PHOTO | LEROY HARDEN

Charlotte receiver Grant Dubose runs downfield after catching a pass Saturday in the Green-White scrimmage at Jerry Richardson Stadium. The 49ers have retooled after going 5-7 in 2021, especially on defense, where there's a new coordinator in Greg Brown.

Victor Tucker knows he can’t change the past.

The Charlotte 49ers’ senior receiver is eager to atone for a disastrous end to the 2021 season in which the team went 5-7 and lost its final three straight games along with a chance at bowl eligibility. That’s why he’s back for another season.

“Honestly, the urgency started last year because I had the mindset that I wanted to leave and didn’t want to come back,” he said after catching two passes for 86 yards and a score for the Green squad in Saturday’s spring game. “So, the urgency was there, but I will say this year it became a lot more real for me to know that I don’t have another opportunity to do it.”

Charlotte coach Will Healy takes responsibility for 2021’s failures, but it isn’t something he dwells on. The goal is to move forward, although last year is a motivation for everyone in the program.

“I don’t think it’s something that you have to bring it up a lot,” he said. “I think the sour taste of how we finished is in everybody’s mouth, but I think that the interesting part about last season was you saw capabilities early, and then you saw lack of consistency late and so that’s on the head coach. These guys are frustrated and ticked that that happened, and we’ve got work to do and we got something to prove, and you hope that keeps us hungry.”

The 49ers are using last year’s collapse as 2022’s fuel. They’re not wallowing in the past, but it is an incentive to be better prepared and consistent, starting with the opener against Florida Atlantic in a Conference USA game.   

“I feel like it starts now,” Tucker said. “Just because this spring chapter has closed, we need to be working and trying to get ready for Week 0 because that's what matters. And we still have all our goals in front of us, so let's pursue them.”

Charlotte made several changes during the offseason, primarily on defense, where the 49ers struggled, especially against the run. Healy hired Greg Brown as defensive coordinator and added Brian Baker (defensive line) and Kap Dede (secondary) to shore up a unit that returns six starters.

“I really took it personal,” said safety Solomon Rogers, one of those returnees. “It was a struggle. We all tried to put it together but it just it just didn’t turn out the way we wanted to turn out. Hopefully this year what we got and the play calling that we got we can play make plays.”

Offensively, Charlotte returns eight starters and is stocked at the skill positions led by quarterback Chris Reynolds and a receiver corps paced by Tucker, Grant Dubose, a Miles College transfer who turned in a breakout campaign, and C-USA Freshman of the Year Elijah Spencer. Reynolds, who completed 12-of-17 passes for 189 yards and two scores in the spring game, is especially motivated by 2021’s frustration.

“I think after the last game, you kind of have to sit with it for a little bit, like a month or a couple of weeks,” Reynolds said. “Then you find a way to get off the couch and keep going. I feel like I personally have always had a chip on my shoulder and … that kind of ending is added onto the chip. I think you’re going to hear that from other guys, too.”

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