Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Charlotte 49ers season with what you need to know.
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Charlotte Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 5-7 overall, 4-4 in Conference USA
Head Coach: Will Healy, 1st year
– CFN Preview 2019: All The Team Previews
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CHARLOTTE OFFENSE
– Overall, the offense didn’t really work last season. The 49ers finished 115th in the nation in total O, averaged just 21.7 points per game, and didn’t come up with enough of a passing game. Enter new head coach Will Healy, whose Austin Peay team was outstanding at grinding out the running game last season and was among the best in the FCS in yards per completion.
– Five starters return, and the passing game gets its top quarterback back with Chris Reynolds returning from an ankle injury. Former Miami transfer Evan Shirreffs is a more than capable option, but if Reynolds is right, the passing game should bust out with top target Victor Tucker back after a 54 catch season along with speedy sophomore Rico Arnold. Adding grad transfer Christian Roberson from Mississippi State helps.
– The O line was stood out on Healy’s Austin Peay offense, but he only gets back two starters from a line that was tissue paper against good pass rushes. Fortunately, returning is Cameron Clark, one of the best tackles in Conference USA.
– Working behind this group is all-star RB Benny LeMay, who’s coming off a 1,243-yard, 11 touchdown season along with top backup Aaron McAllister. The ground game will hit 2,000 yard this season and average over four yards per pop after coming up with just 1,951 yards averaging 3.7 yards.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CHARLOTTE DEFENSE
– There’s a whole lot to like about the 49er defense. Seven starters and five of the top six tacklers are back from a group that finished third overall in Conference USA and was a rock against the run, allowing just 106 yards per game.
– It starts with the return of a good line, with ends Alex Highsmith and Tyriq Harris coming off all-star seasons. There wasn’t enough of a pass rush, but that should change – these two need to combine for more than 5.5 sacks, but Highsmith can get behind the line with 17.5 tackles for loss. 311-pound Timmy Horne is a good-sized presence in the interior, and there’s a good rotation around him.
– If Ben DeLuca isn’t the best safety in Conference USA, he’s not far off. The veteran led the team with 92 stops, and he’s not alone with corners Nafees Lyon and DJ Anderson back. This group can hit, but they all need to come up with more big plays when the ball is in the air.
– The linebacking combination of Jeff Gemmell and Anthony Butler combined for 140 tackles. Gemmell is the big body on the inside, and Butler is for the outside. There’s good size across the board, and this group will be solid against the run, but the outside linebackers have to start hitting the quarterback.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP CHARLOTTE PLAYERS
Best Charlotte Offensive Player
RB Benny LeMay, Sr.
The 5-9, 218-pounder took over the offense last year on his way to a 1,243-yard, 11 touchdown season averaging over five yards per carry.
He’s got some pop for the passing game, too, catching 21 passes and coming up with a few big plays, but his game is about being the team’s workhorse. He handed the ball 20 times or more five times with five 100-yard games.
2. OT Cameron Clark, Sr.
3. QB Chris Reynolds, Soph.
4. PK Jonathan Cruz, Soph.
5. WR Victor Tucker, Soph.
Best Charlotte Defensive Player
DE Alex Highsmith, Sr.
The 6-3, 241-pounder had a good first few seasons, and then he exploded last season with a school-record 17.5 tackles for loss with 60 tackles on the way to a First Team All-Conference USA season. Now he has to do more to get to the quarterback after coming up with just three sacks. He might be a bit undersized, but he’s a smart leader who can move.
2. S Ben DeLuca, Sr.
3. DE Tyriq Harris, Sr.
4. LB Jeff Gemmell, Sr.
5. P Kyle Corbett, Jr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Charlotte Offense
The offensive line has to be a whole lot stronger. That might be a bit of an issue with three starters gone and C Jaelin Fisher a bit undersized. It did a nice job last year paving the way for Benny LeMay’s big rushing season, but it struggled way too much in pass protection and didn’t do enough to keep defenses out of the backfield. Opponents came up with 92 tackles for loss and 38 sacks last season – that’s way too much. And on the flip side …
Biggest Key To The Charlotte Defense
Hit a quarterback now and then. The 49ers have the pass rushers in Alex Highsmith and Tyriq Harris, and the linebackers have the quickness to get into the backfield on a regular basis. Now it all has to all work after coming up with just 19 sacks and 63 tackles for loss. It was a big improvement from 2017, but it still wasn’t enough.
How did new head coach Will Healy’s Austin Peay defense do last year? It was great at getting behind the line, but there weren’t enough sacks.
Key Player To A Successful Season
QB Chris Reynolds, Soph.
Or senior Evan Shirreffs. The running game will be okay with Benny LeMay, but the passing attack has to be sharper and more consistent after failing to complete 60% of its passes with 2,166 yards and ten touchdowns with eight picks. The downfield throws weren’t there, and the offense sputtered too much after Reynolds was knocked out with an ankle injury.
When he was healthy, he hit 63% or more of his passes in five of his size games, threw six touchdowns and was picked off twice. If he adds a real, live passing dimension to the attack, or if Shirreffs can rise up and rock, the 49ers should have a winning season.
Key Game To The Charlotte Season
Florida Atlantic, Sept. 28
Charlotte should be 2-2 – at worst – going into the Conference USA season. It managed to beat Florida Atlantic to close out last season – keeping the Owls from becoming bowl eligible – and now it’s a chance to make a big early statement.
With a week off to follow, and with a brutal run coming up, beating FAU could be a must to get to six wins and a bowl game.
– Charlotte Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Charlotte Fun Stats
– Time of Possession: Charlotte 34:59 – Opponents 25:01
– Sacks: Opponents 38 for 276 yards – Charlotte 19 for 135 yards
– Rushing Yards Per Game: Charlotte 162.6 – Opponents 105.7
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. CHARLOTTE WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
There are enough good players returning that bowl eligibility is more than possible. Last year’s team was close, but it was missing a passing game, a pass rush, and the offensive consistency and punch to get over the hump.
This year’s team should have a better passing attack. It’s got the pieces in place under Will Healy and the new coaching staff – including one of Conference USA’s best kicking game – to be just a wee bit better.
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 6
It’s going to take a few upsets to get there, but the team that was able to get by Florida Atlantic and Southern Miss should be even stronger.
Beating Gardner-Webb and UMass is a must, but in the first half of the season, the 49ers have road games against Appalachian State, Clemson, FIU and WKU – they have to win one of those, and it’s not going to be against the Tigers.
They have to take out UTEP on the road, and find a few upsets in the mix at home against teams like Middle Tennessee and North Texas, but with the new coaching staff and the experience returning, the 49ers should be one win stronger.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
