Brad Lambert Fired as Head Football Coach of UNC-Charlotte

The University of North Carolina-Charlotte has fired head football coach Brad Lambert.  Below is a figure of the Charlotte 49ers production ranks for the team overall, the offense and the defense from 2015 to 2018* (through week #12).  As you can see at least through last week, the Charlotte 49ers were a team that was improving as compared to the previous three seasons.  Following the figure below is more information about the 49ers program under Lambert while in the FBS, along with a link to Lambert's contract.

Brad Lambert [2015-2018] in FBS

2015
At the conclusion of Charlotte’s first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision, the 49ers were 2-10 and bowl ineligible.  The 49ers played against an “easier” strength of schedule (SOS) as compared to the “league” as a whole, meaning that the 49ers end of season SOS was between one and two standard deviations greater than the “league” average SOS.  Charlotte’s best game that season was a victory over #53 ranked Georgia State (23-20) and their worst loss was to #105 ranked UTSA by a score of (27-30).  Charlotte finished the season as the #122 ranked team overall, with the #126 ranked offense and the #90 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com.

2016
Charlotte’s second season in the FBS saw an improvement in the win/loss column, with the 49ers finishing at (4-8). That still meant they were bowl ineligible, but this season they played against an “average” strength of schedule (SOS), which means that their SOS was plus or minus one standard deviation of the “leagues” average SOS. Charlotte’s best game was their victory against #52 ranked Southern Mississippi (38-27) and their worst loss was to #124 ranked Rice (21-22). The 49ers finished the season as the #102 ranked team overall, with the #106 ranked offense and the #77 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com.

2017
In terms of wins and losses (and production), Charlotte took a step backwards, with the 49ers finishing at (1-11); bowl ineligible; playing an “average” strength of schedule (SOS). The 49ers only victory was against #56 ranked UAB (25-24) and their worst loss was to FCS North Carolina A&T by a score of (31-35). Charlotte finished as the #124 ranked team overall, with the #127 ranked offense and the #112 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com.

2018
In what ended up being head coach Lambert’s last season at Charlotte, as of week #12, the 49ers were (3-8), playing again against an “average” strength of schedule (SOS). The 49ers best win was against currently ranked #56 Southern Mississippi (20-17) and their worst loss to currently ranked #115 Massachusetts (31-49). Currently, Charlotte is the #92 ranked team overall, #124 ranked offense and #49 ranked defense using the Complex Invasion College Football Production Model from the data provided from www.cfbstats.com.

2018 NCAA FBS Head Coaching Changes
Mike Jinks at Bowling Green
DJ Durkin at Maryland
Bobby Petrino and Louisville
Mike MacIntyre and Colorado
Everett Withers and Texas State