The 2019 Charlotte 49ers football team represented the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 49ers played their home games at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, NC, and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by first-year head coach Will Healy.
Coaching staff Following the loss of the final home game of the 2018 season to FIU and elimination from bowl game contention, first-year athletic director Mike Hill released head coach Brad Lambert from his contract. Lambert finished the season and his Charlotte 49ers career with a road victory against FAU the following Saturday. On December 5, 2018 Austin Peay third-year head coach Will Healy was introduced as the Charlotte 49ers second head football coach.
On December 21, Austin Peay's defensive coordinator Brandon Cooper was named co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Also coming over on the same date from Austin Peay was Max Thurmond who would take over the same positions of special teams coordinator and linebackers coach. Virginia State offensive coordinator Mark Carrey was named quarterbacks coach. Southern Miss cornerbacks coach Eddie Hicks would take the same position on Healy's new staff. Carter Crutchfield would also follow Healy from Austin Peay to continue as his recruiting coordinator and director of operations. Rounding out the first round of staff hires would be Chris Laskowski, who maintained the same position he had under Healy at Austin Peay of strength and conditioning coach.
On December 23 Tulane assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Alex Atkins was named offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. On January 8, 2019 Minnesota Defensive line coach Marcus West was reported as taking the same position with the 49ers and also joining Cooper as co-defensive coordinators. In addition Healy named West, who had previously been on Healy's staff at Austin Peay, to assistant head coach. On the same date Troy running backs coach Sean Dawkins was named running backs coach and run game coordinator.
On January 28, Western Kentucky running backs coach Montario Hardesty joined the staff to coach wide receivers. On February 21 Clemson graduate assistant Zachary Alley joined the staff to coach nickelbacks. On March 1 Oregon graduate assistant Cody Woodiel was hired to coach tight ends, completing Healy's first coaching staff at Charlotte.
Alley would depart from the staff shortly after his hire to join the Boise State staff as inside linebackers coach.
On June 24 Asheville's Christ School's head football coach Tommy Langford accepted the nicklebacks assistant coaching position.
Name Position Seasons atCharlotte Alma mater Will Healy Head coach 1 Richmond (2008) Marcus West Assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator/defensive line 1 Memphis (2005) Alex Atkins Offensive coordinator/offensive line 1 UT Martin (2007) Brandon Cooper Co-defensive coordinator/safeties 1 UT Martin (2007) Mark Carney Quarterbacks coach 1 Fordham (2004) Sean Dawkins Running backs coach/run game coordinator 1 Troy (2007) Montario Hardesty Wide receivers coach 1 Tennessee (2010) Eddie Hicks Cornerbacks coach 1 So Miss (2010) Tommy Langford Nicklebacks coach 1 Minn. State (2015) Max Thurmond Linebackers/special teams coach 1 Jacksonville St. (2001) Cody Woodiel Tight ends coach 1 Troy (2012)Reference:
Recruiting
Recruiting class
The following recruits have signed letters of intent or verbally committed to the Charlotte 49ers football program for the 2019 recruiting year.
Key Transfers Player PositionPreviousHome townHigh schoolClass HeightWeightBrelin Faison-WaldenLinebackerPenn StateGreensboro, NCGrimsley HSSR6'-1"200 lbsBrett KeanQuarterbackS. FloridaLakewood, OHSt. Edward HSGR6'-1"221 lbsMarquill OsborneCornerbackTennesseeCornelius, NCHough HSSR5'-11"190 lbsChristian RobersonTight endMiss. StatePowder Springs, GAMcEachern HSSR6'-6"230 lbs
Players
Roster
Depth chart
Awards and honors Preseason
Bednarik AwardAlex HighsmithDERSRDoak Walker AwardBenny LeMayRBSRRimington TrophyJaelin FisherCRJRGroza AwardJonathan CruzKSOWuerffel TrophyTyriq HarrisDERSRAllstate AFCA Good Works TeamTyriq HarrisDERSR
Preseason Conference USA Special Teams Player of the YearJonathan CruzKSOPreseason All-Conference USA First TeamJonathan CruzKSOPreseason All-Conference USA First TeamAlex HighsmithDERSRPreseason All-Conference USA First TeamBenny LeMayRBSR
In season
Campbell TrophyTyriq HarrisDERSRBurlsworth TrophyAlex HighsmithDERSR
Conference USA Offensive Player of the WeekChris ReynoldsQBRSONorth TexasConference USA Offensive Player of the WeekVictor TuckerWRSOMarshallConference USA Defensive Player of the WeekAlex HighsmithDERSROld Dominion
Wearing Jersey #49 Position Game Christian HaynesDefensive backGardner-WebbB. J. TurnerLinebackerAppalachian StatePeter AgabeLinebackerMassachusettsJaelin FisherOffensive linemanClemsonGage WelbornOffensive linemanFlorida AtlanticRyan CarriereTight endFlorida InternationalDillon OverholtLinebackerWestern KentuckyTaylor ChandlerDefensive endNorth Texas Markees WattsDefensive endMiddle TennesseeJalen AllenOffensive linemanUTEPIsaiah HarrisTight endMarshallOld DominionCameron ClarkOffensive linemanBuffalo (Bahamas Bowl)
Postseason
2019 All-American Football TeamSelectionPlayerPositionYearAuthorityThird TeamAlex HighsmithDERSRPFFSecond TeamAlex HighsmithDERSRSIThird TeamAlex HighsmithDERSRAP
C-USA All-Academic TeamConnor BowlerPRSOC-USA All-Conference First TeamBenny LeMayRBSRC-USA All-Conference First TeamCameron ClarkOLRSRC-USA All-Conference First TeamAlex HighsmithDERSRC-USA All-Freshman TeamDejan RasuoOLFRC-USA All-Freshman TeamLance McMillanDBFR
All Conference Honorable Mentions:
Offense: QB – Chris Reynolds, R-So. • WR – Victor Tucker, R-So.
Defense: DE – Markees Watts, So. • LB – Jeff Gemmell, R-Sr. • DB – Nafees Lyon, R-Sr.
2020 East–West Shrine Bowl:
Participants: RB - Benny LeMay (Shrine Game MVP) • OL - Cameron Clark • DE - Alex Highsmith
Schedule
Television
Charlotte 49ers home games and conference road games will be broadcast through Conference USA's television partners ESPN, CBS Sports, Stadium, NFL Network, and Facebook Watch. Additional games will be available locally in the Charlotte TV market on WCCB.
Radio
Radio coverage for all games is broadcast by IMG College through the Charlotte 49ers Radio Network flagship station WZGV ESPN Radio 730 AM The Game, and the TuneIn Charlotte 49ers IMG Sports Network app. The radio announcers are "Voice of the 49ers" Matt Swierad with play-by-play alongside NFL veteran Al Wallace providing color commentary and Bobby Rosinski and Walker Mehl with sideline reports. Swierad also hosts the "Niners Live" Coaches Show each Monday during the season at 7:00 pm from Cabarrus Brewing Company.
Preseason media poll
Conference USA released their preseason media poll on July 16, 2019, with the 49ers predicted to finish in last place in the East Division.
East Division 1 Marshall 2 FIU 3 Florida Atlantic 4 Middle Tennessee 5 Western Kentucky 6 Old Dominion 7 Charlotte
Game summaries
Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs
Sources:
Healy made his debut as head coach of the 49ers on August 29 against another former Austin Peay head coach in Gardner–Webb's Carroll McCray. The 49ers recorded a 49–28 victory in Will Healy's first game as their head coach.
Top performers included Charlotte quarterback Chris Reynolds who passed for 136 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Charlotte's Benny LeMay had 16 carries for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns. Charlotte's Cameron Dollar had 5 receptions for 58 yards.
Game notes:
This game marked the highest scoring total in Charlotte's FBS era. Ben DeLuca's 3rd quarter fumble recovery moved him into the all-time lead for the 49ers with six fumble recoveries. Alex Highsmith's two sacks moved him into second place on the 49ers sack list with eight career sacks behind Larry Ogunjobi's thirteen career sacks. 5 team sacks tied the program's single-game record.
Appalachian State Mountaineers
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This was the 49ers' first visit to Boone, NC. After not scoring a touchdown in the previous matchup between these squads the 49ers would manage to keep the game within a two-score margin for the entire high-scoring contest. Charlotte would manage to control the clock and have the overall yardage lead but could never crack Appalachian States' score lead throughout the game
Top performers included Charlotte quarterback Chris Reynolds who passed for 296 yards, 4 touchdowns, and an interception. App. St.'s Darrynton Evans had 19 carries for 234 yards and 3 touchdowns. Appalachian's Jalen Virgil had 3 receptions for 86 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Game notes:
Charlotte put up over 500 yards (526) of total offense for the second time in the season. Chris Reynolds would set both a new school FBS single-game passing yardage (296 yards) and touchdown (4) record in this game. First time Charlotte has scored 6 touchdowns against an FBS opponent on the road. First time Charlotte has scored 4 passing touchdowns against an FBS opponent. Charlotte is the first opponent to score more than 19 points in a game against App. St. in Boone since 2017. Charlotte's 41 points are the most points scored against App. St. in Boone since Miami beat them at home 45–10 in 2016.
Massachusetts Minutemen
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Charlotte gained some revenge for last year's first quarter four touchdown lapse when they scored three touchdowns unanswered in the first quarter and a fourth early in the second. Charlotte would dominate the rest of the game in similar fashion to gain the program's first home out of conference FBS victory, and only the second FBS out of conference win.
Top performances were dominated by Charlotte and included quarterback Chris Reynolds who passed for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns. Running back Benny LeMay had 16 carries for 113 yards. Receiver Tyler Ringwood had 2 receptions for 46 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Game notes:
52 points are the most the 49ers have scored against an FBS opponent. This is the first time the 49ers have scored more than 40 points in 3 consecutive games. 35 points is Charlotte's largest margin of victory in an FBS game to date. 5 team sacks matched the program record for sacks in a game for the 2nd time this season.
#1 Clemson Tigers
Sources:
Charlotte visited "Death Valley" for the first time to meet the defending National Champions. The Tigers went up early and never looked back, cruising to a 52 to 10 home victory.
Top performances were dominated by Clemson and included quarterback Trevor Lawrence who passed for 94 yards and 2 touchdowns. Running back Travis Etienne had 11 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown. Receiver Joe Ngata had 3 receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown.
Game notes:
First time Charlotte has faced a defending national champion. First time Charlotte has faced a #1 ranked opponent. Alex Highsmith's sack in this game (5th on the season) has tied the previous season sack record held by Larry Ogunjobi. Highsmith is 2 sacks (11 career) away from tying Ogunjobi's career sacks at 13. Aaron McAllister became the 5th 49er to rush for over 1000 yards in his career. Game scenes for the upcoming Disney movie "Safety" were filmed during halftime.
Florida Atlantic Owls
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Charlotte and Florida Atlantic both opened conference play in a rematch of the previous season finale. Florida Atlantic would get revenge for losing a chance at a bowl game the previous season by holding off two Niners rally attempts and stretching the lead out in the second half to comfortably win the game.
Top performers included FAU quarterback Chris Robison who passed for 312 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception. Florida Atlantic's Malcolm Davidson had 13 carries for 83 yards and 2 touchdowns. Charlotte's Victor Tucker had 6 receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown.
Game notes: