Brad Lambert was a defensive position coach at Georgia during the Jim Donnan years of the late 1990s. He mainly coached linebackers but also had responsibilities at one point for defensive ends, special teams, and even the secondary. Lambert headed to Wake Forest after the Georgia staff was replaced in 2001, and he eventually rose to become their defensive coordinator. While at Georgia, Lambert played a role in one of the best linebacker recruiting classes you’ll ever see. The 1998 class featured Boss Bailey, Will Witherspoon, Jessie Miller, Kawika Mitchell, and Tony Gilbert. Here’s a nice look at how Lambert convinced Witherspoon to come north to Georgia from Panama City rather than play for one of the in-state powers.

Lambert is moving on from Wake Forest to tackle a new challenge: starting the new football program at Charlotte. Charlotte (you might know them as UNC-Charlotte) has been on the map in hoops for a while, but they plan on launching a football program in time for the 2013 season. It’s a tough challenge: not only is it his first head coaching job, but he’ll also have to build a program from the ground up. It’s a tremendous opportunity, but it won’t be easy.

Lambert’s former boss, Donnan, thinks he’s up to the job. We remember Lambert being a genuinely good guy when he was here at Georgia, so we wish him good luck and success in his new role.