How an undersized, walk-on quarterback became Charlotte’s all-time leading passer

The quarterback that was always too small is now the biggest name in Charlotte 49ers’ football history.

Chris Reynolds has gone from sixth on the depth chart with no offers out of high school to the top of the 49ers’ record books with 5,974 career passing yards and 45 touchdowns, passing Matt Johnson for the most in program history.

Charlotte won its third home game of the season with a 42-39 shootout win over Middle Tennessee on the back of Reynolds’ 371 total yards and five touchdowns. Reynolds completed nearly 70% of his passes and threw touchdowns to three different receivers, but his fifth and final score came on the ground, sealing the game on 4th-and-inches with a leap over the offensive line while he stretched the ball into the end zone.

“It was very risky and probably not the smartest idea, but my idea was to get as high as I could and reach the ball as far as I could,” Reynolds said. “Thankfully it worked out.”

“Thank goodness you did that,” head coach Will Healy said. “I’ll tell you in front of all of these cameras. It was a good play.”

Reynolds joined the 49ers in July 2017 as a walk-on, and immediately began turning heads. He quickly made a name for himself throwing the ball to Victor Tucker on the scout team. Fittingly enough, on Sept. 1, 2018, Reynolds’ first touchdown pass landed in the hands of Tucker in their first win together over Fordham.

Fast forward four years, the program has earned its first winning season, made its first bowl appearance and collected its first win over a Power Five school. Reynolds and Tucker have connected for two game-sealing touchdowns, 2,027 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Tucker, another overlooked high school recruit, has been there with Reynolds every step of the way.

“It’s really just a testament to how hard he works and all he’s been through in his journey,” Tucker said after the game Friday. “It’s a true testament to his character.”

Reynolds, the “heart and soul of this program,” according to Healy, battled through a torn labrum in 2020, playing every snap. The journey hasn’t always been pretty, but one thing about Reynolds, it’s never been about him.

“As I was going around at the end, there was one person that shook my hand. He was an ‘88 grad. He was explaining to me how much it meant to him to see us succeed. When he finished school there was no football team, obviously. But it’s amazing to see the growth so far.

“It’s hard to fathom how much further this program can go, especially in Charlotte. I know for me when my clock is done here, I’m going to look back and be proud at how we’ve grown, and how much we’re going to continue to grow. It’s a cool experience to meet those people that fought for this program. The people that held the goal posts and marched the campus. You’ve got to remember that when you step on this field, people fought for this opportunity.”

The Charlotte 49ers’ football program is in its ninth season, seventh at the FBS level. It’s been a battle becoming relevant in their own city, let alone the state of North Carolina. In 2021, the 49ers have three nationally televised games, the most in their short history. The first two have been thrillers decided in the final minutes by a combined six points — both victories.

While the Niners have a long way to go in reaching both its season and program goals, Charlotte has become an exuberant place to play and watch football.

“Thank goodness they brought football, or we wouldn’t be here,” Healy said after the game. “I’ve talked about it a million times, one of my goals was to make football relevant in Charlotte and on this campus. Our job is to help the student experience here. Let’s create something that everybody can rally around and take pride in.”