West Virginia
West Virginia wants three running backs ready to roll
West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez wants to have three guys ready to roll in his backfield by the time that the season rolls around.
Junior Jahiem White will certainly fill one of those roles as the most productive returning piece on the offensive side of the ball after rushing for 845 yards and 7 touchdowns last season. While White is dealing with a minor knee issue in the spring, the Mountaineers are excited for his potential.
“Jahiem is a proven guy and I think he’s going to have a great year. He has a great skill set for what we do, too,” Rodriguez said. “So excited about him.”
But with CJ Donaldson exiting the program to transfer to Ohio State in the off-season, there are plenty of questions behind White in the backfield pecking order.
The Mountaineers were aggressive in the transfer portal, landing a pair of options in Northern Iowa transfer Tye Edwards and Catawba College transfer LJ Turner.
Edwards spent the past two seasons with the Panthers where he rushed for 1,557 yards and 11 touchdowns. That included this past season where Edwards rushed for 1,022 yards and 6 scores while catching 12 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.
At 6-foot-2, 237-pounds, Edwards provides a big-back option to fill the role that Donaldson held in the backfield a season ago. Edwards collected a total of 1,233 yards after contact for an average of 4.39 yards after contact per attempt. But he also was elusive, forcing a total of 71 forced missed tackles across 267 carries.
“Have a big guy in Tye Edwards,” Rodriguez said.
Turner is another productive back after rushing for 1,961 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns in three seasons with the Indians. But his 2024 campaign was his most impressive to date with 1,224 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns earning him Division II all-American honors.
The 5-foot-9, 189-pounder, eclipsed 1,200 yards in just eight total games and had a game where he rushed for 329 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Behind the transfers, the Mountaineers have some in-house options that return such as redshirt freshmen Diore Hubbard and Trae’von Dunbar. The pair only combined for one rushing yard in 2024, but both are now a year older and should be in a better position to compete.
“Hubbard is going to be a good player,” Rodriguez said.
The head coach believes that the Mountaineers have some talent in the room, but the spring is going to go a long way toward determining what the next steps will be at the position.
“I think there’s some talent there, but we might need to bring another guy in here as well,” he said.
West Virginia
Man facing multiple charges after two-day investigation
KENOVA, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A man is facing multiple felony charges after a two-day investigation, according to West Virginia State Police.
On Friday, troopers say they responded to a brandishing complaint in Kenova.
During the investigation, troopers located the suspect, Skylar M. Larcart, 27, of Kenova, and found a firearm.
Troopers say they were then granted permission to search Larcart’s residence and vehicle. Their search resulted in the finding of a rifle, approximately 25 grams of marijuana and digital scales.
On Saturday, troopers say they also obtained a search warrant at Larcart’s residence.
During this search, investigators found multiple firearms, controlled substances and U.S. currency.
As a result of the investigation, Larcart was charged with 17 counts of persons prohibited from possessing firearms and three counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Troopers say over the course of the two-day investigation, Larcart accumulated a total of 21 felony charges and three misdemeanor charges.
Larcart is currently being held in the Western Regional Jail on a $20,000 bond.
Copyright 2026 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
West Virginia
West Virginia Falls Short Against North Carolina
The West Virginia Mountaineers (46-16) fell to the North Carolina Tarheels (53-12-1) Sunday night 5-2 in the second game of the College World Series.
With a little luck, North Carolina scratched a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Jake Schaffner hit a leadoff single back up the middle before junior Owen Hall rolled a single through the left side. Then, on the first pitch delivered junior Macon Winslow was awarded first base after it was ruled the ball hit his foot. Despite no evidence on replay, he remained at first.
West Virginia starting pitcher Maxx Yehl walked in the first run and junior Erik Paulsen brought in a run with a slow high chopper towards first for a 2-0 lead.
The Mountaineers pulled within a run in the third after senior Ben Lumsden singled to right field and advanced to second on a ground ball from junior Tyrus Hall. Then, junior Armani Guzman drove an RBI single to centerfield.
West Virginia evened the game in the fourth when senior Sean Smith received a leadoff walk and senior Matt Graveline singled to right centerfield, placing runners at the corners before sophomore Matt Ineich hit into a double play, but brought in the tying run.
In the seventh, the Tarheels took advantage of the West Virginia miscues to take the lead. An error from Hall at third put the leadoff hitter aboard. Then, with one out, a bobble ball from senior second baseman Brodie Kresser on a potential inning ending double play, put two aboard before junior Gavin Gallaher drove a two-RBI triple to right centerfield. Hull followed with a chopper over the mound for an RBI single before Yehl could get out of the frame as UNC held a 5-2 advantage.
Yehl took the mound in the eight and after giving up the eighth hit of the night, WVU head coach Steve Sabins turned to senior Reese Bassinger. The redshirt junior finished the night with seven strikeouts and was credited with two earned runs.
After North Carolina sophomore starting pitcher Ryan Lynch was removed in the fifth, sophomore Walker McDuffie tossed 4.2 scoreless innings before Ineich was issued a one-out walk and Kresser followed with a single to bring the tying run to the plate. UNC head coach Scott Forbes handed the ball to freshman right-hander Caden Glauber
Glauber closed the door with a pair of strikeouts as the Tarheels held on for the 5-2 decision.
West Virginia will face Troy on Tuesday in an elimination game. The first pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. EST and the action will be televised on ESPN.
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West Virginia
West Virginia Strikes Big in Transfer Portal, Lands Speedy OF Jack Cannon
Steve Sabins said a few days ago that he has a soft spot for the guys at the lower level who grind for everything and aren’t entitled. Well, he just added another piece to the 2027 puzzle with someone who fits that bill in Le Moyne outfielder Jack Cannon (6’3”, 215).
“Let’s Go!! Thank the Lord Jesus Christ and everyone else who has guided me on this journey, but it’s time for the next chapter! Go Mountaineers,” Cannon tweeted when announcing his commitment to the program on Saturday.
Le Moyne is a Division I school, but is a low major, being a member of the NEC. Still, the skill set Cannon brings to Morganton is very transferable — he gets on base, and when he does, he typically ends up on second not too long after.
Cannon swiped 51 bags in 55 attempts this season, finishing the season with the second-most stolen bases in the country. Oh, and he also happens to rank second nationally in batting average (.439), recording 86 hits in 196 at-bats. It’s not all speed and contact, though; Cannon has some pop in that bat. He belted 10 homers and 19 doubles while driving in 64 runs. For the cherry on top, he doesn’t have much swing and miss in his game. He has a great feel for the strike zone, striking out just 28 times compared to 25 walks.
Potential role at West Virginia in 2027
Cannon was consistently in the three-hole for the Dolphins this season, but at West Virginia, there’s a chance he could be in the leadoff spot, especially if Armani Guzman is drafted (very likely) and signs. Then again, he could remain in the three-hole and have a similar type of impact that Paul Schoenfeld has had this season. Cannon does have more speed and a little more power than Schoenfeld, but the glove is very similar. Cannon will be a candidate to start in right field, but could also fill in at first base some as well. He is one of the very few players out there who throws left and bats right.
He will have one year of eligibility remaining under the current eligibility rules.
West Virginia’s 2026 transfer portal commits
RHP Korey Alston (Odessa JC), RHP Drew Becker (Ashland, D-II), RHP Griffen Paige (Wright State), RHP Austin Ziance (Marietta College)
INF Owen Henne (Seton Hill), INF Ryan Piekutoski (USC-Sumter JC)
OF Jack Cannon (Le Moyne), OF Colin Coonradt (Johnson County JC), OF Seth Williams (Galveston College JC)
C Cash Williams (Tennessee)
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