Under warm, sunny skies and the gates open for fans of the Green and White to file in, Charlotte worked through their 15th and final practice of the 2025 spring season - the first under head coach Tim Albin.

For Albin and his staff - whose attention no doubt turns to the transfer portal where future 49ers await to join the team ahead of the fall - the showcase was an opportunity to see how his new team would react with the eyes of their friends and families watching.

"It was a great day," Albin said. "I want to thank our fans for being here. Our band was here. Both cheer teams were here. It was a great crowd."

Following the game, Albin and his staff issued the first of many red bricks - symbols of those players who have risen to the top of the locker room through their leadership and commitment to their teammates. It is a small yet powerful gesture as the team heads into the summer offseason.

"We ended the day with our first brick presentation. It was our unity council members. So, it was a great day - a really physical day."

No official score was kept as the offense wore their green uniforms going up against the defense in white. But, the work put in over the course of the past five weeks will surely provide marks for Charlotte's coaching staff to survey their team needs headed into a 2025 season that features a trio of in-state foes in Appalachian State, North Carolina, and East Carolina.

"Today was a benchmark for where we're at as a football team. We're looking for versatility moving forward and had a lot of guys on both lines playing different positions. But, it was great to play in an arena where people were in the stands. It was a great thing. We thought playing in front of fans, as a staff, was really important."

And, without a doubt, the work the Green and White have put in now will pay dividends come August 29 when the Mountaineers and their equally new coaching staff come to town for the Duke's Mayo Classic in Bank of America Stadium.