Traylon Ray Undergoes Surgery: What Does This Mean for the WVU Passing Game?

The West Virginia receiver underwent a successful surgery over the weekend.

Ben Queen-Imagn Images

West Virginia sophomore wide receiver Traylon Ray exited Saturday's game against the Baylor Bears with a lower-body injury and had to be carted off the field.

The injury occurred on a deep ball attempt from Greene along the sideline and toward the end zone midway through the third quarter. Had Ray not been interfered with, there was a pretty good chance that he would not only come down with the catch but potentially stroll into the end zone for a touchdown.

As Ray fell to the ground, the Baylor defensive back appeared to have landed on his leg. Right away you could tell something was seriously wrong and that it would be his last play of the night, and perhaps the season.

Over the weekend, Ray shared an update on X, posting that he underwent a successful surgery and is beginning his road to recovery.

"l appreciate all the messages I've been receiving from everyone. The surgery went great, and I'll make a full recovery! Sometimes, you might not fully understand God’s plan, but you have to trust it! Much love to Mountaineer nation, I'll be back better than ever. GO NEERS!"

A tough situation for Ray

Since the start of Big 12 play, Ray has been one of West Virginia's most productive receivers. He has hauled in a touchdown catch in four of the team's seven league games and has two catches of 50 yards or more. For the season, Ray caught 28 passes for 426 yards and four touchdowns, eclipsing his totals from his true freshman season across the board.

Ray is expected to make a full recovery but will need to use the winter months to regain his strength. Heading into the 2025 season, he should be one of the top receiving threats on the roster, especially with Kole Taylor set to graduate.

What does this mean for West Virginia?

With Ray out and Hudson Clement playing a bit banged up, the Mountaineers will need more out of Justin Robinson and Jaden Bray, assuming he makes his way back to the field this week against UCF. During his radio show last Thursday, head coach Neal Brown said that Bray was getting closer and that there would be a better shot of him playing this upcoming Saturday.

Aside from Robinson and Bray, West Virginia doesn't have many reliable receivers to work with. DayDay Farmer needs to get stronger so that he doesn't get bumped off his routes, and Rodney Gallagher III is still developing his route tree. Tight end Kole Taylor could become a favorite target for whoever is in at quarterback for the Mountaineers in the final two games of the season, especially if Clement is not at 100%.

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