The 2014 Charlotte 49ers football team represented the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (also called Charlotte or UNC Charlotte) in the 2014 NCAA Division I FCS football season. This was the second season for 49ers football and they were classified as an FCS independent school, meaning they had no athletic conference affiliation for the 2014 season. The team was led by head coach Brad Lambert and played its home games on campus at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. As the team was in their two-year transition period before reclassifying to the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), they were ineligible to participate in the FCS playoffs. They finished the season 5–6.
Personnel
Coaching staff The coaching staff had no changes from the inaugural season.
Name Position Seasons atCharlotte Alma mater Brad Lambert Head coach 2 Kansas State (1987) Jeff Mullen Offensive coordinator 2 Wittenberg (1990) Bruce Tall Defensive coordinator 2 Ohio Wesleyan Phil Ratliff Offensive line/Recruiting coordinator 2 Marshall (1994) James Adams Secondary 2 Wake Forest (2006) Damien Gary Running backs 2 Georgia (2005) Johnson Richardson Tight ends 2 Wofford (2010) Napoleon Sykes Outside linebackers 2 Wake Forest (2006) Joe Tereshinski III Wide receivers 2 Georgia (2006)Reference:
Recruiting
Recruiting class
The following recruits and transfers have given verbal commitments to the Charlotte 49ers football program for the 2014 recruiting year.
Players
Player gameday honors
Wearing Jersey #49 Position Game Game Captains Flag Carriers Jamal Covington OL Campbell Desmond Cooper, Daniel Blitch, Demarjai Devine, Caleb Clayton-Mobly Nick Cook, Austin Duke, Jordan Abrams Jarred Barr OL Johnson C. Smith Daniel Blitch, Mark Montini, Tyler DeStefani, Caleb Clayton-Mobly Justin Bolus, Cortezz Nixon, Terrance Winchester Caleb Clayton-Mobly LB NC Central Danny Book, Peter Fields, Desmond Cooper, Branden Dozier Jalen Holt, Stephen Muscarello, Trent Bostick Daniel Book OL Elon Desmond Cooper, Brandon Banks, Jamal Covington, Daniel Blitch Casey Perry, Tank Norman, Austin Duke Brandon Banks DE Charleston Southern Desmond Cooper, Daniel Blitch, Demarjai Devine, Tyler DeStefani Austin Duke, Dustin Crouser, Blake Brewer Thomas LaBianca C Gardner-Webb Daniel Blitch, Austin Duke, Tyler DeStefani, Larry Ogunjobi Kaliff Phillips, Nico Alcalde, Karrington King Larry Ogunjobi NT The Citadel Tyler DeStefani, Branden Dozier, Dmarjai Devine, Danny Book Jordan Starnes, Mark Montini, Dustin Crouser Mark Montini H James Madison Daniel Blitch, Tyler DeStefani, Trent Bostick, Larry Ogunjob Richard Murphy, Karrington King, Kyle Hoffman Trent Bostick WR Coastal Carolina Daniel Blitch, Dmarjai Devine, Desmond Cooper, Branden Dozier Jamal Covington, Nico Alcalde, EJ Rhinehart Kalif Phillips RB Wesley Austin Duke, Trent Bostick, Branden Dozier, Larry Ogunjobi Jamal Covington, Devin Clegg, Damarrell Alexander Austin Duke WR Morehead State Daniel Blitch, Desmond Cooper, Tyler DeStefani, Dmarjai Devine, Peter Fields, Quintin Gay, Mark Montini TL Ford, Daquan Lucas, Juwan FoggieReference:
Players
Depth chart
Schedule
Television
Local TV coverage continued on WCCB with Sam Smith calling play-by-play. Former Carolina Panther Quarterback Brett Basanez and Jeff Zell with color commentary; and Brandon Davidow from the sideline.
Radio
Radio coverage for all games was broadcast by IMG College through the Charlotte 49ers Radio Network flagship station WFNZ 610 am The Fan. The radio announcers are Matt Swierad with play-by-play, former Carolina Panther Kevin Donnalley with color commentary, and Bobby Rosinski with sideline reports.
Game summaries
Campbell Fighting Camels
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In this rematch the Campbell Fighting Camels were looking for revenge against the Charlotte 49ers for their 52 to 7 loss in the 49ers' debut game the previous year, but the 49ers would prevail again in the return game.
The game began slowly for both teams as Charlotte would score first midway through the first quarter on a 50-yard Blake Brewer field goal. This set the new distance record for field goals at Lane-Barker Stadium. Blake Brewer would connect on a 38-yard field goal at the end of the first quarter to give the 49ers a 6 to 0 lead heading to the second quarter.
The second quarter would be another low-scoring affair, with the Camels getting on the board at the close of the half on a Mitchell Brown 25-yard field goal. The score at halftime was 49ers 6, Fighting Camels 3.
The second half of scoring would start as slow as the first half, but a Kalif Phillips 1-yard rushing touchdown would be the first of three touchdowns for both him and the 49ers in the third quarter. Another 1-yard rushing touchdown was followed on the next series for the 49ers by a 10-yard rushing touchdown, both by Phillips, that would put the 49ers ahead heading into the 4th quarter by a score 27 to 3.
The Camels would get into scoring position at the end of the third quarter; but would score their only touchdown of the day on the first play of the fourth quarter on a 25-yard pass from Dakota Wolf to Ben Bolling, the subsequent 2-point conversion attempt would fail. Charlotte would tack on 6 more points on the next drive with true Freshman running back Meatron Thomas's first collegiate touchdown, a 40-yard rush; but the 2-point conversion attempt would fail. Charlotte won the game by a score of 33 to 9.
Top performers for the game include Campbell Quarterback Dakota Wolf, who passed for 187 yards and 1 touchdown. Charlotte Running Back Kalif Phillips had 13 carries for 70 yards and 3 touchdowns. Campbell Receiver Ben Bolling had 6 receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. The announced attendance of 6,472 set a new record for Lane-Barker Stadium.
Game Notes:
Blake Brewer sets school-record with his 50-yard field goal. First away game in the State of North Carolina.
Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls
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The "Battle of the Queen City" commenced as these cross-town universities faced each other on the gridiron for the first and likely only time.
Charlotte would score early and often, especially in the first quarter when running back Kalif Phillips would punch it in from 6 yards out to get the scoring started. On the next series for the Niners true Freshman T.L. Ford would get his first collegiate touchdown on a 24-yard pass from quarterback Matt Johnson. Kicker Blake Brewer would add 3 more points with a 26-yard field goal. Then Kalif Phillips would add another 6 points to end the quarter with a 4-yard rushing touchdown. The score heading to the second quarter was 49ers 23, Golden Bulls 0.
Kalif Phillips would tack on his third rushing touchdown early in the second quarter on another 6-yard run. This would tie the team record for single game rushing touchdowns set by Phillips in the final game of the previous season at Morehead State, and matched by him in the season opener at Campbell the week before; making this Phillips' third consecutive 3 rushing touchdown game. Kicker Stephen Muscarello would tack on 3 more points with a 22-yard field goal. With no time left on the clock Blake Brewer would complete the next field goal for the 49ers from 17 yards out to make the halftime score Charlotte 36, Johnson C. Smith 0.
The second half scoring would commence when J.C. Smith quarterback Keahn Wallace would have a pass intercepted by Charlotte free safety Prince Mayela which he took back for a defensive touchdown. Midway through the third quarter Blake Brewer added a 27-yard field goal, and then late in the quarter Stephen Muscarello would add a 22-yard field goal. The game would head to the final quarter with the score 49ers 49, Golden Bulls 0.
Charlotte true Freshmen running back Maetron Thomas would break free for a 60-yard rushing touchdown on the second play of the fourth quarter. On their first series of the quarter the Golden Bulls would get into scoring position to threaten Charlotte's first potential shutout game, but the Eric Amaya field goal attempt from 26 yards out would be blocked by Charlotte linebacker DaQuavius Reid and the ball would be recovered for the 49ers cornerback Cortezz Nixon to preserve the shutout. The game would end with the first shutout in Charlotte program history and a final score of 49ers 56, Golden Bulls 0.
Top performers for the game include Charlotte Quarterback Matt Johnson, who passed for 285 yards and a touchdown. Charlotte Running Back Kalif Phillips had 10 carries for 41 yards and 3 touchdowns. Charlotte Receiver Trent Bostick had 4 receptions for 92 yards.
Game Notes:
Charlotte 49ers first-ever shutout game.
NCCU Eagles
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The 49ers were looking for revenge for the program's first ever loss the year before in Charlotte. They would return the favor in Durham, but not before surviving a fourth quarter scoring flurry by the Eagles.
On the first play from scrimmage 49ers' quarterback Matt Johnson would complete a 65-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Austin Duke to give the Niners an early lead. On their next series the Niners would get kicker Blake Brewer in range for a 24-yard field goal. At the end of the quarter Brewer would add another field goal, this time from 28 yards, to take the Niners into the second quarter with a 13 to 0 lead.
Charlotte running back Kalif Phillips would score his first touchdown of the day and the quarter with a 2-yard rush on Charlotte's first second quarter series. On the 49ers' next series Phillips would punch it in from 4 yards out, but a muffed snap would cost the Niners the extra point. Late in the half Eagles' quarterback Malcolm Bell, who had substituted in for starter Quinn Billerman a few series earlier, would complete a 24-yard pass to Anas Hasic, but 49ers safety Desmond Cooper would force Hasic to fumble. The ball was then recovered by 49ers's defensive back Branden Dozier and returned 52 yards for a touchdown. The 49ers would head into the locker room at the half with a 33 to 0 lead.
On the 49ers' second series of the second half, running back Maetron Thomas would get the 49ers their final score of the game on 6-yard touchdown run. The score heading into the fourth quarter would be 49ers 40, Eagles 0.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Eagles would finally get on the board with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Malcolm Bell to Adrian Wilkins. On the next series, 49ers' quarterback Lee McNeill would throw an interception to the Eagle's Jeremy Thompson, who would return it 26 yards for another Eagles' touchdown. Three plays into the Eagle's next series would result in a Malcolm Bell 15-yard touchdown pass to Jvon Simmons. On their next series, the 49ers would get into scoring range on a Matt Johnson 70 yard rush; but after the Niners were unable to convert another first down, Blake Brewer would miss a 24-yard field goal. On the next series the Eagles' Andre Clarke would score the Eagle's fourth touchdown of the quarter from 4 yards out. Charlotte would go 3-and-out on their next possession and return the ball to the Eagles, but on their next play Malcolm Bell's pass attempt would fall into the hands of the 49ers' defensive end Tank Norman. Despite the four-touchdown fourth-quarter effort from Central, the 49ers would hang onto the lead to complete the revenge game with the final score of 40 to 28.
Top performers for the game include N.C. Central quarterback Malcolm Bell, who passed for 337 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Charlotte running back Kalif Phillips had 14 carries for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns. N.C. Central receiver Adrian Wilkins had 7 receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown.
Game notes:
First time the 49ers have scored on 1st play from scrimmage. School-record three straight wins.
Elon Phoenix
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The 49ers would face their second ever CAA opponent as they traveled to nearby Elon to tackle the Phoenix.