CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte 49ers, who are moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in 2015 as a member of Conference USA, will open practice Thursday afternoon.
Head coach Brad Lambert returns 16 starters and welcomes several veteran newcomers who have joined the 49ers as transfers. The 49ers also welcome the return of three upperclassmen who missed all or most of last season with injuries: Seniors LB Caleb Clayton-Molby and DL Devon Johnson; junior LB Nick Cook.
With 16 starters back, an influx of some FBS experience as well as the return of several key upperclassmen who were injured last year, the 49ers have given a veteran look to a first-year FBS program.
“That was our plan once the decision was made to move to Conference USA and the FBS,” Lambert said. “Our plan was to put age on our team. We felt like to make the move we would need the age to be competitive. It bodes well for us as we move into Conference USA. We haven’t played an FBS schedule yet but we feel like we have guys who’ve played two years and who’ve got age on them. That was the goal and that’s what we’ve got to do moving forward.”
Moving forward, the 49ers upstart football program, which has been defined by a series of firsts, will welcome a new wave in 2015.
Charlotte will play home games under the lights, for the first time. Charlotte has four full recruiting classes, for the first time. Charlotte will present its marching band for the first time. And the most important of all: Charlotte makes its debut in Conference USA and is set to compete as an FBS member, for the first time.
The first game. The first touchdown. The first win. All are in the rearview mirror and the 49ers are moving full speed ahead.
“We’ve had a lot of firsts in starting this program, but this probably the biggest,” said head coach Brad Lambert. “Having to play 11 FBS games — our guys have worked extremely hard and are working extremely hard now. We’re excited to get started.”
This leap to big-time football was set in motion years ago, before the 49ers held even their first practice. Conference USA extended an invitation to the Charlotte 49ers on May 4, 2012. Charlotte had hired head coach Brad Lambert and assembled the start of his staff, had neared completion of Jerry Richardson Stadium and signed the program’s first recruiting class.
They hadn’t played a single game, held a single practice or made a single tackle.
Yet, they were on the fast track to FBS football — spending two years as an FCS independent before stepping up to the largest stage in 2015.
“(Starting the program) has been a lot of work,” Lambert said, “but we got to do a lot of things we don’t normally get to do: doing contracts with apparel companies and ball companies and designing fields — all of those sorts of things that are normally in place when you take a job – from that standpoint to sit back today and see everybody that’s here and the number of people involved has been a real rewarding part of starting football. One of the other things — you can come in and put your stamp on how you want to do things, the work ethic you want to establish.
“I’ve said from the start, the biggest challenge has been balancing the roster. As you looked forward back in 2012 and 2013 to 2015 and ‘16 — how do we balance our roster so it’s somewhat spaced out? That’s been the biggest challenge – taking the right transfers, making decisions in ‘13 and ‘14 to redshirt guys when they all could have played. We had to make some tough decisions to help us in ‘15 and ‘16 and moving forward to balance the roster.”
So the roster is ready: A large red-shirt junior class that was the 49ers first-ever recruiting class and has handled the bulk of the workload over the first two seasons. An 11-man senior class that includes some transfers with FBS experience and is spread among many of the position rooms. Three sets of underclassmen ready to make their mark.
The 49ers open the 2015 season in the Georgia Dome vs. Georgia State, Friday, Sept. 4 at 3:30. Charlotte’s home opener will be Sept. 12 vs. Presbyterian. Charlotte’s debut in Conference USA will be Sept. 19 at Middle Tennessee while the 49ers first home game against a C-USA foe will be. Sept. 26 vs. Florida Atlantic.
Article Courtesy: Charlotte PR Department
