Charlotte 49ers’ O-line credo: ‘We have the same mentality every play – to score’

Things are starting to fall into place for the Charlotte 49ers’ offensive line at just the right time.

In Charlotte’s 34-20 victory last Saturday against Conference USA foe Middle Tennessee, the 49ers’ started the same players on the line for a second consecutive game for the first time this season.

So it’s no coincidence that Charlotte’s offense has been on an upward trajectory in recent weeks.

That starting group — senior left tackle Cameron Clark, senior left guard Dominic Taylor, junior center Jaelin Fisher, senior right guard Jalen Allen and sophomore right tackle D’Mitri Emmanuel — helped the 49ers roll up 440 yards in total offense against the Blue Raiders.

The week before, when the line was first back together after a string of injuries, Charlotte had a season-high 589 yards in a 39-38 victory against North Texas.

The 49ers (4-5, 2-3 C-USA) have a chance at another big offensive day Saturday at Texas-El Paso (1-7, 0-5), a team that allows an average of 36.5 points and 428.2 yards per game.

“They are executing their offense at a high level,” UTEP coach Dana Dimel said of the 49ers. “They are averaging 6.4 yards per play, which is a stat I always look at more than total yards because to me that measures efficiency of what the team you are playing does on offense. It will be a test for our defense.”

Putting in the work

It’s probable that none of those gaudy numbers happen without a healthy — and now fully intact — offense line. Clark and Allen are the only two who have started every game at the same position. Taylor has missed three games due to injury, while Emmanuel and Fisher have been both out for one.

“It’s about continuing to work daily,” said Fisher. “Like coach (Will Healy) says, if we focus on the little things, focus on the one-on-one battles, do that every week, every play, every drive, our goals will still be in front of us.”

The line is a mix of experience and youth:

▪ Clark (6-feet-5, 294 pounds), a senior from Greensboro, has started a team-high 27 consecutive games and is considered a legit NFL prospect.

▪ Fisher (6-2, 285) has started for two seasons and is on the Rimington Trophy watch list for the nation’s top center.

▪ Taylor (6-4, 285) and Allen (6-3, 285) were teammates at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College before transferring to Charlotte and are starting for the first time this season.

▪ Emmanuel (6-2, 285), who was born in London and has also lived in Nigeria and Jamaica, moved to the United States in 2012 and didn’t start playing football until he enrolled at Marvin Ridge High.

The 49ers’ offense has been fairly relentless on this winning streak. During one stretch spanning the North Texas and Middle Tennessee games, they scored touchdowns on eight consecutive possessions.

Perhaps nothing exemplifies what the O-line wants to accomplish more than a play in the first quarter against Middle Tennessee. Score tied 7-7, fourth-and-1 on the Blue Raiders 19. Quarterback Chris Reynolds kept the ball and took it all the way for a touchdown.

“Whenever we have a short down-and-distance situation, it’s never about pushing for that 1 (yard),” said Taylor. “We’re thinking about every play as forward progress. We have the same mentality every play, to score.”

Another sign of the offensive line’s dominance of Middle Tennessee: After the Blue Raiders grabbed some late-game momentum by cutting the 49ers’ lead to 14 points with 8 minutes 46 seconds left, Charlotte embarked on a clock-chewing drive that lasted 8:36 — or until just 10 seconds remained.

It’s a group that, like most offensive lines, doesn’t get the credit it deserves. That’s why Reynolds insisted the line be included in Charlotte’s media availability after last week’s victory against Middle Tennessee.

“Every week you see us putting up stats and numbers,” said Reynolds. “But the line gets kind of unnoticed. They’ve dealt with a lot of injuries and pushed through a lot of things. Middle Tennessee threw a bunch of fronts out there and they adjusted well with opening holes. They needed to be recognized.”

And it was appreciated.

“We are offensive linemen,” said Clark. “We don’t get any shine so we all jumped at the opportunity to get in front of the camera, and we were all going to be present and accounted for.”

Charlotte at UTEP

When: Saturday, 3 p.m.

Where: Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas.

Watch: ESPN+

Listen: 730-AM.