UC football gains WVU transfer Jordan Roberts
- Release Date:Tuesday, January 12, 2010
- Dateline:Courtesy of the Charleston Daily Mail
January 12, 2010
Roberts leaving WVU for UC
by Jacob Messer
For the Daily Mail
MADISON - Former Kennedy Award winner Jordan Roberts has decided to transfer from West Virginia University to the University of Charleston, a family source confirmed Monday night.
Roberts could not be reached for comment. He did, however, joke about his decision with a former high school teammate who now will be one of his West Virginia Conference rivals.
West Virginia State University freshman defensive lineman Ryan Price said Monday that he had asked Roberts on Facebook, "What's this crock of bull I hear about you going to UC?"
Roberts told him, "It's true. (I) can't wait to run past you and see you grab air."
The former Scott High School star earned West Virginia's most prestigious prep football honor in 2007, when he rushed for a state-record 3,826 yards and 48 touchdowns on 336 carries. He is the only Boone County player to win the award, and was the first Class AA player to win the Kennedy outright since Magnolia's Mark Cisar in 1993.
Roberts piled up plenty of other numbers for the Skyhawks that year, when he led them to the third round of the state playoffs for the first time in school history.
He completed 25-of-73 passes for 684 yards and seven touchdowns. He scored 310 points on 50 touchdowns and five two-point conversions. He returned 10 kickoffs for 361 yards and another score. He also finished with 115 tackles at linebacker.
Roberts accepted an opportunity to become an invited walk-on at WVU after his record-setting senior season.
A redshirt freshman running back, Roberts found the field in Morgantown by playing on special teams this year. He recorded five tackles.
MADISON - Former Kennedy Award winner Jordan Roberts has decided to transfer from West Virginia University to the University of Charleston, a family source confirmed Monday night.
Roberts could not be reached for comment. He did, however, joke about his decision with a former high school teammate who now will be one of his West Virginia Conference rivals.
West Virginia State University freshman defensive lineman Ryan Price said Monday that he had asked Roberts on Facebook, "What's this crock of bull I hear about you going to UC?"
Roberts told him, "It's true. (I) can't wait to run past you and see you grab air."
The former Scott High School star earned West Virginia's most prestigious prep football honor in 2007, when he rushed for a state-record 3,826 yards and 48 touchdowns on 336 carries. He is the only Boone County player to win the award, and was the first Class AA player to win the Kennedy outright since Magnolia's Mark Cisar in 1993.
Roberts piled up plenty of other numbers for the Skyhawks that year, when he led them to the third round of the state playoffs for the first time in school history.
He completed 25-of-73 passes for 684 yards and seven touchdowns. He scored 310 points on 50 touchdowns and five two-point conversions. He returned 10 kickoffs for 361 yards and another score. He also finished with 115 tackles at linebacker.
Roberts accepted an opportunity to become an invited walk-on at WVU after his record-setting senior season.
A redshirt freshman running back, Roberts found the field in Morgantown by playing on special teams this year. He recorded five tackles.
He was the Mountaineers' offensive scout team player of the year last year, when he took a redshirt.
Roberts is "a tough runner who is hard to bring down," according to his biography at msnsportsnet.com, and had "an outstanding spring." It ended with an impressive Gold-Blue Game performance in which he rushed eight times for 75 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown against the Mountaineers' first-string defense.
Roberts will be immediately eligible at UC, which is coming off a 9-2 season. Football players who transfer from Division I to Division II don't have to sit out a year, according to NCAA guidelines.
The Golden Eagles return 12 running backs, according to their roster - juniors Brian Lee, Julian Johnson and Brandon Pickett; sophomores Lamonte Lattimore, Larry Gaskins, Nick Lockhart and Mike Drake; and freshmen Shamar Hester, Darrell Byrd, Bakari Beard, Reggie Harris and Chaz Burrows.
UC lost its top two rushers from last season, but Johnson was their third-leading rusher with 58 carries for 489 yards and three touchdowns.
Among the returning rushers, Johnson was followed by Drake (40-208-2), Lockhart (54-188-0), Lattimore (25-161-1), Beard (29-148-1), Gaskins (28-80-0), Byrd (10-38-0) and Lee (4-6-0).
Roberts is from Yawkey in Lincoln County. He is the oldest son of Randy Roberts.
