Charlotte 49ers redshirt junior quarterback Chris Reynolds has been named to the watch list for the 2020 Maxwell Award, which is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Player in College Football. He is the first 49ers player in school history to be named to this prestigious award’s watch list.
Breakout Season
Reynolds earned all-Conference USA honorable mention from the league’s coaches after setting a school record with 22 passing TDs and leading the league with a school-record 153.60 passing efficiency. He passed for over 2,500 yards and was the team’s second-leading rusher with 791 yards, the most ever by a 49ers quarterback. He had a .622 completion pct. (181-of-291) and averaged 197.2 passing yards and 258.1 yards of total offense. In the 49ers win at UTEP, he set a school record for total offense (445 total yards) with 354 passing yards and 91 rushing yards. His 2,594 passing yards are the most by a 49er in FBS play, and he set school single-game FBS records for passing yards (354 at UTEP) and passing TDs (4 at Appalachian State). He ranked in the FBS top 15 in passing yards/attempt (8.81, 12th FBS) and passing yards/completion (14.17, 13th FBS). Pro Football Focus (PFF) named him second team all-Conference USA.
Clutch Performer
Reynolds engineered three second half comebacks during a five-game win streak to end the regular season. Charlotte scored the game-winning TD in the fourth quarter of each of those three comebacks. That win streak earned Charlotte bowl eligibility for the first time in school history and sent the 49ers to the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl.
Trailing 35-21 after three quarters to North Texas, Charlotte staged its largest fourth quarter comeback at the FBS level to kickstart the five-game win streak. Charlotte scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns and Reynolds completed the comeback with his game-winning 34-yard TD pass to Victor Tucker with 18 seconds left for a 39-38 victory.
At UTEP, Charlotte trailed 21-7 at the half but had rallied to tie the score 21-21 after three quarters, and Reynolds hit Jacob Hunt for a 19-yard game-winning TD in fourth quarter to notch the 28-21 road victory.
Charlotte then oustcored Marshall 14-0 in the fourth quarter to rally from what had been a 10-0 halftime deficit to secure bowl eligibility. After delivering a go-ahead 77-yard scoring drive to start the final frame, Reynolds iced the victory with another dramatic last-minute TD pass to Tucker. Leading 17-13 in the final minute, Reynolds connected with Tucker on 4th and 10 from the 25-yard line with 48 seconds remaining to claim the 24-13 win and lock in Charlotte’s first bowl opportunity.
Walk-on to record holder
A former walk-on, Reynolds now owns several school records and ranks second all-time in career passing yards (3,737) and passing touchdowns (28). Last year, he became the second 49er to pass for over 2,500 yards and had five games with 200 or more passing yards. He set a school C-USA record with three passing TDs vs. FAU and North Texas. The dual threat QB also had two 100-yard rushing games and six rushing touchdowns. He rushed for 90 or more yards in each of the season-altering five-game win streak.