Charlotte 49ers women's basketball schedule finalized

The 49ers' women's basketball schedule was finalized Monday when Conference USA announced the league schedule. Charlotte will play a 16-game C-USA schedule, facing 14 teams once and its designated "travel" partner Marshall in a home-and-home series.

Charlotte's season opens Nov. 8 against Liberty at Halton Arena; the league season begins at home against Old Dominion on Jan. 8, followed by another game at Halton on Jan. 11 against North Texas.

"We're really looking forward to our first year in Conference USA," coach Cara Consuegra, who is expected to give birth to her first child Tuesday, in a statement. "It's going to be very challenging learning all these new teams, including teams that have been very successful. And, also, with all of us that are also new. It will be a challenge but certainly one we are looking forward to. We get to host some great teams but we're also on the road at some very challenging venues. This team is going to be challenged and hopefully get prepared for postseason play."

The 49ers return two starters from last season's team that went 26-6 and made it to the third round of the WNIT.

2013-14 schedule

Nov. 8, Liberty; 10, at Kansas State; 13, at Minnesota; 20, at Florida Gulf Coast; 23, Central Florida; 26, Winthrop; 30, Cincinnati (at Las Vegas).

Dec. 1, Nevada-Las Vegas or Fordham (at Las Vegas); 8, South Carolina; 17, at Stetson; 21, at Davidson; 29, Furman.

Jan. 3, UNC Wilmington; 8, Old Dominion; 11, North Texas; 15, at Texas-San Antonio; 18, at Texas-El Paso; 22, Tulane, 25, Rice; 29, at Ala.-Birmingham.

Feb. 1, at East Carolina; 8, Southern Mississippi; 12, at Louisiana Tech; 15, at Marshall; 19, Florida Atlantic; 22, at Middle Tennessee; 26, Florida International.

March 1, Marshall; 5, at Tulsa. 11-15, Conference USA tournament, El Paso. 

Observations from Monday practice

-- The 49ers practiced in shoulder pads for a second day Monday (the first time was Saturday; they took Sunday off). No contact was allowed, but the offense and defense went at it for an extended time. Running backs Alan Barnwell and Kalif Phillips showed some quickness and moves coming out of the backfield in the 49ers’ spread offense. Tight end/H back Jason Eury also had a nice catch on the sidelines.

“This was our first day of really going against each other,” said coach Brad Lambert. “So there was a little juice to it. There was good energy and a good attitude.”

The 49ers will practice in full gear for the first time Tuesday.

“It’s about getting guys used to carrying everything (full pads),” said Lambert. “Right now, they’re learning about fast reads, learning how to go at a fast tempo and pace. We don’t want guys on the ground yet. We want to play fast without being on the ground.”

-- Lambert said practice has been largely injury free so far. Cornerback Greg Cunningham has been nursing a sore back.

-- A series of emails obtained by the Observer confirm what both schools have already said: Charlotte and Appalachian State are trying to schedule a football series.

In June, Mountaineers athletics director Charlie Cobb proposed a four-game series beginning in 2018 to Charlotte athletics director Judy Rose.

“I think it would be great for football on this side of the state without (North) Carolina or N.C. State involved,” Cobb wrote. “I also think it would be great for future fundraising, tickets sales and (public relations) for both of us.”

49ers assistant athletics director Chris Thomasson responded, saying Charlotte is interested, but suggested waiting a year to sign a contract, or until Conference USA decides whether it will increase the number of league games from eight to nine.

The 49ers reached out to Appalachian State as early as September 2010, proposing games in 2014 and 2015 that never came about.

 

Charlotte's 2014 schedule is full and has one open date in 2015 (when the 49ers join C-USA). But that date is taken by a game that will probably be an FBS opponent (likely SEC). Charlotte's 2016 schedule is full, and includes a game at Kansas State.

 

-- The 49ers picked up two verbal commitments Monday: wide receivers Mark Quattlebaum of Cartersville, Ga., and Juwan Foggie of High Point Central.

Quattlebaum (5-9, 165) is a teammate of Cartersville quarterback Brooks Barden, who committed to Charlotte last week. He caught 24 passes for 404 6]yards and six touchdowns last season.

Foggie (6-0, 206) told Rivals.com he also had interest from North Carolina, Wake Forest, Appalachian State and East Carolina. He caught 56 passes for 833 yards and five TDs.

 

 

Friday football observations

Offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen is satisfied with how things have gone the first two days of practice:

"I'm really impressed with the recall," said Mullen. "Last year in the fall, it was figuring out who we are. In the spring, it was to do what we are. Now it's all repeat. We didn't get all crazy and go to football in the summertime and put in a bunch of new stuff."

-- The 49ers will go to shoulder pads for Saturday's practice, then go to full pads beginning Monday.

"We're at the start of a five-day acclimatization period," said coach Brad Lambert. "It's mostly about getting used to being in those pads in the heat."

-- For what it's worth, the 49ers have already picked up some preseason honors: Making CollegeSportsMadness.com's preseason FCS independence all conference first team is safety Desmond Cooper, with defensive lineman Brandon Banks, linebacker Mark Hogan making second team and offensive lineman Daniel Blitch third team.

Cooper and Hogan were also first-teamers on PhilSteele.com's preseason all-conference list.

The 49ers are one of six programs playing as an FCS independent this season, along with Old Dominion, Houston Baptist, Monmouth, Abilene Christian and University of Incarnate Word.

-- Charlotte's secondary has a slogan: Accountability TCB.

TCB stands for Taking Care of Business, or Taking Care of the Ball, or Taking Care of your Brother, secondary coach James Adams said, whatever works at the time.

The secondary also has a small wooden ground sled that players push along the grass for conditioning purposes. Accountability TCB is painted on it.

-- Linebacker Mark Hogan is an interesting story. He was Georgia State's first football scholarship player when the Panthers started football in 2010. He played three seasons there and graduated as the program's all-time leading tackler (157). He had a big game at Tennessee last season, with nine tackles and a forced fumble. He also had seven tackles against Alabama in 2010. His best game came against ODU in 2010, when he had 14 tackles. He's a good baseball player, too, hitting .313 with four homers and 15 doubles in two seasons as an outfielder at Georgia State.

Hogan grew up in Massachusetts, where he played high school ball at Lincoln-Sudbury. His family moved to Matthews while he was at Georgia State and still lives there.

Observations from Charlotte 49ers' first football practice

Observations from the 49ers' first day of football practice Thursday:



-- Practice began precisely at 7 a.m. under gray skies. The weather stayed relatively un-hot until the practice ended at 8:45 a.m., when the team's true freshmen left to attend an orientation session. The upperclassmen stayed behind for several minutes to finish working on other drills.

-- Most of the practice -- which was without pads -- focused on conditioning and fundamentals. There was a five-on-five passing drill midway through the session. Best catch of the day probably was by Austin Duke, who went up high over the middle to snag a pass from Matt Johnson.

-- From appearances, the most intense group appeared to be the offensive linemen, who received plenty of loud encouragement (and constructive criticism) from coach Phil Ratliff.

-- Two of the team's most recent additions were there: junior college transfer tight end Dmarjai Devine and returner/receiver Emmitt Afam.

-- A few quotes from coach Brad Lambert:

"I really liked the energy and the effort. We looked good. I liked seeing the new guys come in, that makes it kind of a fun day for us, like Dmarjai, (defensive end) Devon (Johnson), (linebacker) Mark  Hogan, getting them involved. Seeing (freshman) Justin Bridges-Thompson running around."

"We see the light at the end of the tunnel now. We're getting ready for something. The guys know it and they're focused."

"I've said all along, since the calendar turned to '13, we're on a normal schedule. But it's nice to have August practice. Now it's for real. We're like everybody else."

"We're way ahead (of schedule). We're in good shape. (Strength coach Jim) Durning did a good job with them this summer in the weight room preparing them."

"The big issue for us is what's enough and what's too much. We've got to get them to the 31st, so our focus is keeping guys healthy. That's what I worry about most."

--The last guys to leave were  Duke, who had did some extra conditioning with position coach Joe Tereshinski, and backup quarterback Patrick O'Brien, who threw to receivers Darius Smalls and E.J. Rhinehart. Ratliff also ran a few laps around the practice field.

-- Not only are the 49ers using a JUGS football passing machine, but they also have one that whips tennis balls at them, which is excellent for hand-eye coordination and all that goes with that. The football team is sharing the machine with the tennis teams.

-- There were a surprisingly few number of fans at the practice, which was open to the public. That might have had something to do with the early start time. The 49ers practice again at 7 a.m. Friday (also open to the public) and at 9 a.m. Saturday (closed).

Charlotte 49ers land former Cuthbertson star

Just confirmed that wide receiver-returner Emmitt Afam, who scored 23 touchdowns last season at Waxhaw’s Cuthbertson High, will play for the 49ers this season (originally reported by @gtgblog). Afam, who originally verbally committed to Charlotte, signed with Colorado last spring, but changed his mind. Afam, 5-11, 170 pounds, had 50 receptions for 920 yards and 12 TDs last season. He also ran for seven touchdowns and had four more as a returner.

49ers get commitment from Georgia RB

-- The Charlotte 49ers got a commitment Tuesday from running back Maetron Thomas of Stockbridge, Ga. A speedy dual threat, Thomas, 5-10, 180 pounds, has 4.49 speed in the 40 and rushed for 450 yards and scored 12 touchdowns as a junior last season. He also caught 18 passes for 305 yards and four TDs.

-- Former Charlotte center Jennifer Hailey has signed a contract with the pro team C.U.S. Cagliari of Italy's A League. Hailey was a four-time All-Atlantic 10 selection and finished as Charlotte's career leader in blocked shots.

Notes: 49ers sign junior college tight end Dmarjai Devine

Some news and notes as Charlotte prepares to open football practice Thursday:

-- The 49ers have signed tight end Dmarjai Devine, a transfer from Tyler (Texas) Junior College. Devine (6-3, 210), who is from Longview, Texas, caught six passes for 91 yards last season for the Apaches.

-- And some roster attrition: Wide receiver Jamel Ross is out for the season with a knee injury. Running back Chris Duffy won't be with the 49ers this season, heading to junior college instead. Also, defensive back Nolan Corpening and defensive end Jamar Winston will not be enrolled in school this fall. Linebacker Rick LeGrant is academically ineligible.

-- Charlotte picked up two verbal commitments this week in Independence receiver Workpeh Kofa and Cartersville (Ga.) quarterback Brooks Barden, bringing their Class of '14 total to nine:

Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux, 6-8, 290, OL, Charlotte Christian.

Emmanuel Moseley, 6-0, 165, DB, Greensboro Dudley. Also had offers from East Carolina, N.C. A&T.

Najee Tucker, 6-2, 200, S, West Rowan, rated 2 stars by Rivals.com. Also had an offer from Ball State.

Tristan Butcher, 6-2, 220, LB, Coweton, Okla., rated 2 stars by Rivals.com. Also had offers from Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana-Lafayette. Shows 49ers are stretching their recruiting scope with move to Conference USA.

Nathaniel Davis, 6-3, 290, OL, Ashburn (Va.) Stone Bridge. Also had offers from Toledo, Old Dominion.

R.J. Tyler, 6-4, 230, TE, Wagener-Salley (S.C.). Also had offers from Appalachian State, Wofford, Western Carolina.

Chris Brown, 6-4, 280, OL, Vance.

Workpeh Kofa, 6-1, 185, WR, Independence: Also had offers from Appalachian State, Toledo, Louisville.

Brooks Barden, 6-3, 200, QB,  Cartersville, Ga.: Also had offers from Arkansas State, UMass.

The 49ers also have a commitment from defensive back Jawuan Johnson of New Boston, Texas. Hearing that Charlotte hasn't accepted the commitment yet, however, so we'll keep an eye on that.