Could CJ Donaldson be WVU’s secret weapon?

Amidst the hype of the Backyard Brawl, one West Virginia player stood out during Thursday night’s game: CJ Donaldson. A new face to the program, the true freshman had a dominant performance in his debut for the Mountaineers.

Donaldson was initially recruited by WVU as a tight end. He played wide receiver and tight end in high school and knew there was a possibility that he could be utilized in several positions on WVU’s offense.

“I started off as a tight end, then later off in fall camp, they made the adjustment and put me at running back,” said Donaldson. The 6-foot-2 freshman said he expected to move around but didn’t think the opportunity “would come this fast.”

Donaldson put up impressive numbers against Pitt, finishing the game with 125 yards and one touchdown on seven carries. He set up two of WVU’s scoring drives with a 44-yard run and a 39-yard run, and was also responsible for the blocked punt early in the second half.

Donaldson said that running back coach Chad Scott had been telling the room to “practice with game behavior” leading up to the rivalry, preparing the young Mountaineer for his first collegiate debut.  

Donaldson also credits running back Tony Mathis for helping him prepare for the game; when Donaldson’s number was called, Mathis told him to “focus in.”

“I was just living in the moment,” Donaldson said, regarding his first snap of the game.

Although Donaldson never played running back in high school, he doesn’t feel out of place in a new position.

“When you first get the ball behind the line of scrimmage, it’s a different technique,” Donaldson said, describing the difference between being a receiver and a running back. “But once you break through that first level, second level, it’s just natural.”

With Donaldson only being a freshman, his breakout performance shows just how capable he is to make an impact for Graham Harrell’s offense. Donaldson is likely to develop into a key player for West Virginia, with more opportunities to run up the numbers on Pitt’s defense in Backyard Brawls to come.