U-M Football Assistant Accepts Head Coaching Position

It's official: Michigan associate Head Coach Biff Poggi will become the next head football coach at The University of North Carolina, Charlotte.

Considered one of the most successful coaches in High School Football history, Poggi joined Jim Harbaugh's coaching staff in 2021 and is largely credited with playing a massive role in helping to change the culture within the Michigan Football program.

You can read the official release from the Charlotte 49ers below:

The Charlotte 49ers have named Francis "Biff" Poggi ("POE-jee"), associate head coach of the undefeated Michigan Wolverines, as the 49ers' third head football coach. A key architect behind the Wolverines' 2021 Big Ten Championship and berth in the College Football Playoffs, Poggi has helped Michigan to a 10-0 start and a spot among the nation's top four ranked schools this season.

"We are extremely fortunate to welcome Biff Poggi as our head football coach," said Director of Athletics Mike Hill. "He is a transformational leader and has a sterling reputation as a coach, having had phenomenal success at the highest levels of college and high school football. But he is much more than that. He has demonstrated it by pouring himself into young men and communities, and the results have been spectacular. We are thrilled to have Biff and his wife, Amy, join Niner Nation and the Charlotte community."

Poggi is currently in his third season with the Wolverines and his second as associate head coach alongside head coach Jim Harbaugh. He was also on Michigan's staff as the Wolverines advanced to the 2016 Orange Bowl.

Poggi was recently touted for his role in the Wolverines' current undefeated season in an article written by Bruce Feldman for The Athletic. Prior to his tenure at Michigan, Poggi founded and led the football program at Saint Frances Academy, a private high school in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, to national prominence.

Poggi grew up in Baltimore and served on the board of Saint Frances Academy. Poggi, who achieved great success as a hedge fund manager, chose to invest a significant amount of personal money into Saint Frances, including funding 65 scholarships. Under his leadership, Saint Frances became a national power, able to land scholarship opportunities for its student-athletes with programs such as Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame, Michigan and others. The story was recently captured in the HBO documentary "The Cost of Winning".

"Biff is a unique leader who shares our vision for success for our football program and University as we join the American Athletic Conference," said Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber. "Most importantly, he shares our values for ensuring a Gold Standard experience for our student-athletes both on and off the field."

Prior to building Saint Frances Academy, Poggi led his high school alma mater, Gilman School, to thirteen Maryland state titles in nineteen seasons. Poggi played collegiate football at the University of Pittsburgh and Duke University, with coaching stops at Brown, Temple and The Citadel.

"Joining the Charlotte 49ers is an incredible opportunity," noted Poggi. "The great momentum created by the leadership of this University and its athletics program gives us every opportunity to build a successful pathway for so many young men in our region. For me, this is a full circle moment, a chance to pay forward the wonderful opportunities that were given to me as a young man. We can build a championship program at Charlotte, and I can't wait to get started."