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Building Depth at Running Back is a Key Issue for WVU This Spring

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Leddie Brown
(Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)

West Virginia running back Leddie Brown enjoyed a full break-out season in 2020. The Philadelphia native was the second-most productive rushing in the Big 12 in terms of yards and touchdowns, trailing only Iowa State’s Breece Hall.

Brown ran for 1,010 yards, 300 more than the conference’s third-place rusher, and nine touchdowns, both easily setting new career-highs. Brown carried the ball 199 times last season, he and Hall being the only Big 12 backs with more than 123 carries. Even so, West Virginia coach Neal Brown thinks the Mountaineers can get even more out of him.

“I don’t really think we put too much on Leddie, it’s just we’ve got to be more productive when he’s not in the game,” Neal Brown said. “And we’ve got to do a better job getting him the ball other than just handing it off to him.”

Leddie Brown also caught 31 passes for 202 yards and teo more touchdowns in 2020.

“We’re going to use Spring to keep him sharp and he’s going to continue to take strides as a pass-catcher,” Neal Brown said. “He was productive [last season] but I think we can even add touches to him in the passing game and he’s continuing to grow in that area.”

While Leddie Brown flourished last season, WVU’s other running backs struggled to be productive. Outside of Brown, WVU running backs had 102 carries for 428 yards (4.2 yards per carry) and four touchdowns. Most of that came from primary backup Alec Sinkfield, who transferred to Boston College this offseason.

According to Neal Brown, that means underclassmen Tony Mathis and A’Varius Sparrow will receive a bulk of the work this Spring.

“Developing running back depth is one of the key issues [this Spring],” Neal Brown said. “Tony and Sparrow are going to get plenty of opportunities. We’ll definitely be careful in how we use Leddie, especially in our live situations because he’s already proven.]

WVU also signed two four-star running backs in this year’s recruiting class, Jaylen Anderson and Justin Johnson, although neither of them is on campus this Spring.

“We’ve got two freshmen coming in over the summer that will be given the same opportunity,” Neal Brown said. “We’ve got to create depth there and get production from guys other than Leddie Brown.”