Sam

James

No reason was ever given by the school regarding the absence of James (6'0/184) from the Iowa State game, as he did not even make the trip out to Ames. But the redshirt sophomore is back, and he’s listed as Winston Wright’s backup at H-receiver ahead of the Mountaineers’ Liberty Bowl matchup with Army. James has appeared in eight games this season, catching 29 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns.

According to Bob Hertzel, West Virginia had some positive tests for COVID-19 within the program this week and as a result they’re more shorthanded than usual. However, it’s important to note that some of the absences could be because of contact tracing protocols. In addition to James (6'0/184), who has been one of the Mountaineers’ best pass-catchers this season, WVU will also be without Bryce Ford-Wheaton, TJ Banks and Noah Guzman. Ali Jennings has been thrust into a starting role as a result of the absences.

James (6'0/184) has caught at least four balls in all three games. James, West Virginia’s leading returning receiver, has posted a 17-160-1 receiving line through three games. The Mountaineers next play in two weeks against Kansas.

James (6'0/184) made a 32-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter to push WVU to a 21-0 advantage. He’s coming off a 2019 campaign in which he rocked a 69-677-2 receiving line. West Virginia was out 11 players due to one-game suspensions on Saturday, but they should have their full contingent (or close to it) back for the team’s next game, against Oklahoma State following their upcoming bye week.

James, who caught five passes for 72 yards and a score in the Mountaineers’ blowout win over Eastern Kentucky, moves into the starting role while last week’s starter (Sam Brown) is listed second. James seemed to have good chemistry with QB Jarrett Doege, which doesn’t hurt the wide receiver’s chances of having even more opportunities to make plays in the passing game. Brown and Ali Jennings, who missed the opener due to injury, share the second line on the depth chart.

James (6'0/182) came through with monster numbers on Saturday, though the game itself was essentially never in doubt, with Texas Tech working its way out to a 35-10 halftime lead. The redshirt freshman averaged 15.9 yards per reception with a long grab of 51 yards in the listless loss. On the season, now, James has caught 58 passes for 623 yards and two touchdowns in nine games.

James (6'0/182) was working with a “questionable” designation early in the week, but during his Thursday radio show, WVU HC Neal Brown said that the redshirt freshman has been able to practice of late and that the team “feel[s] comfortable” trotting him out versus ISU. James is working his way back from a head injury sustained against Texas last weekend. Given the fickle nature of concussions and the like, we’ll keep an eye on James’ status leading up to kickoff. For the campaign, the wideout owns a 32-329-2 receiving line.

James (6'0/182) has been a consistent producer for the Mountaineers, catching at least five passes in every game and posting a season line of 32/329/2 in his first season for WVU. Concussions affect everyone differently so James should be considered a true game time decision. HC Brown said he would provide an update on James’ status on his radio show this Thursday. West Virginia welcomes the Cyclones of Iowa State to Morgantown this Saturday.

James (6'0/182) left the game in the second half after his head appeared to bounce off of the turf while he was being tackled by a Texas defender. When it comes to head injuries there’s a protocol that schools have to follow, so it’s tough to offer any specifics with regards to how much time the redshirt freshman could miss. James caught six passes for 66 yards and a touchdown on the day, and for the season he has a line of 32-329-2.

The Mountaineers passing offense was kept alive in large part due to James’ breakout performance. James, a 6-foot, 182-pound freshman, earned more yards than West Virginia’s six other pass-catchers combined. He hadn’t showed up much in the team’s first two games, but James certainly put himself on the map with a dominant showing vs a quality NC State defense.