Grant DuBose can make history for the Charlotte 49ers this week against Old Dominion
Less than a year ago, Grant DuBose’s sophomore season was canceled due to the pandemic and he was working “three and a half jobs.”
Fast-forward to this past September, DuBose broke onto the scene with 118 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener against Duke, surpassing his freshman-season receiving total at Division II Miles College. Emotion flooded the post-game press conference as DuBose talked about his journey, and how grateful he was to find home at Charlotte.
But it wasn’t just a flash in the pan.
Entering the final game of the season Saturday against Old Dominion, DuBose leads the team in receiving yards with 798 is tied with another newcomer, Elijah Spencer, for the most touchdowns (5). He leads the team with three 100-yard receiving performances and is 202 yards from becoming the program’s first 1,000-yard receiver as an NCAA FBS program.
“I’ve never had to slow a guy down,” Charlotte coach Will Healy said. “I went up to him the other day at practice and said, ‘Hey man, next time you catch a five-yard hitch, you don’t have to run 90 yards. I’d like for you to have some breath left so you can go through two minutes’. He looked at me and he goes, ‘Coach, that’s just how I practice. I score when I touch the football.’
“He’s special. I’ve never coached one like him,” Healy said. “His personality, confidence, what type of teammate he is, how excited he gets for another’s success, his work ethic -- he’s the total package. Love being able to coach him.”
DuBose’s big games haven’t slowed down in the fourth quarter. He’s averaging 19.8 yards per catch when it matters most this season and has emerged as the 49ers’ best red-zone threat, catching four of his five touchdowns on the season inside the opponents’ 20.
And quarterback Chris Reynolds throws the back-shoulder fade to DuBose, “that s--- is unguardable,” a 49er defensive back said.
On passes of 10-19 yards down the field this season, DuBose has caught every catchable pass thrown his way, culminating in a 91.3 receiving rating, according to Pro Football Focus. Overall, DuBose is credited with just three drops on 56 catchable throws this season.
Charlotte’s best cover-corner Trey Creamer spoke about the toughest guard in the wide receiver room at Tuesday’s press conference.
“Grant (DuBose) and Elijah (Spencer),” Creamer said. “It’s showing on the field that those guys can make plays. They’re only making us better at the end of the day. I definitely feel like those are the two guys who are stepping up. They’re going to be some great ones for us in the future, and I’m excited to see what they do.”
The 49ers’ offense has started to click over the past three games but must put the road-woes to bed in what has become essentially a playoff game for Charlotte.
A win makes the 49ers bowl-eligible for the second time ever. A loss ends their season.
“It’s a win-or-go-home situation. A playoff-type situation,” Healy said. “I don’t run from the fact that this game means a lot. I want these guys to expect to be able to handle what it’s like to be able to play in big-time football games that mean something in the last week of the season.”