The Charlotte 49ers can still make a bowl game. Three reasons they can get back on track
The Charlotte 49ers have lost two consecutive games for the first time this season, and it’s the product of pressing too much.
Following blowout losses against Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky, as well as the confusing absence of the defense’s best player Jon Alexander - the 49ers must get back to the basics against Rice.
“We’re not playing as 11 guys on offense,” running back Shadrick Byrd said. “We’ve got to get back to ourselves. Early in the season in the Duke game, we weren’t pressing. Now, the defense is pressing when we’re not scoring, and we’re (the offense) putting stress on ourselves if they get scored on. We’ve got to trust those guys and handle our side of the ball and it will be perfect.”
The second-half struggles have shown for the 49ers, being outscored 75-2 in the final 30 minutes of the four losses this season.
Alexander was unavailable for Saturday’s game against the Hilltoppers, a game that his NFL-level talent was going to be relied on heavily. Western Kentucky has the best passing attack in all of C-USA.
“He’s not with us at the moment. We should know more about his future with the team next week,” Coach Will Healy said. “Love Jon. I want what’s best for Jon. We’ll continue to evaluate his opportunities with us.”
Healy said that he and Alexander were planning to have multiple conversations throughout the week.
Getting back on track against Rice on Saturday will be key for the 49ers’ bowl hopes. After facing an offense that averages over 40 points per game in Western Kentucky, Charlotte hosts the Owls on homecoming, a team that is producing less than 20 points per contest.
The Owls haven’t had consistent production from their quarterback all season, but starter Wiley Green is out against Charlotte and will be replaced by Jake Constantine. Rice has wins over Texas Southern, Southern Miss and Alabama-Birmingham this season, with the latter coming on the road in Birmingham just two weeks ago.
Finding balance on the offensive side of the ball and getting off the field on third downs will be crucial in Charlotte securing its fifth win and getting back above .500.
Here are three reasons that Charlotte can get back on track:
RETURN OF CHRIS REYNOLDS
Chris Reynolds holds the 49ers’ offense together. Texas A&M transfer James Foster filled in and showed flashes of his four-star talent, but he hasn’t started a game since 2017.
With Reynolds back with the starters at practice, there’s a calm demeanor there that has led the 49ers’ offense since 2018. With Foster, Charlotte tried to cut the field in half and give him quick and easy throws to settle him in against Western Kentucky. There were fewer run-pass-option looks as well, limiting the instant decisions for Foster. With Reynolds at the helm, the playbook is wide open.
Reynolds hurt the ring finger on his throwing hand in the second quarter against Florida Atlantic but didn’t inform the staff of the injury until the third quarter when he was pulled in favor of Foster. With over two weeks of rest, the injury has had time to heal and the redshirt senior will be back in the lineup Saturday.
The offense’s best weapons are wide receivers Victor Tucker and Grant DuBose. Charlotte’s ‘dream team’ combined for just six catches and 41 yards last week. Reynolds is comfortable running RPOs and has continued to improve his passes of 20-plus yards with a passing grade of 79.5 and no interceptions on deep throws.
Expect the offense to get back on track with No. 3 back in the rotation.
YOUNG PLAYERS STEPPING UP
Charlotte starts 15 seniors or grad transfers. But it’s the underclassmen that are making key impacts when called on.
The 49ers are without their safety duo of Davondre “Tank” Robinson and Alexander that started the season.
Solomon Rogers stepped into the starting lineup following Robinson’s injury in Week 1 and has led the defense in tackles in consecutive games. Marcus Robitaille filled in for Alexander and recorded his first career interception and two tackles for loss against Western Kentucky.
Robitaille’s opportunity on defense started with his work on special teams, which Byrd is familiar with. Byrd is the primary kick returner and received Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week honors against FIU.
“To see him get the chance to go out there and ball out and get his first pick meant the world to me,” Byrd said about Robitaille. “He was coming to the sideline dog tired after long drives. I told him yesterday when I saw him that he played his tail off and I appreciate that.”
SELL-OUT CROWD
Saturday at 3:30 p.m. will be the 49ers’ first sell-out crowd at Richardson Stadium in 800 days, dating back to Healy’s debut against Gardner-Webb in 2019.
Charlotte offered standing-room-only tickets at $15 each, but the Stadium is now at capacity and it’s officially sold out. The cheapest seat on Vivid Seats is $155 as of Wednesday.
The turnout for the 49ers’ students has been among the best in the Group of Five. The players have felt that energy since the win over Duke in the season opener.
“With that year of separation,” Reynolds said following the program’s first victory over a Power Five opponent, “and people not coming out here to enjoy the game they love to see — the excitement in the stands, it was just really ridiculous. As a quarterback, you’re trying to zone in and just focus on what you need to do, but when you see those guys, it just gets your energy going.”
The Florida Atlantic game was the first game this season where droves of students left in the second half. Charlotte must put together a full 60 minutes in front of their home crowd to start the final stretch of the season with a win. The combined record of the 49ers’ final four opponents is 12-20.
Charlotte must win two of its final four games to achieve bowl eligibility for the second time in program history. It’s time to see what this team is made of.