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Winston Wright Aims to ‘Get Better’ After Breakout Performance in WVU Loss

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WVU Football against Oklahoma State
(photo via WVU Athletics)

Through the first two games of the 2020 season, West Virginia University slot receiver Winston Wright has already eclipsed his production from a year ago.

The sophomore had a career game Saturday in WVU’s Big 12 opener against Oklahoma State as he caught four passes for a career-high 103 yards and scored his first career touchdown — West Virginia’s only touchdown of the day — in a 27-13 loss in Stillwater.

Wright and fellow slot receiver T.J. Simmons were the most productive WVU receivers of the day. Simmons also made four receptions and was second on the team with 82 yards. No other Mountaineers had more than 35 yards receiving.

“I thought our inside receivers did a nice job,” head coach Neal Brown said after the game. “Winston Wright and T.J. Simmons…did a nice job winning of winning versus man coverage.”

WATCH: Neal Brown Disappointed with Loss to Oklahoma State 

West Virginia had been preparing to see Oklahoma State’s man coverage all week. After the game, Wright said that had been offensive coordinator Gerad Parker’s main focus.

“Coach Parker does a good job,” Wright said. “[To beat man coverage] you’ve got to approach that man vertical and make him set his feet and clear him.”

Wright’s score was a 70-yard catch and run that came against man coverage. Wright said as soon as the play call came in he knew what to do.

“When I saw the play call I just remembered what Coach Parker and Coach Brown were telling me all week,” Wright said. “I just went at him vertical, made him set his feet and won the junction point.”

WATCH: Winston Wright and Leddie Brown Break Down WVU’s Offensive Frustrations. 

Through WVU’s first two games this season, Wright has made seven receptions for 134 yards. In all 2019, Wright, a Savanah, Georgia native, made 19 receptions for 97 yards. Wright was lost in the shuffle a bit last year. He was one of four receivers to have exactly 19 receptions and one of seven to have between 10 and 20 receptions.

Even with a career day, Wright was not satisfied with his, or the team’s, performance.

“I feel like I had an OK game. There’s some things I still got to get better on,” Wright explained. “I just felt that we should’ve won this game but I think we’re going to come back to work this week with our heads on straight.”

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