A new challenge and a new challenger.
Max Brown left Charlotte’s loss to North Carolina and backup Deshawn Purdie did the same in his comeback win over Gardner-Webb.
Trexler Ivey is the next man.
He performed well on Saturday, leading the 49ers to a record-setting comeback in the program’s abbreviated FBS era. The former third quarterback, now in the starting lineup, completed 11 of his 12 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns, which is a career high.
Michael Miller is not surprised.
Fall camp was another opportunity for the offensive coordinator to see Ivey in action, but his behind-the-scenes skills were already outstanding. Despite competition in the form of two new quarterbacks at the top of the rankings to start the year, he’s a quarterback who chose to go the old-school way.
He learned this from a record-setting quarterback who once shared a conference room with him.
“At the end of the day, I came here to build a program,” Ivey said. “I feel kind of old school. When things get tough in college football these days, a lot of guys just leave. That’s not how I was raised. Chris Reynolds right before me was a walk-on and worked his ass off for three or four years to become a starter and had a lot of success here.”
Last season was an educational experience.
Ivey worked behind it Jalon Jones to start the season but finished with 203 pass attempts and 1,263 yards, a team-high. Success and failure alike were stepping stones for the signal caller, who made just one appearance against Maryland when Reynolds took the reins in 2022.
Reynolds wasn’t an immediate starter. He redshirted in 2017 and started six games in 2018 before breaking out in his third year in the program. He now holds Charlotte’s records for touchdowns, passing yards, completion percentage and a whole host of other stats.
Finding gems can take some time.
“I think it’s hugely important for us to bring his experience from last year – all the things he did well and all the things he didn’t do well – into games like this one against Indiana.” Colin Weber said Tuesday. “Experience in the college world takes you far.”
“He had every opportunity to take off and get another chance (at another school). And he stayed, kept working and competed. It was fun to watch him grow and develop.”
His work in meeting rooms laid the foundation for the success of others.
Ivey has been praised by Miller and offensive coaches all year for his ability to help Brown and Purdie adapt to a new playbook, all the while pushing the two in practice, and they’ve pushed back to create more talent at the game’s preeminent position.
His performance in Saturday’s win helped to make the final game 21 points, but also boosted the team’s fighting spirit. The 20-3 deficit didn’t divide the 49ers, but instead brought them even closer together.
The quarterback’s ability to build a bond despite competition is a testament to Charlotte’s fundamental attitude.
“They have learned to stay together as a well-coordinated team,” Biff Poggi said. “You didn’t see or hear anyone on Saturday blaming or attacking anyone else. I’m proud of how they’ve come together as a team – I told them this morning that everyone talks about having a player-led team and it’s very difficult to achieve that.”
“We’re a player-led team, that’s what they are. I really like our culture; we never give up.”
Tight ends want to get involved
Bryce Kennon One-handed catch was the highlight of a great night for Charlotte’s tight ends on Saturday.
Together, he and Weber accounted for 133 of the team’s 336 receiving yards, and Kennon accounted for 70 yards (a career high) and another five catches.
Tim Brewster has worked with some of the best players in the NFL at the position and brought a mentality change to the room that is paying off.
It has gained even more importance due to injuries to the team’s quarterback.
“Mentalism is a big thing that’s hard to coach – a lot of guys think you either have it or you don’t, and that’s true in most cases,” Weber said. “I think Coach Brew does a great job of coaching mentality. We tight ends all pride ourselves on being physically strong and doing the dirty work. When you have games like this where you have a lot of catches, it’s rewarding.”
Charlotte’s wideouts contributed another 148 total yards, and a combined effort will prove useful against their final non-conference opponent.
Odds and ends
Indiana’s offense brings a new level of productivity to Charlotte’s game plan.
The Hoosiers have scored 50 points per game during their 3-0 start, led by a 77-point outburst against Western Illinois. It’s a diverse attack, averaging 288 passing yards per game, complemented by nearly 227 yards on the ground — three backs have contributed at least 100 this year, with three touchdowns each for the trio, led by Justice Ellison’s 234 yards on eight yards per carry.
