Charlotte 49ers football coach Brad Lambert rounded out his staff with the hires of four assistants Monday.

Drew Dayton (inside linebackers), Damien Gary (running backs), Johnson Richardson (tight ends) and John Russell (secondary assistant) will join Lambert's now 10-man staff. The 49ers will play their first season of football in 2013.

"This group fits in with the staff that's in place from a character standpoint, a recruiting standpoint and how we treat our players," Lambert said in a statement. "We couldn't be more excited about bringing them in. They will bring a great intensity level that will be good for us both on and off the field. The important thing that really came through in the process is that they are really fired up to be here and excited about Charlotte starting football."

Dayton, a former Wake Forest defensive back, has been Duke's defensive quality control coordinator. He was also a graduate assistant for the Blue Devils and was an assistant at Lenoir-Rhyne from 2003-06.

Gary is Georgia's all-time leading punt returner in returns (114) and yards (1,253) and played on the Bulldogs' 2002 Sugar Bowl-winning team. He's been Mars Hill's receivers coach the past two years and was an assistant at Clarke Central (Athens, Ga.) High from 2005-10. He was a college teammate of 49ers assistant Joe Tereshinski when Lambert was an assistant at Georgia.

Richardson, grandson of Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson , is a former Wofford tight end who has been an assistant at Wingate since 2010. He's also a former sideline and equipment assistant for the Panthers.

Russell, a former Wake Forest linebacker, was one of the top linebackers in the ACC and helped the Deacons to the 2006 league championship and a berth in the Orange Bowl. He was a graduate assistant at Duke last season.

The final four assistants join a staff that already includes offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen , defensive coordinator Bruce Tall , offensive line coach Phil Ratliff , secondary coach James Adams , linebackers coach Napolean Sykes and inside receivers coach Tereshinski.