Charlotte football kicks off 2026 against The Citadel 

CHARLOTTE ATHLETICS

The Charlotte 49ers kick off their second season with coach Tim Albin Sept. 5 against FCS The Citadel.

Identity was a big topic at hand for Tim Albin’s second season.

The Charlotte 49ers coach took his lumps, going 1-11 in 2025, but is energized and excited for year two. Establishing an identity is something Albin’s teams did at Ohio and he is confident in what it looks like. 

What does that look like at Charlotte?

“I'm very confident in the process,” Albin said. “We’re going to have to fight. Go out there and fight on the outcome piece of it. Our guys can’t wait to do it, especially in front of our home crowd. It’s football. There’s so many things that go into it. … I love what coach [Dabo] Swinney said at Clemson. I think my son sent it to me. We got a bunch of nobodies right now. Hopefully, they can play themselves into being somebodies by the end of the season.”

The Post confirmed that transfer quarterback Cole Gonzales was going to be the starter in mid-August which was later confirmed by the school later in the month. 

“I was stoked, man,” Gonzales said. “I’m super blessed, super thankful. It’s an opportunity that I’m so fired up to go back out there on Saturday and go out there and play the game I love with the group of guys that I love, too.”

 

 

 

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Gonzales played in three games at Pittsburgh last season after transferring from Oklahoma. Prior, Gonzales spent three seasons at Western Carolina, where he compiled 6,682 yards passing and 51 touchdowns in 23 starts with the Catamounts. 

As with any transfer, there is a learning curve, but Gonzales is confident in his ability and the team’s ability to perform at a high level.

“It was a long off season,” he said, “and I busted my tail and gave everything I got. I’m excited to go put it out there and show you guys what I got.”

The Citadel were one of the handful of teams that played a Week Zero game and it did not go so well for the Bulldogs in a 42-14 loss to Wofford. 

Albin said Citadel’s offense reminds him of American Conference rival Rice.

“The film is going to help because they’ve got total rebuild on defense,” he said. “... On the offensive side, everything goes through the quarterback. Scheme-wise, it’s different. It’s very similar to what Rice does, which we played last year. It’s not really Army. I want to say a little bit more Rice to it, but they do a good job scheme-wise. It’s the same kind of core scheme for the guys up front, but in multiple formations and motions and shifts.”

Albin emphasized his desire for a packed stadium on Saturday as well as an appreciation for the fanbase.

“We all know that winning games puts butts in seats,” he said. “I get that, but I never felt that way last year. Our fanbase, our student section [showed up] every game until we hit like Thanksgiving weekend, or until around Thanksgiving. It was humbling and inspiring, and we’re going to give them something to yell about. Our guys are going to be running around there Saturday. I’m not saying mistake free, but running and putting it all on the line, leaving nothing behind, out there for our fanbase.” 

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