Last season, as a redshirt freshman, wide reciever Hudson Clement “broke out” against FCS opponent Duquense, having five catches for 177 yards and three touchdowns.
Clement, originally a walk-on, was rewarded a scholarship after the game. He continued to see more opportunities and ultimately ended up as one of the Mountaineers’ top receivers last season, solidifying himself as a top option for this season.
With WVU’s upcoming game against FCS opponent UAlbany, let’s explore players who could have a “breakout” similar to Clement’s if the Mountaineers decide to exercise their depth. While none of these players were walk-ons, some are freshmen looking to make a statement and others have just flown under the radar.
Jack Sammarco
Jack Sammarco is a 6-foot-5 freshman tight end. So far, coaches such as tight end coach Blaine Stewart and head coach Neal Brown have highly rated Sammarco. As an early enrollee, Sammarco saw a lot of reps during spring camp with starting tight end Kole Taylor recovering from injury. Brown has said that he expects Sammarco to get playing time this season behind Taylor and Treylan Davis. If West Virginia gets up big and Sammarco sees the field, he may be able to make some big plays.
Obinna Onwuka
Obinna Onwuka is a 6-foot-4 freshman linebacker who looks the part, not that of a true freshman. Onwuka may be able to make a difference by getting after the quarterback and disrupting plays in the backfield against UAlbany. If he plays well enough to impress coaches on Saturday, he could find a permanent role for the Mountaineers this season, seeing playing when needed.
Ric’Darious ‘DayDay’ Farmer
Freshman receiver DayDay Farmer was West Virginia’s highest-ranked recruit in the class of 2024. He flipped from UCF on National Signing Day. Impressed with his ability with the ball in his hands, Brown said that Farmer would play this season. Against Penn State, Farmer took one handoff for just two yards, but the moral is he saw playing time in a big matchup. Farmer has the potential to have a massive game against the Great Danes and force coaches to give him more playing time in future matchups.
Rodney Gallagher II
Although sophomore Rodney Gallagher has seen the field consistently since his freshman season last year, fans are still waiting for him to have that big game. His best game receiving-wise last year was 24 yards against Cincinnati and rushing-wise was 21 yards against BYU. One of the stories this offseason has been Gallagher playing cornerback on top of his usual role as a receiver, making him a two-way player. He saw action on both sides of the ball vs. Penn State, ending up with one catch for eight yards and two solo tackles. This game against UAlbany could be a great confidence-booster game for Gallagher to really get him going. If Gallagher should play well on Saturday, fans are destined to see a lot more out of No. 24 this season.
Trae’von Dunbar
Freshman runningback Trae’von Dunbar is another player who could break out against UAlbany. At 5-foot-9, Dunbar carries a physical running style. He rushed for over 3,000 yards in his senior year of high school. If West Virginia builds a comfortable lead, giving CJ Donaldson, Jahiem White and Jaylen Anderson a break, expect to see a lot of Dunbar and fellow freshman back Dior Hubbard. With a hard-nosed approach, Dunbar could turn heads Saturday.
Ty French
Although Ty French is a bona fide defensive player, many Mountaineer fans might not be aware of him. French is in his first year with WVU after transferring from Gardner-Webb. At Gardner-Webb, French was a phenom, putting up video game-like numbers and becoming the Big South Conference’s all-time sack leader. He had one tackle against Penn State last week. With a wealth of experience playing in the FCS, French has the ability to make WVU fans very aware of him if he’s able to generate the same pressure and pass-rushing ability he did the last few years, on Saturday.
Zae Jennings
SPEAR Zae Jennings has been one of the most highly-discussed freshmen over the offseason. The 6-foot 185-pound product of Cincinnati may find a crucial role in the future if he can showcase his abilities against UAlbany. Jennings plays behind Aubrey Burks and can learn a lot from the senior. Expect to see a lot of Jennings on Saturday.
