It’s only been a week since Charlotte fired head football coach Biff Poggi. The betting markets are starting to zero in on who they think will be the next leader of the 49ers.
Current Western Carolina coach Kerwin Bell has the best odds in the Charlotte coaching search, according to a story published at Bookies.com a couple of days ago. His odds are +400, which represents a 20 percent implied probability.
Next on the list to lead Charlotte football is Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Chris Weinke (+425), Ole Miss offensive coordinator Joe Cox (+475) and East Tennessee State head coach Tre Lamb (+500). There is a steep jump in odds after these four, with former NFL coach Pep Hamilton (+750) and Charlotte interim coach Tim Brewster (+850) next.
Charlotte dismissed Poggi less than two years into his tenure. The 49ers had a 3-7 record when the announcement was made last Monday. Brewster, who has three decades of coaching experience — including as head coach at Minnesota — led Charlotte to a 39-27 win at Florida Atlantic on Saturday.
Bell’s Western Carolina team just concluded its season. The Catamounts finished 7-5 overall (narrowly missing the FCS playoffs) and 6-2 in the Southern Conference (second place behind playoff-bound Mercer).
Bell has established Western Carolina as an offensive juggernaut the past few seasons. The Catamounts led the FCS in yards-per-game a year ago (504.1) and are fourth this season (472.1 ypg).
There have been no official reports linking Bell to the Charlotte job, though he has been mentioned as a potential candidate at Charlotte and East Carolina by numerous media outlets. Keep in mind that betting odds on this type of topic are speculative and reflect public sentiment rather than insider information. While they can provide insight into popular opinion, they are not definitive indicators of the university’s decision-making process.
Who do you think will be Charlotte’s next head coach? Share your thoughts in the comments, and stay tuned to NCFootballNews.com for updates on the coaching search.
