PHOTO | TROY HULL

Charlotte receiver Grant DuBose caught four passes for 118 yards a pair of touchdowns in the 49ers' 31-28 win Friday against Duke. DuBose, a transfer from Division II Miles College (Ala.), surpassed his receiving yards total (104 yards) and doubled his total touchdowns (one) as a Miles freshman in 2019.

Grant DuBose had a career night in his Charlotte football debut.

The wide receiver scored two touchdowns for the 49ers in their historic 31-28 win against Duke, Charlotte’s first against a Power Five program puts them 6-3 in season openers. It was a night of firsts for DuBose as well in his first Division I game. He had four receptions for 118 yards, surpassing the yardage he accumulated as a freshman at Miles College, a Division II HBCU in Alabama (eight catches for 104 yards and one touchdown).

DuBose entered the transfer portal in 2020 but remained in Alabama, where he worked “three and a half jobs” that included online grocery pickup, manufacturing, food delivery and bagging groceries at Maxwell Air Force Base’s commissary. 

“Last year around this time, I was working,” DuBose said. “I was waiting on an opportunity.”

Around Christmas, his hometown friend and Charlotte backup quarterback James Foster encouraged him to join the 49ers. Foster, a redshirt sophomore, transferred from Texas A&M with three remaining years of eligibility.

“We’re both from the same city, and we got some work in,” DuBose said. “From there, he was just very consistent in pushing for me to get up here. That’s really how it is. I just want to thank God, thank coach [Will] Healy and thank James for the opportunity to be here and do what I do.”

DuBose came in during the summer, along with other wide receivers to try out, which the NCAA allowed this year. Foster called offensive coordinator Mark Carney and told him about DuBose.

“James Foster called coach Carney and is like, ‘listen, I don’t know who you’re talking about taking. I know we need a wideout. There’s this dude from Miles College that’s pretty good,’” Healy said. “In walks Mr. Grant DuBose and it wasn’t even close to all the rest of them. Grant’s got an amazing spirit about him.”

Healy credited DuBose’s work ethic, as well as how he fits with lead receiver Victor Tucker, who led Charlotte with eight catches for 133 yards against Duke.

“Having him and Vic together in the wideout room has totally changed that room,” Healy said. “He works extremely hard. He does everything we asked him to do.”

DuBose’s last game was against Lenoir-Rhyne in the Division II national playoffs in November 2019. You would never know it had been that long since he played in a competitive game based on his performance against Duke.

“It doesn’t even feel real,” DuBose said. “I’ve really been taking in this whole week, just imagining myself playing Duke and just being out here in this atmosphere. It is honestly surreal. I’m still trying to take it in right now. I’m not really used to all of these lights and cameras in my face. It feels good. I’m just happy to be here right now.”

Healy sat next to DuBose with a grin from ear to ear as DuBose shared his first game experience as a 49er. The third-year 49ers head coach preaches a positive student athlete experience and watched DuBose walk into the team hotel recording everything with his cell phone.

“You’re proud of how you’re doing things, how they’re eating, how they’re traveling, how they’re being taken care of,” Healy said. “And you see Grant, a guy that just doesn’t take it for granted and is so grateful for the opportunity. The dude fights his rear end off every day because he is so excited about being here. We as people who have been here and watched it grow also can’t take for granted the steps this program has made to be able to get here too, but also be hungry to go take it to the next level.”

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