Head Coach: University of North Carolina Charlotte
Will Healy, an Eddie Robinson Award winner as the 2017 National FCS Coach of the Year, was selected as the head football coach for the Charlotte 49ers in December, 2018. He came to the 49ers from Austin Peay, where he spent three years infusing energy and enthusiasm into that program while engineering one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history.
In his first year with the 49ers, Healy led Charlotte to its own historic season. Charlotte (7-6; 5-3 in C-USA) set school records for most wins (7), most Conference USA wins (5) and most home wins (5) while advancing to the school’s first bowl game. Charlotte rattled off a school-record five straight wins to end the regular-season and earn a bid to the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl. Along the way, Healy unveiled “Club Lit”, a post-game dance celebration in the 49ers locker room that brought national attention to the program. A gifted recruiter, he also attracted the 49ers best recruiting class in the 2019-20 signing period.
During the historic 2019 season, senior defensive end Alex Highsmith became the 49ers first all-America (3rd team, AP & Pro Football Focus) while Highsmith joined running back Benny LeMay and offensive lineman Cameron Clark to give Charlotte a school-record three first team all-Conference USA selections.
