Mark Carney named Charlotte 49ers’ offensive coordinator

Mark Carney, who molded the Charlotte 49ers’ Chris Reynolds into one of Conference USA’s top quarterbacks, is being promoted to offensive coordinator, the school announced Thursday.

Carney replaces Alex Atkins, who left the program earlier this month to become offensive line coach at Florida State. Atkins also served as Charlotte’s offensive line coach, so head coach Will Healy still needs to fill that position. Carney will continue to serve as Charlotte’s quarterbacks coach.

Carney, 39, was Healy’s position coach when Healy was a backup quarterback at Richmond. Carney came to Charlotte in 2019 from Virginia State, where he was offensive coordinator from 2015-18.

“Coach Healy and I have a long history together, and I know what a fantastic coach and person he is,” Carney said in a statement. “I’m humbled and grateful that he is entrusting me with this position and I can’t wait to continue what we began a year ago. I know our personnel and what we are capable of and I’m excited to get to work with these guys in 2020.”

Carney, who has 16 years of collegiate coaching experience, including five as an offensive coordinator, was the quarterbacks coach during Healy’s playing career at Richmond. He served as offensive coordinator at both Baldwin-Wallace and Virginia State before being named quarterbacks coach for the 49ers.“

“Mark was such a critical part of our success last season,” Healy said in a statement. “He is incredibly deserving of this opportunity, which we believe gives us the best chance to provide continuity and take additional steps on offense. I greatly value Mark’s friendship and who he is as a person and a coach. This is someone I have trusted and thought highly of since I played for him in college, and it’s been a joy to have Mark and his family on this journey with us.”

Carney’s stint at Richmond from 2004-08 was Carney’s first coaching job. He later went to Bowling Green (2009-13) as receivers coach and Baldwin-Wallace (2014) as offensive coordinator.

Carney was an honorable mention Football Championship Subdivision All-American quarterback at Fordham. He won the Vincent T. Lombardi Award as Fordham’s male athlete of the year in 2001-02.

Under Carney last season, Reynolds completed 62.2 percent of his passes, throwing for 2,564 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also ran for 791 yards and six touchdowns.

This story was originally published January 22, 2020 at 10:17 PM.