‘We can’t wait for it’: Charlotte 49ers football coach Biff Poggi setting lofty goals

For the first time since his infamous, “Three questions, that’s it?” appearance at American Athletic Conference media day, Charlotte 49ers’ head coach Biff Poggi spoke to reporters at the team’s media day news conference.

It was a different, much calmer side of Poggi, who is direct in what he wants, but also isn’t timid about asking for more — whether it be financial aid for the program or ice cream recommendations and chocolate chip cookie reviews.

As expected, Poggi delivered multiple gems during the 30-minute news conference, with the most notable being the team’s lone goal for the season.

“Our goal is to win the American Conference. If we don’t win that, it’s not a successful season,” Poggi said.

He revealed the 49ers’ football program is the focus of a docu-series that will release in the coming weeks. It will be streamed on ESPN+ and directed by Micky Holden, who directed HBO’s Emmy-nominated “The Cost of Winning,” which focused on Poggi’s time at Saint Frances Academy.

“They’ve been filming since before the spring. I think it will be great for the university and for the city,” Poggi said. “I told them there needs to be 15 episodes because we’re planning on playing 15 games. It will be streamed on ESPN+ once a week, and the American Conference has been very excited about it and very supportive.”

Poggi, sporting his “Run the dang ball” hat, confirmed offensive coordinator Mike Miller would be the play-caller for the offense, with defensive coordinator Ryan Osborn calling the shots for the defense.

The 49ers are preparing for a slate against “nameless, faceless opponents,” according to Poggi, starting with South Carolina State. Charlotte is nearing the midway point of a training camp that has been dominated by the defense. Poggi has spoken openly about the depth on the defensive side of the ball, even questioning opponents who would consider trying to run the ball against Charlotte — which posted the 130th-ranked defense out of 131 teams in FBS a season ago.

Miller’s offense

The chess game that Osborn and Miller play in practice is sharpening both sides of the ball, but also showing Miller is ready to design plays for the 49ers’ offense this season.

Miller, who was an assistant at Charlotte Christian high school early in his coaching career, was the co-offensive coordinator at Maryland prior to joining the 49ers. In his first year calling plays at the collegiate level, Miller is drawing from experiences across some of the biggest stages in college football, including stops at Alabama with Nick Saban, Clemson with Dabo Swinney and, most recently, Maryland with Mike Locksley.

A key piece on Maryland’s staff a season ago, Miller and the Terrapins came to Richardson Stadium and blew out fotmer coach Will Healy’s Charlotte team, shredding the 49ers’ defense for 612 yards and 56 points. This will be his first time calling plays at the collegiate level, outside of spring game scrimmages in Tuscaloosa and his time in College Park, Maryland, which was more suggestions and advice rather than the bottom-line play-calling that’s seen on Saturdays.

“I was the co-OC at Maryland, so I had a lot of input, but there’s a big difference between suggestions and decisions,” Miller said. “But it’s been great. The calling plays isn’t the hard part, it’s the organization, philosophy and culture of the whole unit. Calling the plays is really just a product of the Monday through Friday preparation. I’m excited. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do, and this was the next step for me.”

Taking that step in a new offense with a hodgepodge of new and returning players is Miller’s task, and this group has progressed through the spring and into the fall but still has a long way to go before Sept. 2.

Poggi coined Miller as a future star, saying he just needs to get the 32-year-old coach to run the ball as much as he likes.

Miller has brought similar terminology and offensive philosophy from his stops at various college football powerhouses and intends to lean on the running game to open up the offense.

“I love the staff, and it’s been good because a lot of terminology that was at Alabama, then Michigan and Maryland. It’s a very similar philosophy, and Michigan has been elite at running the football the past two years, and that’s what we’ve majored in through the spring and summer. Just a run-first mentality, and it makes everything else work really well.”

Class is in session

Miller will rely on a stable of running backs this season, headlined by leading returner from a season ago Shadrick Byrd, and four-star freshman Durell Robinson, who committed to Charlotte on ESPN during the Under Armour All-America game.

Poggi kept it simple about Robinson’s impact this season, saying, “Let’s face it, he’s an exceptional player. He’s going to help us right away.”

Miller and running backs coach Greg Froelich understand the raw talent that Robinson possesses and are looking to shape his game for the next level. Robinson is yet to take a live collegiate snap, but it’s clear that he will be a focal point of the offense in Year 1.

“He’s done a great job. We have a more veteran group of guys, and then we have Durell. I think what Durell has really benefited from is being around Shadrick Byrd and others,” Miller said. “He’s learning that this is not high school football anymore. Every play isn’t going to be a home run. It’s OK to get 4 or 5 yards, and then the explosive runs will happen organically.”

Robinson’s speed and quickness allowed him to excel at the high school level, rushing for over 116 yards per game in his final season at Saint Frances. But he’s learning when to showcase his talents, when to live for another down, and how to fit into Charlotte’s offense.

“They’ve really taught me the game. You have to learn when you can freestyle, and when you just have to do what you’re told. That’s what Coach Miller and Coach Froelich have been teaching me,” Robinson said. “They know I’ve got a special ability to change a play, and they’ve been really strict with me on when and when not to do that. In high school, I was going off instinct, but I’ve just been staying true to it and learning every day, and it’s showing on the field.”

Poggi’s team is continuing to draw motivation from outside criticism. The 49ers even have the AAC preseason power rankings and win percentages in their team room, which give Charlotte just a 12 percent chance to make a bowl game.

“With everyone doubting us, it just puts a chip on our shoulder. All that nervousness and anxiety, all that goes out the window,” Robinson said. “We’re just ready to work. Whoever is in front of us we want to dominate them. We can’t wait for it. Now that it’s only two or three weeks away, it doesn’t even feel real.”