: Opponents 124, Charlotte 23
- Extra Points: Opponents 56-of-56, Charlotte 15-of-15
- Rushing Yards: Opponents 2,403, Charlotte 981
Offense
It wasn’t because of a lack of coaching or effort. This was a total rebuild, and nothing was assembled.
The offense averaged just 286 yards and 14 points per game, struggled to score when it had the chance, and didn’t get anything working on the line to help everyone out.
Once again, it’ll be another year of transfers trying to make it all work.
What’s Working
To start with the positives, the 49ers have quarterbacks. They just need to stay healthy and get time to operate.
Conner Harrell is the best of the bunch, but he’s coming off a knee injury. Grayson Loftis had his moments, and Cole Gonzales is a baller from Pitt.
At least when it comes to the portal, the receiving corps might be the team’s biggest strength. Cam Pedro was a major playmaker at SE Missouri State, and App State’s Jaden Barnes made 55 grabs and seven touchdowns last season.
Throw in speedy Zyheem Collick from Bryant, tight end Logan Mauldin from McNeese State, and the promising Tank Boston from NC State, and the 49ers will get plenty of big plays out of this bunch.
The coaching staff really does know what it’s doing. Offensive coordinator Todd Fitch is a veteran quarterbacks coach who has been around the block several times.
Before Albin became an FBS head coach, he was a terrific offensive coordinator for years at North Dakota State and then at Ohio. He’ll get creative, too.
What Needs Work
Scoring. The 49ers have to manufacture points from somewhere. They don’t have the top personnel to get by straight up.
There has to be some sort of differentiating factor in how the attack moves.
They failed to score more than 14 points in seven games, didn’t score more than 26 against an FBS team, and …
The red zone offense was abysmal. It’s not like the 49ers lost because of one thing here or there – they didn’t come closer than 11 points in any of the 11 losses – but it sure as shoot didn’t help that this was the worst team in America when getting inside the 20.
Charlotte came away with points just 62% of the time when it got into the red zone.
Over the last three games, it got inside the 20 just three times and failed to score on any of them.
(To be fair, the team was usually getting rocked, and often had to go for it instead of kicking field goals.)
The ground game has to be better. Leading rusher Rod Gainey left for LSU, but Jariel Cobb is back after seeing a little time in the rotation.
Khamni Alexander (App State), Chance Williams (Cincinnati), and DeMariun Perteet (Coastal Carolina) aren’t too tested, but they’ll get their chances for a ground game that averaged 82 yards per game.
Player to Watch
Cam Pedro, WR Jr.
The offense needs proven playmakers. The 5-11, 180-pound transfer from SE Missouri State made 65 catches last season for 814 yards and four scores. Among all the new receivers coming in, he has the biggest instant upside.
Defense
Sam Houston was worse.
Not to be mean here, but the Charlotte defense wasn’t even close. It was the second-worst in the nation, allowing 472 yards per game and 36 points every time out.
There wasn’t any pass rush, the run defense was a rumor, and most games were over by halftime. But there’s experience returning, and more through the portal to give this another go.
What’s Working
There are a few good producers coming back, and it starts with big 235-pound linebacker Kadin Schmitz. He was second on the team with 66 stops.
Curtis Simpson was an okay part of the end rotation, Caleb Irving is a young tackle, CJ Clinkscales had to make too many tackles at safety, and …
Here comes the size. As the NBA saying goes when it comes to talent evaluation, if you miss, miss big.
Charlotte brought in 6-4, 335-pound tackle D’Nas White from Catawba – but he was first brought in by Florida State.
Devin Ancrum from North Carolina and Wingate’s Lewis Price-Law push 300, and former FSU Seminole Ayo Tifase goes about 285.
There were takeaways. There weren’t enough to matter, but the defense came up with multiple takeaways four times, including four against USF and three against Tulane. This year’s defense will have to be even more aggressive and take more chances.
What Needs Work
The secondary needs playmakers. The three main producers – safety Ja’Qurious Conley and corners Derrick Edwards and Thai Baldwin – are done.
Corner Dwight Bootle left for Arizona, good tackling safety Cary Grant is at App State, and there isn’t much to replace them.
The lack of a pass rush was the biggest problem. Not pressuring the quarterback got the secondary torched, and not being able to generate tackles for loss was brutal for the overall run defense.
The small school transfers coming in had better be great right out of the box.
Stop the run. The 49ers allowed five yards per carry as team after team kept handing it off and enjoying what happened next.
They gave up over 200 rushing yards four times, and usually only held on when the other side – like North Texas throwing for over 600 yards – didn’t push the running game much.
Player to Watch
Kadin Schmitz, LB Sr.
The 6-1, 235-pounder spent two years at Ohio – making 33 tackles in 2024. He came over with Albin last year, and he turned into one of the team’s best defenders, making 66 tackles with two picks. The stats will pile up fast this year.
Keys to the Season
- Get enough from the offensive line to let the skill guys work.
- Get the defense off the field more by any means necessary.
- Control the tempo – quit being blown out before everyone has a chance to get into their seats.
Player Who Needs To Shine
Shaku Sangarie, EDGE Jr.
Someone has to be the guy who makes quarterbacks worry. The 6-2, 250-pound Drake transfer made 34 tackles with 2.5 sacks last season, but he’ll be one of the options turned loose. Get into the backfield, and keep doing it.
Biggest Concern
Positive momentum.
The team was so awful last year, it was on a demoralization train and couldn’t get off. It’s impossible to get too fired up when you score 23 points combined in all 12 first quarters.
Being simply competitive would go a long way. Way too often, the 49ers were just a light scrimmage for the other side.
Biggest Game
Louisiana, September 26
There aren’t any American Conference home games that will all in Charlotte’s favor – Memphis, Tulane, East Carolina, Navy … uh oh.
Louisiana is one of the few games on the slate that the 49ers have a real shot at taking down. Lose this non-conference game, and it’ll take something special to pull off a win the rest of the way.
Transfer Portal
Charlotte needed lots of players, and Charlotte got lots of players. There are a few key losses, but the bulk talents coming in outweigh the negatives of the losses.
The receiving corps got the most help, and the offensive line should be far better with this class.
Best Signing
J’ven Williams, OT (Penn State)
The blocking has to be there this time around, and it starts with the transfers. The 6-5, 315-pound Penn State transfer looks the part, and he has the tools. The best of the offensive line signings, he needs to be an anchor.
Biggest Loss
Javen Nicholas, WR (Duke)
The receiving corps has a ton of parts coming in, but Nicholas caught 60 passes for 740 yards and five touchdowns. He was one of the few guys on the offensive side who kept producing.
Other Names to Know
- Tank Boston, WR (NC State)
- Zyheem Collick, WR (Bryant)
- Devin Ancrum, DT (North Carolina)
CFN Season Prediction
The coaching staff is too good, the overall program has the will to try winning, and the American Conference is hardly anything amazing. There will be a few wins here and there, but good luck figuring out where they are.
The talent is a bit better this season, but it’ll take a few big upsets to make any sort of a push.
CFN Prediction: 2-10
The 49ers will beat The Citadel to open the season, and they should be more than just competitive with an App State on the road and Louisiana at home.
The problem is that the winnable American games are on the road. Charlotte should be able to hang with UAB and Tulsa, but they’re away dates, as is the game against a much-improved Temple.
Memphis, Tulane, East Carolina, and Navy will all be deep in the mix for the conference title, and they’ll all be favorites when they roll into Jerry Richardson.
There’s no pressure – go out and be the surprise team of 2026, Charlotte.
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