CharlotteA source confirmed that Will Healy, football coach, was fired after a disappointing 1-7 start in the 2022 season. The Athletic Sunday. Fox Charlotte’s Will Kunkel first reported the news.
Healy was in the hot seat due to the 49ers’ struggles this season and a 0-4 record against Conference USA opponents. Charlotte is on a four-game losing streak, including Saturday’s 34-15 loss to Florida International.
The 49ers’ lone win this season came in a stunning fourth-quarter comeback victory over Georgia StateIn Week 4. Chris ReynoldsWith 17 seconds remaining, he threw the game-winning touchdown to Grant DuBose of 2-yards for victory.
Charlotte followed the win up with losses South Carolina, UTEP, UABFIU.
Healy was 15-24 in his three-plus years with Charlotte. His lone winning campaign (7-6) came in 2019. That season set school records for most wins, most Conference USA wins (five) and most home wins (five) while earning a bid to the program’s first bowl game. The 49ers’ thrilling season ended in a loss to BuffaloBahamas Bowl
Healy’s tenure spun downward at the end because of the defense. Last year’s Charlotte defense ranked 114th in scoring, so Healy overhauled the defensive staff in an attempt to fix things, but this year’s defense is 131st nationally in scoring, dead last in the country.
He’s had an unusual career path. Healy spent seven years as a Chattanooga assistant and became Austin Peay’s head coach at just 30 years old in 2016. He quickly turned around the downtrodden program and moved to Charlotte. Healy’s still just 37 years old. But he’s been a culture-focused head coach and doesn’t have coordinator experience, so it’s hard to see where he lands. Maybe he returns to FCS where he can likely get another head coaching job.
It’s very early, but potential names to watch for Charlotte’s coaching vacancy could include Pep Hamilton, Gene Chizik, Skip Holtz and Mike Minter.
(Photo: Jim Dedmon / USA Today)
