A homecoming and a house call: What we learned in the Charlotte 49ers win over FIU
The Charlotte 49ers’ first road victory in Miami played host to Victor Tucker’s homecoming and Jon Alexander’s house-call.
In a high-octane football game featuring a second-half scoring explosion, it was No. 1 on both sides of the ball that helped the 49ers re-open Club Lit with a 45-33 conference victory over Florida International.
After wearing No. 9 for his first four seasons, Tucker made the switch to the No. 1 jersey in the offseason, joining Kansas State transfer Jon Alexander at the loneliest number. College football allows players to wear the same jersey number as long as they aren’t on the same side of the ball, and Alexander welcomed the idea of both players donning the same jersey.
“Vic was asking around the locker room if he should change his number,” said Alexander before the season. “I told him, ‘Oh yeah, change it to 1. We’ll be the players to watch on both sides.’ ”
Six weeks in, Tucker leads the offense in catches and Alexander leads the defense in turnovers forced.
Tucker’s homecoming
Tucker, a native of Miami Gardens, is in his final year with the 49ers. The fifth-year senior stated ahead of the season that this was his final shot at achieving his main goal when he came to Charlotte — winning a Conference USA championship.
“It’s one more opportunity for me to do what I came here to do,” Tucker said. “I’m making the most of every opportunity. I’m a totally different guy this year.”
The 49ers (4-2, 2-0 C-USA) are leading the conference’s East Division through six games, the best start in program history. Tucker caught all eight of his targets for 92 yards and a touchdown in the win.
Victor has recorded 31 catches for 432 yards and two touchdowns on the season, and now owns a victory over a Miami school that overlooked the former three-star prospect.
“I was just trying to take everything in on the sideline, trying to enjoy the moment,” Tucker said, “just knowing I had never beaten FIU in my career. It was really great to play well and for the team to play well, and for us to come out with the victory.”
Victor was held scoreless through the first four games, but touchdowns in two consecutive games moved him into second in the 49ers’ record books with 13 career receiving touchdowns.
A heated exchange in the third quarter saw FIU’s Rishard Dames throw a punch at Tucker’s head, warranting a 15-yard personal foul penalty. Three plays later, Tucker was in the end zone for the second time this season, and the first time in his home state.
While the game consisted of trash talking and tempers flaring, it’s all love between the Miami natives, according to Tucker.
“It’s crazy because me, Rishard and Richard (Dames) are all friends. We play video games together,” Tucker said. “When competitors get on the field, the friendships go out the window. It was definitely no love lost for those guys.”
They ‘call me Catchaplay J’
In Alexander’s last year of college football, he chose Will Healy and the Charlotte 49ers as his third and final stop. It’s paying off for everyone.
The 49ers’ first road victory seemed to be in jeopardy late in the fourth quarter as the Panthers’ offense found life. Following a score to cut into Charlotte’s lead, Florida International had a chance to make it a three-point game, but Alexander quickly put the comeback attempt to bed.
On fourth-and-two, the Panthers’ five-wide set screamed pass. Alexander read quarterback Max Bortenschlager’s eyes, jumping the quick route and returning the interception for his second-career touchdown. Paired with a crucial tackle on fourth-and-goal in the first quarter, Jon has become the playmaker on the 49ers’ defense.
Alexander has seen nearly every level of Division I football, starting with Garden City and Kilgore College, a pair of junior colleges. The year that Jon spent at Kilgore set the stage for his jump to the FBS, playing both safety and cornerback for the Rangers.
The next stop was Kansas State, where Alexander in 2019 saw action in all 12 games recording 25 tackles, two tackles for loss, two pass breakups, a sack and a blocked punt. He broke on the scene in the season opener with three tackles and a forced fumble returned for a touchdown. The defensive back enjoyed his time in the Big 12, but wanted to finish his career with a coach like Healy.
“I really wanted to find a place like Kansas State, but with more hands-on coaching,” Jon said. “I watched the Charlotte-North Texas game and every time someone made a play; I saw this scrawny little dude running down the sideline. I was thinking they had a hype dude or something. We had a hype dude in JUCO.
“Every time someone made a play, there goes the same scrawny dude. He just kept running out, I was like, ‘Who is this dude’? I asked the defensive coordinator coach Cooper who it was. He was like, ‘Oh, that’s the head coach,’ I was like ‘WHAT?’ I was thinking he was putting on a front for the fans or for the recruits, but no. My first day up here, he got to clapping and bringing all that energy. It’s crazy, he is like that every day. I was just thinking, to play for a coach like that in my last year would be unbelievable.”
The transition to Charlotte has worked out well, as Alexander has become the leader of the secondary and is making a case for an opportunity in the NFL. He’s tied with linebacker Tyler Murray for the most solo tackles on the team (24) and owns the only two interceptions.
The 49ers have struggled on the road in the first half of the 2021 season, but Alexander is shining away from Richardson Stadium. In three road games, Alexander recorded his career-best 10 tackle performance at Illinois, an interception and a touchdown-saving forced fumble against Georgia State, and a crucial goal-line stand and pick-six against Florida International.
In an interview with The Observer in July, Alexander made it clear who would be making plays for the 49ers’ defense.
“It’s gotta be me. I’m going to bring that playmaking ability to the defense,” Alexander said. “We are going to play with that energy and the turnovers will come. That’s why people call me Catchaplay J. I’m always making plays.”
This story was originally published October 9, 2021 at 9:42 AM.