‘Definitely wasn’t ideal:’ Injured stars contribute to Charlotte 49ers’ record year

A special season might have turned sour for Ben DeLuca and Tyriq Harris.

If they had let it.

DeLuca and Harris, two mainstays of the Charlotte 49ers’ defense, haven’t played an on-field part of their team’s run to Friday’s Bahamas Bowl. Injuries prevented that: Harris (back) has missed the entire season and DeLuca (shoulder) has been out since early September.

Even so, DeLuca, a senior free safety, and Harris, a senior defensive end, have made their presence felt.

“That’s been awesome for us,” said 49ers’ coach Will Healy.

“They’re really integral parts of what’s happened for us, even though they haven’t played. The way they’ve handled the injuries and stayed positive, they’ve been a huge part of our success.”

That’s not to say it’s been easy for the two seniors.

“It definitely wasn’t ideal,” DeLuca said of missing most of what has become the most significant season in the program’s seven-year history — capped with Friday’s Bahamas Bowl against Buffalo.

“It’s not something you’d chose to do. But it has been a fruitful year for me. I’ve grown with my relationship with God and Tyriq.”

Said Harris: “It’s been tough, but more tough probably mentally than physically.”

Harris and DeLuca told the Observer on Tuesday they plan on returning for a final season in 2020. Since Harris redshirted as a freshman, he will need an injury waiver from the NCAA to remain with the program for a sixth year, something Healy says he’s confident will be granted. DeLuca was injured in the second game of the season, so he can redshirt and have one more year of eligibility.

Harris, Conference USA’s Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2018-19, was an honorable-mention all-conference selection as a junior and had started 24 consecutive games.

But his back began bothering him toward the end of August training camp, and the pain from a herniated disc (sustained, Harris said, after years of lifting weights) became so severe that he couldn’t play when the season began. Harris had injections that were meant to alleviate the pain, but they were ineffective. He finally had surgery in October, ending any hope of playing.

DeLuca became a full-time starter his sophomore season, when he led the nation in forced fumbles (five). He entered the season five tackles short of Karrington King’s program career record of 262.

But in the first half of the 49ers’ second game, a 56-41 loss at Appalachian State, DeLuca went down with a shoulder injury while making a tackle. It was severe enough to warrant surgery and he was lost for the season.

With Harris still being out, DeLuca’s absence was difficult to take. With seven starters returning, the 49ers defense had been expected to be one of the strongest in Conference USA.

“We were so optimistic about our defense,” said senior linebacker Jeff Gemmell. “It’s a close-knit group. When those guys got hurt, it kind of felt like our dream was falling apart.”

Charlotte’s defense has struggled at times (promising freshman linebacker Prince Bemah also went out with a season-ending knee injury after a victory against Massachusetts in September). But, with All-America defensive end Alex Highsmith and Gemmell leading the way, the 49ers (7-5) have played better in recent weeks. A five-game winning streak has landed them on this island in the Atlantic for a bowl game against the Bulls (7-5).

“The toughest part for me was not being able to play with the seniors, the guys I came in with,” said Harris, who graduated last spring and is working on a master’s degree. “But I’m so happy to see their success, to see them win all these games and get to a bowl game.

“But I don’t feel like I’ve missed a step with them. My teammates have been really supportive.”

DeLuca said not playing has put in perspective the importance of “team.” That goes for this season’s edition of the 49ers, as well as the six other teams that preceded them.

When the 49ers beat Marshall in November, clinching bowl eligibility for the first time, DeLuca was struck by how happy former Charlotte players were for this team’s achievement.

“Just knowing how hard we’ve worked as a collective group — not just this group but the so many teams that came before us and sacrificed so much for us to get this to this point,” said DeLuca.

“That’s why it was unique when we beat Marshall, to see how many players from so many other teams come out for us. It’s bigger than any one man. They know how much it takes for us to be standing here in the Bahamas, to be playing in the Bahamas Bowl.

“That’s why I want to play one more year. To put my best foot forward one more time.”