Charlotte 49ers football: All-access documentary series debuts Thursday on ESPN+

The Charlotte 49ers’ version of “Hard Knocks” debuts Thursday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

Titled “Mining for Greatness,” Emmy-winning producer Mickey Holden is engineering a 12-episode docuseries releasing every Thursday throughout the college football season via the streaming service, focusing on first-year head coach Biff Poggi and the 49ers’ first season in the American Athletic Conference.

Unlike HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” this is an authentic, all-access look behind the scenes of a budding collegiate program, according to Holden.

“Most docuseries claim to be all access, and it’s a bit of a myth — particularly like on Hard Knocks, there are a lot of things that are off limits to cameras. I’m not saying that won’t happen at Charlotte, but it hasn’t happened yet. In general, it really is an all-access look at a college program on the rise. You’re really going to get an authentic look at what it takes to play college football at the highest level.”

Holden’s crew, as well as the university’s video team led by Ozzie Hernandez, has been documenting the program’s offseason progress since Poggi’s introductory press conference in December.

According to executive producer David Ravin — a UNC Charlotte alumnus and president of development, construction, and property management firm Northwood Ravin — the university was in a position to take a chance with a docuseries; it just needed the funding.

“I think the university definitely knows that publicity of such a young program will be helpful for future recruiting and the university just getting more recognition,” Ravin said. “There are so many different storylines in it. It’s the perfect storm in terms of what everyone needs, with Charlotte only being 10 years old and having only one bowl game. At the end of last season, I felt like there was a weaning of interest in the program. I think that the university was in the position to take a chance to get this going in a different direction.”

Ravin completely funded the docuseries and is a well-known university benefactor who recently made a donation to rename the university’s architecture program to the David R. Ravin School of Architecture. He was also in charge of picking the name of the show, which nearly was titled “Bad Company,” a phrase that Poggi and the 49ers self-proclaimed as a team moniker during fall camp.

Holden elaborated on the title and how Ravin ultimately landed on “Mining for Greatness.”

“I thought it tied into both the school and what the goal is. We’re mining for greatness. The expectation, as Biff said at his introductory press conference, is not to win a few games and maybe make a bowl; it’s to win championships,” Holden said. “Biff’s trying to develop guys that are great on and off the field. Guys who are successful in life as well as in football, and that’s part of the mining for greatness theme.”

This isn’t the first time that Poggi has been the focus of a docuseries. Holden produced a four-part HBO documentary titled “The Cost of Winning,” focusing on Poggi’s rejuvenation of a Baltimore high school program, Saint Frances Academy, featuring current 49ers Demon Clowney, Jonathan Wallace, and multiple SFA alumni who have reunited with Poggi at Charlotte.

But this production is a different animal. Whereas “The Cost of Winning” was a look back at the season, this is a real-time, week-by-week look at the program. Each episode will include the 49ers’ preparation for their upcoming opponent, as well as a look back at the previous week’s game. Holden’s team includes two editors, both of whom are Emmy winners, Richard Brooke and Jantzen Gianfrancesco.

Poggi stated that the docuseries would need to ramp up to 15 episodes, meaning the 49ers hope to play in both the AAC championship and the College Football Playoff semifinals and final.

Holden believes in Poggi’s methods and is enjoying playing a part in telling Charlotte’s underdog story.

“Biff is just a remarkable character. He is very charismatic. He’s a great leader, and he’s got a vision.

Most coaches come in with a five-year plan, but he came in with an eight-month plan, saying they’ll win immediately,” Holden said. “I sure am having a lot of fun with this show. It’s a great group of kids, and it’s a wonderful underdog story.”

The first two episode titles have been released on ESPN+, the first being “Meet Coach Biff” and the second “The Homecoming,” which takes place Saturday when Charlotte travels to Maryland to take on the Terrapins.

Poggi and upwards of 20 players on the roster, including six transfers from Maryland’s program, are returning to the Washington, D.C., area for a primetime showdown on NBC, which will serve as a barometer for how this revamped team will fare in its first season.

For the players, being the subjects of a docuseries is a unique experience. It’s one they’ve become accustomed to in today’s age of social media, according to Poggi. But will they be tuning in? Poggi will be, and quarterback Jalon Jones and edge Eyabi Okie-Anoma just might.

“Mickey and his team are great. You get used to them, so you don’t know that they’re around,” Poggi said. “I will be tuning in to see if they take angles that make me look thinner than I am, so that’s why I’ll be watching.”

Said Jones: “I’d say I wouldn’t tune in, but you know, I might turn it on and see what it is, then get right back to watching film.”

“I’m not trying to tune in, but I might accidentally click it and be like, ‘Oh man, who is that?’ Okie-Anoma added with a smile. “It’s been exciting, but I feel like the main focus is the chip that we have on our shoulders.”

The 49ers started their first season under Poggi picked last in the AAC. Following a Week 1 victory in front of a standing-room-only crowd of 15,662 Charlotte fans, Ravin hopes that the marketing and publicity from the docuseries will only add to that total moving forward.

“I was at the very first game 10 years ago, and the atmosphere was unbelievable. Every seat was filled, and people were just going crazy, and I’d love to see that return,” said Ravin. “I’m hopeful that this will get people engaged and as they perform on the field, I think you’ll start to see more and more games with sold-out crowds. I just want that back.”