2020 WVU Football Position Preview: Running Backs

Taking a look at the Mountaineer running backs heading into the 2020 season

Heading into the 2019 season, the running back room had depth returning with Martell Pettaway, Kennedy McKoy and Leddie Brown, and the assumption was that the West Virginia offense would lean on the running game until Oklahoma graduate transfer quarterback Austin Kendall and a group of young receivers were on the same page.

Unfortunately, the offensive line lacked experience and as a result, the running game suffered ranking 129th in rushing in the country (out of 130 teams) at 73.3 yards per game.

West Virginia rushed for 34 yards on 56 attempts and no touchdowns in the first two games (James Madison, Missouri), but was able to rack up 366 yards and six touchdowns in the next two against Power Five opponents NC State and Kansas to move to 3-1 on the season.

However, Martell Pettaway’s seven-yard touchdown run with 5:04 remaining in the Kansas game was the last rushing touchdown from a running back on the season. The following week against Texas, Austin Kendall snuck into the end zone from a yard out early in the second quarter for the final rushing touchdown on the season.

Additionally, the last 100-yard rushing game on the year came against Kansas. That’s eight straight games without rushing for 100 yards and no touchdowns from a running back.

Although the offensive line struggled, head coach Neal Brown said there is plenty of blame to go around for the team's rushing deficiencies. As far as the running backs Neal said they “got to do a better job of finishing runs” and “a better job in space at running back.”

After day one of spring practice, it didn’t come as a surprise that Leddie Brown and Alec Sinkfield were the two mentioned by Brown for “doing nice things”. Both are expected to not only be a factor in the rushing attack but in the passing game as well.

Nonetheless, this edition of the Mountaineers running backs lack experience going into the 2020 season but not talent.

Running Backs

Leddie Brown (5-11, 214 lbs)

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Class: Junior

Brown led the team in rushing with 367 yards in 2019 and is expected to be the featured back in 2020. Brown has two career 100-yard rushing games both coming in 2018 versus Youngstown State (115) and Kansas (107).

Alec Sinkfield (5-9, 184 lbs)

Hometown: Delray Beach, FL

Class: Redshirt-Junior

Sinkfield was slowed down in the second game of the 2018 season with an ankle injury after rushing for 27 yards and a touchdown on 5 carries. Sinkfield finished the season with 19 carries and 68 yards in five games on the season.

In 2019, the bulk of the carries went to Brown and McKoy and only got 17 carries on the season but showed the ability to run between the tackles.

Tony Mathis Jr. (5-11, 203 lbs)

Hometown: Orlando, FL

Class: Redshirt-Freshman

Mathis appeared in four games during the 2019 season to maintain redshirt eligibility. All four of his carries came against Texas Tech for 14 yards.

Mathis was the 5-A high school offensive player of the year in Florida in 2018 with 1,042 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns on 169 carries.

Lorenzo Dorr (5-9, 201 lbs)

Hometown: Fredericksburg, VA

Class: Redshirt-Senior

Dorr has primarily used on special teams the class two seasons, but was in at running back in four games in 2019 recording two carries for nine yards.

A’varius Sparrow (5-10, 190 lbs)

Hometown: Orlando, FL

Class: Freshman

Sparrow rushed for over 3,200 yards the past two seasons including 2,135 yards and 26 touchdowns on 240 carries his senior season.

Jason Edwards (5-10, 212 lbs)

Hometown: Bluefield, WV

Class: Redshirt-Sophomore

Edwards transferred to West Virginia from Pitt following being redshirted in 2018. As a senior at Bluefield High School in 2017, Edwards accumulated 1,154 rushing yards and scored 27 touchdowns on the year earning class double A first-team honors.

TJ Kpan (5-8, 180 lbs)

Hometown: McMurray, PA

Class: Redshirt-Junior

Kpan finished his senior year with 905 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns in nine games at Peters Township High before waling onto the West Virginia Football program in 2017. Has not seen any game action.

Owen Chafin (5-9, 198 lbs)

Hometown: Huntington, WV

Class: Redshirt-Freshman

As a three year starter at Spring Valley High School, Chafin finished his career with 4,200 career rushing yards and 210 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns earning Two-time All-State, four-time All-Tri State and three-time all-conference also an invite to the US Army and Blue-Gray All-American Bowl Game.

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