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An Ex-NFL offensive coordinator has been linked to the Charlotte football head-coaching vacancy. The 49ers have struggled since joining the American Athletic Conference and recently fired Biff Poggi during his second season. At 3-7, eighth in the conference overall, Charlotte football is trying to revitalize a team that has not made a bowl game since 2019, its first postseason game in school history. Athletic director Mike Hill is considering Pep Hamilton as a potential replacement to rekindle that success.
Senior Writer for The Athletic Chris Vannini revealed Charlotte's interest in Hamilton. According to Vannini the former Houston Texans offensive coordinator was a potential candidate when the job was last available in 2023. Hiring Hamilton would be an intriguing move for the 49ers that might draw some controversy. However, based on the success the Charlotte native has had coaching at the collegiate level, this idea might bring about the radical change this program desperately needs.
Pep Hamilton brings a wealth of experience and success
Hamilton last coached under Lovie Smith as the Texans' OC in 2022. When Smith was fired after a 3-13-1 season, Pep was not retained. Despite those failures in Houston, Hamilton brings over 25 years of experience coaching at the college and professional levels.
In particular, the Howard University graduate has significant ties to Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh. This past between the two started at Stanford, where Hamilton was the offensive coordinator from 2011 to 2012. During that tenure, the Cardinal had some of its most successful years in school history, compiling a record of 23-4. Hamilton also was the assistant head coach and passing game coordinator at Michigan from 2017-2018 under Harbaugh.
Regarding his head coaching experience, Pep served in that position once in 2020 with the DC Defenders, a UFL team. Hamilton's record as head coach and general manager was 3-2 before he decided to move on to be the Los Angeles Chargers quarterbacks coach. In this role, he oversaw rookie QB Justin Herbert, who had a record-breaking first season in the NFL.
Hamilton's reputation as a quarterback guru is essential for Charlotte football as the program does not have a definitive starter at the position. As of now, the signal caller is freshman Deshawn Purdie. The Baltimore native has shown flashes of his potential throughout the season and could use someone like Hamilton to oversee his development.
In the bigger picture, Charlotte football is in a solid conference in the AAC with plenty of room for growth. Teams like No. 19 Army and No. 20 Tulane are in the middle of phenomenal seasons with legitimate chances to go to the College Football Playoff. The Black Knights' game against Notre Dame could further enhance the AAC's profile. And aside from the conference's two ranked teams, there are programs like 7-3 Navy, 9-2 Memphis, and 6-4 East Carolina that all have had stellar seasons and have promising futures.
Overall, this positive shift in the Group of 5 indicates the positive effect this twelve-team playoff has had on the landscape of college football. Giving more teams a realistic chance to compete for a playoff spot and a national championship has successfully increased parity.
Charlotte football was one of those programs with a 0% chance of contending for a championship before the season started, regardless of whether the program went undefeated. That scenario is now much less likely, making the 49ers' job much more desirable. Taking a risky swing on an accomplished coach like Hamilton may be the bold move this program needs to kickstart itself into a new era.
