As Charlotte 49ers search for a football coach, scores of players hit transfer portal

College football’s early signing period came and went, and the Charlotte 49ers were the lone FBS program in North Carolina not to sign a single high school player.

Amid the ongoing coaching search to replace Biff Poggi, which is now at 18 days (as of Friday, Dec. 6), Charlotte’s program is suffering on the recruiting front. The 49ers’ current class consists of five players — all remain unsigned — and ranks 128th in the nation.

With the remaining staff and players’ frustrations mounting as the search drags on, the 49ers are also seeing key contributors from the past two seasons exit for the transfer portal daily.

While athletic director Mike Hill is hoping for patience from the team’s most ardent supporters through the search, Charlotte is seeing a mass exodus of players. The 49ers hope to keep true freshman quarterback DeShawn Purdie and standout wide receiver O’Mega Blake, among others, waiting in the wings.

Here’s a breakdown of the exits so far, which sits at 28 as of Dec. 5:

▪ Quarterback: 1

▪ Running back: 4

▪ Wide receiver: 0

▪ Tight end: 2

▪ Offensive line: 6

▪ Defensive line: 2

▪ Linebacker: 3

▪ Defensive back: 6

▪ Kickers/Punters/Long Snappers: 3

Of the 28 to enter the portal already, 16 made starts this season, with 11 being full-time starters.

On the offensive side of the ball, season-opening quarterback Max Brown has announced his exit, along with a quartet of running backs that all saw action this season: Henry Rutledge, Rod Gainey Jr., Terron Kellman and CJ Stokes.

Charlotte also lost its entire offensive line, with Jonny King, Jordan Herman, Jordan Spasojevic-Moko, Mo Clipper Jr., Kendall Stanley and PJ Wilkins all exiting, plus the leader in receptions from a season ago, tight end Colin Weber.

On defense, both of Charlotte’s starting cornerbacks are looking for new homes, with Dontae Balfour and Elijah Culp exiting, plus linebacker Cam Burden, who was second on the team with 63 tackles.

And after a perfect season with the 49ers, the kicker duo of Stephen Rusnak (11 of 11) and Kyle Cunanan (5 of 5) both hit the portal, as well as long-snapper Adam Booker.

A litany of current players, including Purdie, have voiced their desire for interim head coach Tim Brewster to be promoted on social media. But after initial favorites Bobby Petrino and Tony Gibson each withdrew their names from the search, Hill and university chancellor Sharon L. Gaber remain on the hunt for the program’s fourth coach.