Coaching search, top recruits are priorities for Charlotte coach Will Healy’s offseason

Entering the fourth year under head coach Will Healy, Charlotte 49ers spring practice is approaching, and there are plenty of questions surrounding the team’s defense.

Coming off a disappointing end to a 5-7 season, Charlotte is looking to fill three coaching vacancies, two of which are on the defensive side of the ball, including the addition of a defensive coordinator.

The return of many seniors, including quarterback Chris Reynolds, has provided optimism for the 2022 season. But avoiding a repeat of 2021, where the defense unraveled down the stretch, will be make or break for Healy’s group.

Charlotte has signed 17 players for the class of 2022, ranking 107th in the nation and 8th in Conference USA, almost identical to the 2021 class (108th, 7th), per 247 sports. Healy and his staff will continue to evaluate the transfer portal throughout the spring and will announce more roster additions when the summer school session begins.

With Charlotte’s final season in C-USA on the horizon, the 49ers are preparing to make the jump to the American Athletic Conference in 2023.

Here are two things Charlotte must do this off-season:

Finalize the coaching staff

Charlotte lost five of its last six games in 2021, rounding out the season with a bottom-10 total defense in the nation. The 49ers’ defense ranked 13th in Conference USA, allowing 465 yards and 34 points per game.

Following the season, the program parted ways with co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Brandon Cooper, as well as cornerbacks coach Eddie Hicks.

Tight ends coach and former Independence High School standout Joe Cox is expected to be hired in the same role under Nick Saban at Alabama, first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The 49ers will now look for their third tight ends coach in as many seasons.

The 49ers are likely to eliminate the co-defensive coordinator title they had last season and bring in a new coordinator — depending on the remaining candidate pool — ahead of spring practice, which officially begins on Feb. 21.

But the clock is ticking.

Healy elaborated on what he wanted in the additions to his staff before Early Signing Day in December.

“Recruiting, number one. Guys that have really good contacts and relationships with high school players, especially in the Carolinas,” Healy said. “Guys who have shown the ability to evaluate and recruit at a high level. Schematically, guys with answers. We’ve had really good interest in the two positions, and we’ve got some great fits.”

The 49ers have interviewed various high-level candidates for the defensive coordinator position, including former North Carolina defensive coordinator Jay Bateman. Bateman has since accepted a role with the University of Florida coaching linebackers.

“I feel good about it. We’re on the right track, we’re close. We’ve just got to get some deals done, and I feel great about what our candidate pools look like and what we’re settling in on,” Healy told The Observer following National Signing Day on Feb. 2.

“One of the reasons why I’m moving (spring practice) back is to make sure that we can have everybody in place,” he said. “My time frame for this is for us to have meetings with guys next week and get rolling with installations to be ready.”

It is unclear whether the current assistant head coach, co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Marcus West would remain on staff, or move on from the program.

Recruit their own

The last time Healy spoke with the media, on Early Signing Day on Dec. 15, Charlotte was one of two programs in the nation (Georgia) without a player in the transfer portal. He spoke about the importance of recruiting their own.

“Retaining players is extremely important to me. Having a coach in those positions who will retain players and make it a great experience, we’ve got to recruit our own as well,” Healy said. “We want guys that will develop relationships and be able to recruit people in our own building. If you look at this transfer portal now, right now we’ve been fortunate.”

Since then, the 49ers have lost the leading tackler and captain of the defense Tyler Murray to Memphis, and reserve cornerback Jonnie Pittman to the transfer portal. With Murray’s departure, Charlotte will be starting three new linebackers in 2022.

While the defense continues to pose questions, the offense has returned nearly all of its production from 2021 (93.19%).

Current returning starters include:

OFFENSE: Jaxon Hughes (T), Jon Jacobs (T), D’Mitri Emmanuel (G), Ashton Gist (C/G), TJ Moore (T), Calvin Camp (RB), Shadrick Byrd (RB), Grant DuBose (WR), Victor Tucker (WR), Elijah Spencer (WR), Taylor Thompson (TE), and Chris Reynolds (QB).

DEFENSE: Markees Watts (DE), Kofi Wardlow (DE), Isaac Hampton (DT), Jalar Holley (DT), Geovante Howard (CB), Trey Creamer (CB), and Davondre “Tank” Robinson (S).

SPECIAL TEAMS: Jonathan Cruz (K), Bailey Rice (P), and Camron Lyons (LS).

The roster for Charlotte’s final season in Conference USA is taking shape, and while the 49ers will continue to attack the transfer portal for reinforcements on the defensive side of the ball, finalizing the staff and bringing in a new defensive coordinator will answer many of the burning questions.