Press release provided by Charlotte 49ers Athletics

HOUSTON, Texas – If necessary, throw away the kitchen sink.

Bullpens are typically reserved for baseball, but Charlotte has used its proverbial reserves several times this year to provide a spark on offense. Deshawn Purdie was the backup forced to engineer a comeback before Rice’s wayward 49-yard field goal at the final whistle secured a 21-20 victory for the visiting 49ers in the American Athletic Conference season opener on Saturday.

Trexler Ivey’s start was marred by tough sledding and a limiting opposing game plan. Purdie had to deal with the same thing against Gardner-Webb when a change was needed.

A win over the Owls, led by three second-half touchdown drives and as many deep passes to O’Mega Blake, including two touchdowns, was a chance for revenge.

The two quarterbacks embraced on the smooth turf of Rice Stadium, just seconds after the missed field goal that sealed their fate.

Hahsaun Wilson scored the decisive touchdown, as he did two weeks ago against the Runnin’ Bulldogs. There were 47 seconds left and Charlotte’s defense did the rest.

“It’s a ‘we’ thing, not a ‘me’ thing,” Purdie said. “He picked me up and I picked him up – we stand by each other until the end and that’s my brother. I have his back and he has mine, that’s how it works.”

The second quarter forced a change.

Charlotte gained 26 yards on 14 plays with two punts and an interception in the stanza. During the same period, the defense forced two punts and a 32-yard field goal to keep the Owls close. Even the latter’s scoring drive took 10 plays to reach 24 yards.

Purdie’s effort with 13:01 left in the third period quickly proved worthwhile.

Cartevious Norton backed him up with a 14-yard run to kick off the true freshman’s first drive before a quick pass and an additional 13-yard run set the stage. Purdie’s pirouette around the grasp of a Rice defender paved the way for a 32-yard touchdown for Blake.

The pair connected again on the ensuing drive, this time covering 45 yards, as Blake stretched out in the middle of the field. His shaky 66-yard catch on a similar play a quarter later set the stage for Wilson’s final game-winning run.

A signal-caller change helped Blake rush for 153 yards and the program’s biggest receiving outburst since Grant DuBose had 160 yards against UTEP in 2022.

“They sat on all of our routes and blocked the box (against) the run, they didn’t respect that we could throw it over their head,” head coach Biff Poggi said. “To loosen them up, we thought we’d bring Purdie in and let him see if he could hit some things over the top with our receivers, and he did it.”

The defense also responded.

The tackling drills took a different form in practice before the AAC opener. The aggressiveness increased and so did the competitive fire throughout the unit as the strength of the 49ers’ game plan increased – players responded to the increased focus on what matters. They turned the preparatory work into a success in the second half.

Charlotte forced a turnover on downs after Purdie’s first touchdown. It forced a punt two drives later, setting up a game-winning drive. Rice settled for field goals on two red zone drives and turned the ball over on downs on two others.

“We always have the mentality of bending and not breaking,” said security chief Al-Ma’hi Ali. “We gave up a couple explosive (plays) and left them in the red zone, but as always, it’s all about the next play. As long as they don’t get into the end zone, we’ll keep fighting.”

The squad, mostly made up of 71 new faces, is still learning how to win. Charlotte began building its foundation in Poggi’s second year, and the team’s chemistry paved the way for the relationships that led to two comeback victories, both by quarterbacks who came late to provide a boost.

When the 49ers stormed the field on Saturday, their relationship was strengthened again. Whatever it takes, they will do it. Victories come when major efforts are met with execution just as comprehensive as they were against Rice.

“It’s the beginning of a new beginning for Charlotte football here,” Purdie said. “Seeing all the boys celebrating – that’s what we need. It’s a great feeling.”

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