Charlotte 49ers midseason review: An offense ahead of schedule that’s far from perfect

Take a deep breath, 49ers fans.

Through the first half of the 2021 season, the Charlotte 49ers have played every game as scheduled, doubled their win total from last season and are off to the best start in program history. Oh, and they’re sitting atop Conference USA’s East Division.

Entering the season, Charlotte was only favored in two games. While the 49ers’ remaining schedule is a full slate of conference games, head coach Will Healy sees 50-50 games from here on out.

“We’re 4-2 and could just as easily be 6-0 or 2-4,” Healy said. “Any team in this conference can win on any given Saturday. It’s a bunch of 50-50 games, so we need to worry about us.”

Charlotte is two wins away from achieving bowl eligibility for the second time in program history, with two games that they will likely be favored in against Rice and Old Dominion looming in November. This team has overachieved through six weeks, but its progress will meet a stout benchmark next week against Florida Atlantic, a quality challenger for the East Division crown.

The 49ers are off this week before their fourth and final nationally televised game Oct. 21 against the Owls (CBSSN). Charlotte is 3-0 in games broadcasted by CBS Sports Network this season.

Here is a mid-season review of Charlotte’s offense:

QUARTERBACK AND RECEIVERS

49ers’ fans hoped that quarterback Chris Reynolds would return to his 2019 form, but the senior signal caller has surpassed expectations, posting the best statistics of his career through six games in 2021.

Reynolds is the highest-rated quarterback in C-USA and is ranked 14 in the nation with an offensive grade of 89.9, according to Pro Football Focus. His play in the first half of the season resulted in two Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week awards and three games with four or more touchdowns.

The only quarterback with a higher passing grade in C-USA is Western Kentucky’s Bailey Zappe with a rating of 89.3, compared to Reynolds’ 84.3.

The real jump for Reynolds has been his performance under pressure. We’ve seen that he can deliver in the clutch, but when hurried, Reynolds is still completing 51.1% of his passes, the highest of his career and the best in the conference. For reference, Zappe’s completion percentage under pressure is 46.7.%.

Players on the receiving end are getting open and reeling in 100-yard games, with Victor Tucker and Grant DuBose emerging as the 49ers’ ‘dream team’.

Tucker and DuBose have solidified themselves as one of the best-receiving tandems in the nation, with both players ranking top-30 in the FBS (PFF). The emergence of DuBose and freshman Elijah Spencer has created the “best receiving group we’ve had,” Healy said.

DuBose leads the team with an average of 16 yards per catch and has totaled 466 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Along with one of the top receiving grades in the conference, DuBose’s run-blocking grade of 73.6 ranks fifth in C-USA. Though only a sophomore, DuBose has been mentioned by Healy as one of Charlotte’s players with future NFL potential.

While Spencer only has 10 receptions on the season, three of those are touchdowns. Dubose and Spencer’s height - both listed at 6-foot-2 - has allowed Tucker to see increased reps in the slot where he posted his best statistical season in 2019.

Of Tucker’s 356 snaps this season, 225 have come in the slot position, resulting in a team-high 31 catches for 432 yards and two touchdowns. He is averaging 21.2 yards per catch in the fourth quarter, leading the 49ers when it matters the most.

Eight different 49ers have caught a touchdown this season, with newcomers totaling 10 scores. Three tight ends scored in the victory over Florida International, with Taylor Thompson, Jake Clemons and Ryan Carriere finding the end zone for the first time this season.

RUNNING BACKS AND OFFENSIVE LINE

Heading into the season it was unclear who would see the brunt of the snaps at tailback. Six weeks in, Shadrick Byrd and Calvin Camp have served as a 1-2 punch with Chavon McEachern seeing time as a change-of-pace back.

Byrd leads the team with 72 carries, but Camp owns team-highs in yards (353), yards per carry (5.9) and touchdowns (3). Camp is the only back to ellipse 100-yards in a single game this season, going for 101 against Middle Tennessee in Week 3.

While all three backs have seen their fair share of targets out of the backfield, Byrd leads the trio with 8 catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Byrd’s offensive grade of 75.1 leads the 49ers’ backs and ranks ninth in C-USA. With Camp graduating this year, it looks as if Byrd will be the premier back moving forward.

The big guys on the offensive line have paved the way for just over 176 yards on the ground per game, ranking third in C-USA. The 49ers are undefeated when they rush for 120 yards or more, and with Charlotte playing just one game in a 21-day span, this group has a chance to get healthy.

The typical starting group of Jaxon Hughes (LT), D’Mitri Emmanuel (LG), Hunter Kelly (C), Ashton Gist (RG) and T.J. Moore (RT) was reshuffled against Florida International with both tackles out due to injury. Emmanuel has experience at tackle, where he played his first three seasons at Charlotte. Gist and Kelly have interchanged at center and Dejan Rasuo serves as the swiss army knife, seeing time at nearly every spot on the line.

Healy was confident that Hughes and Moore would return for the crucial Thursday-night matchup against Florida Atlantic.

This group is improved from 2020, when it allowed 16 sacks through six games. Midway through the 2021 season, Pete Rossomando’s group has allowed six sacks, eight QB hits, 35 hurries and 49 pressures. The offensive linemen have been penalized 19 times.

Although the improvement has shown on the field, according to PFF, the 49ers do not have an offensive lineman ranked in the top 50 of C-USA in run blocking. The highest-graded run blocker for Charlotte is right guard Ashton Gist with a ranking of 62.9.

Panda Askew got his first start at guard against FIU and is the highest-rated pass blocker on the roster with a rating of 80.3. On the flip side, Kelly, Hughes and Gist all have season pass-blocking grades of 38 or less. Hughes has allowed half of the team’s sacks with three.

It would not be surprising to see this rotation change in the back half of the season with the progression of two underclassmen Askew and Arkansas transfer Chibueze Nwanna.

Overall, the 49ers’ offense has taken a major step forward in production from 2020. Charlotte is converting 45% of its third-down attempts and 66% of its fourth-down attempts, both ranking fourth in the conference.

Producing 29.8 points and just over 400 yards per game is middle-of-the-pack in the conference, but the 49ers are dominating opposing teams in time of possession. Charlotte ranks 12th in the nation there, holding the ball for an average of 34 minutes per game.

GRADING CHARLOTTE’S OFFENSE

Offense: B+. This group has been shut out in the second half of two games this season, which is the only reason this isn’t an A grade. Offensive coordinator and play-caller Mark Carney hasn’t shown any trick plays to this point in the season but has done an excellent job with fast starts as the 49ers have scored on its opening drive in five of six games.

Passing Game: A+. Reynolds’ performance paired with a top-tier group of receivers has exceeded expectations entering the season. The wide receiver room lost three key contributors to the transfer portal in the offseason, but the young talent has effectively increased production.

Running Game: B. This group has been solid. With increased depth on the offensive line and multiple options at running back, this group has taken a much-needed step forward from 2020.

This story was originally published October 13, 2021 at 2:01 PM.