CHARLOTTE, NC (WTKR)- Western Branch product Dre Bly proved he can be a successful college coach before. Now he's setting out to do it again.
Bly has joined Charlotte's staff as a defensive analyst, the program announced Wednesday. The Western Branch graduate returns to the college ranks after one season as cornerbacks coach of the Detroit Lions.
"Mentoring kids is something that's in my passion, something that I feel like I'm called to do," Bly said. "An opportunity presented itself for me to come back to Charlotte, come home, sleep in my own bed."
Prior to 2023, Bly spent four seasons as the cornerbacks coach at North Carolina, his alma mater. During that time, he developed a reputation of being a strong recruiter, particularly in Hampton Roads, pulling many of the 757's top players south of the state line. No matter where his travels have taken him, he's always kept Chesapeake and the surrounding area close.
"It was important when I was in Chapel Hill, it was important last year when I was in Detroit," Bly noted. "I had a very impactful time and process when I was working at Carolina and looking forward to getting back to the 757."
Bly was on Mack Brown's staff with the Tar Heels from 2019-2022 before joining the Lions last season. He was only on the NFL sidelines as a coach for one year, but he took a lot of learning experiences from his time with the NFL runners-up.
"I grew tremendously as a coach this past year because I didn't have to recruit," he pointed out. "All of my time was devoted towards X's and O's and football, so I learned tremendously. I think that's the difference in college and the NFL. I think coaches tremendously grow when they go to the league because they don't have to worry about classes and recruitment."
Now the Western Branch product begins a new chapter on the sidelines. He'll have the opportunity to coach alongside his son, Trey, who played a Charlotte and is now a graduate assistant with the program. The 49ers are looking for a spark after a 3-9 finish in 2023.
Bly was an All-State honoree in high school and a three-time All-American during his playing days at North Carolina. He went on to have a successful 11-year NFL career with the Lions, Rams, Broncos and 49ers.
