Charlotte has fired fourth-year coach Will Healy after a 1-7 effort that ensured a third straight losing season for the 49ers, the university announced Sunday. The program parts ways with the 37-year-old following a 34-15 home loss to FIU, which dropped the 49ers to 0-4 in conference play.
Offensive line coach Peter Rossomando has been elevated to the team's interim coach for the final four games of the season.
"We are grateful to Will Healy for the incredible energy and enthusiasm he brought to our program," said athletic director Mike Hill in a statement. "He made an impact here that will never be forgotten. Sadly, however, our on-field results have not met expectations. Will and his family are special people and we wish them the best."
Healy, who was just the second coach in the history of a program rebooted in 2013 and elevated to the Football Bowl Subdivision two years later, finishes his tenure with a 15-24 record overall and a 10-14 showing in Conference USA. He led the program to unprecedented highs in his 2019 debut with its first winning season and bowl appearance, along with its first win against a Power Five opponent (Duke) in 2021. Recent struggles, however, have prompted the school to move in a different direction as it heads to the American Athletic Conference in 2023.
Healy rose to prominence in the coaching ranks with an impressive turnaround of Austin Peay in the Football Championship Subdivision that earned him earn Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year honors in 2017. Healy was hired by Charlotte in December of 2018, and he arrived with fanfare and momentum as one of the youngest coaches at the college game's highest level. He delivered immediate results, but things have been going in the wrong direction since the start of 2020. Charlotte won just 8 of its next 26 games after that Bahamas Bowl appearance, and the free-fall in competitiveness this season bottomed out with an embarrassing loss as a two-touchdown favorite to the Panthers on Homecoming weekend.
"We were fortunate to have some special moments. I was able to work with some outstanding coaches and staff members and coach an incredible group of young men," said Healy in a statement. "I want to thank the students, boosters and fan base for the support they've shown over the years and I apologize for not being able to bring the results that we were striving for. I'm really proud of the young men in our locker room. I'm a 49ers fan for life and I know the future of this university is bright."
