West Virginia’s 1,000-Yard Receiving Club Might Get Bigger This Fall

It’s no secret that West Virginia head football coach Dana Holgorsen has rewritten the offensive record books since coming to Morgantown. He’ll have another explosive offense returning this season.

The Mountaineer program had two seasons featuring a 1,000-yard receiver before Dana came to West Virginia:

• 1996 David Saunders 76 catches 1,043 yards
• 2003 Chris Henry 41 catches 1,006 yards

Since Holgorsen’s arrival, West Virginia has produced at least one 1,000-yard receiver in four of seven seasons:

• Stedman Bailey (’11/’12)
• Tavon Austin (’11/’12)
• Kevin White (’14)
• Gary Jennings (’17)
• Ka’Raun White (’17)

Three of those years, Holgorsen had two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season.

• 2011 Stedman Bailey/Tavon Austin
• 2012 Stedman Bailey/Tavon Austin
• 2017 Gary Jennings/Ka’Raun White

West Virginia was 20 yards away from having three receivers in the 1,000-yard club in the same season. David Sills finished the 2017 season with 60 catches, 980 yards and 18 touchdowns.

The Mountaineers bring back Heisman candidate Will Grier. Combine that with Sills and Jennings, both of whom are on the 2018 Biletnikoff watch list, and West Virginia might have a pair of 1,000-yard receivers again this season.

Jennings is already in the club, but the Mountaineers could potentially add two more receivers this season.

David Sills is primed for a big year, after coming just short of 1,000 yards last year. Marcus Simms will have a bigger role again this season after hauling in 35 passes for 663 yards and five touchdowns. The Alabama transfer TJ Simmons is taking over for Ka’Raun White after he went for over 1,000 yards a season ago.

Here’s the list of the top receiving yards in a season:

1. Stedman Bailey (2012) 114 catches/1,622 yards/25 TD
2. Kevin White (2014) 109 catches/1,447 yards/10 TD
3. Tavon Austin (2012) 114 catches/1,289 yards/12 TD
4. Stedman Bailey (2011) 72 catches/1,279 yards/12 TD
5. Tavon Austin (2011) 101 catches/1,186 yards/8 TD
6. Gary Jennings Jr (2017) 97 catches/1,096 yards/1 TD
7. David Saunders (1996) 76 catches/1,043 yards/
8. Chris Henry (2003) 41 catches/1,006 yards/
9. Ka’Raun White (2017) 61 catches 1,004 yards/12 TD