Charlotte’s Chris Reynolds Named C-USA Offensive Player of the Week

CHARLOTTE, NC – Charlotte 49ers R-So. QB Chris Reynolds ( Mocksville, N.C./Davie) has been named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week following his stellar performance in the 49ers last minute, come-from-behind victory over North Texas. C-USA Football Players of the Week are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.  All C-USA weekly awards are presented by Top of the World Headwear.

Reynolds set the 49ers record for total offense, threw for the program’s most yards in an FBS contest, had three TD passes of over 30 yards, ran for a 29-yard score and engineered a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback in Charlotte’s 39-38 victory over North Texas.

He finished the day with a school-record 432 yards of total offense with career-bests of 336 passing and 96 rushing yards. His career-high 336 passing yards are the most by a 49er against an FBS opponent. He joins Matt Johnson as just the second 49er to pass for over 300 yards in a game. His 52-yard TD pass to Tyler Ringwood to start the second half is the 49ers longest of the season. His career-high 96 rushing yards included a 29-yard TD burst in the third quarter.

Facing a 35-21 deficit heading into the final frame, Reynolds engineered three fourth-quarter TD drives and threw touchdown passes of 31 and 34 yards. His 34-yard TD pass to Victor Tucker with 18 seconds capped a comeback that saw the 49ers rally from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit, the 49ers largest comeback against an FBS opponent.

This is the 10th time that a 49er has earned a C-USA Player of the Week honor and the first this season. This is Reynolds’s first weekly award.

PERTINENT GAME NOTES:
Charlotte scored 32 second-half points and outscored North Texas 18-3 in the fourth quarter to stage its come-from-behind victory.

Charlotte set a school record for total yards of offense against an FBS opponent: 589. This is the fourth game this season that Charlotte has put up at least 500 yards of total offense.

Charlotte had two 100-yard receivers in the same game for the second time in school history (At Gardner-Webb, 2014: Austin Duke, 129; Dmarjai Devine, 114)

49ERS FANTASTIC FINISHES:
2019:   
W, 39-38 vs. North Texas – Chris Reynolds hits Victor Tucker for a 34-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds left to complete a comeback from a 35-21 deficit to start the fourth quarter.

2018: 
W, 27-24 at FAU – Jonathan Cruz kicks a 56-yard field goal with 25 seconds left to lift the 49ers over the defending C-USA Champs in the season finale.

2017:
W, 25-24 vs. UAB OT – WR Chris Montgomery takes a reverse and throws back to QB Hasaan Klugh for a two-point conversion in overtime to lift the 49ers, who trailed by 10 entering the fourth quarter.

2013:
W, 53-51 vs. #24 Gardner-Webb – Charlotte trailed by 21 entering the fourth quarter and by 12 in the final five minutes but scored touchdowns on three consecutive offensive plays to complete the biggest comeback in school history in the inaugural season.

PREVIOUS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
Reynolds joins Hasaan Klugh (co-Offensive POTW, 2016) as the only 49ers to earn a C-USA Offensive Player of the Week Award. K Jonathan Cruz holds the 49ers record for the most weekly awards. He was named the C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week three times, last year. Alex Highsmith (2018), Juwan Foggie (2018) and Terrance Winchester (2016) have earned C-USA Defensive Player of the Week awards.  Foggie (2016) and Blake Brewer (2105) also own Special Teams Player of the Week Awards.