West Virginia football lost another running back to the transfer portal Wednesday morning.
Running back Cyncir Bowers announced his intentions to enter the portal, per On3’s Pete Nakos. Bowers was the leading returning rusher for the 2026 season, after Jahiem White and Diore Hubbard, who led the team in yards, also announced their intentions to leave.
Bowers’ decision comes just two days after the Mountaineers officially named Jay Boulware the new running backs coach after Larry Porter left for Auburn. Boulware was on staff at Kentucky with Mark Stoops until Stoops was fired after the 2025 season.
Bowers was what was left of a bare running back room. He saw a lot more action toward the end of the season after injuries to White and Tye Edwards early in the season. Bowers was part of a one-two punch in the backfield alongside Hubbard, who started most games.
Bowers, in 10 games, rushed 63 times for 249 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a big receiving touchdown against Arizona State, giving the Mountaineers a short lead. Bowers was supposed to be the main back going into 2026, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
With the departures of all three top running backs and Edwards running out of eligibility, WVU’s running back room is almost empty. Running backs Tyler Jacklich, Clay Ash and Kannon Katzer are all in the portal, too. The only running backs left are Andre Devine and pass rusher turned running back Curtis Jones.
There are some talented freshmen RBs coming in, like 4-star Amari Latimer and 3-star SirPaul Cheeks. The Mountaineers may have to rely more on the freshmen since there have been so many departures.
WVU will definitely have to add one or two running backs in the portal now, just to add some experience. There are a lot of talented backs in the portal, including NCAA-leading rusher Jacksonville State’s Cam Cook. Cook played under new WVU offensive line coach Rick Trickett, but he wasn’t there when Rich Rodriguez was head coach. Cook was at TCU. But the Mountaineers still have a bunch to choose from. The portal officially opens on Jan. 2, and there is just one period this year.
The Mountaineers now have 31 players leaving through the portal, according to 247Sports, which is up towards the top in college football. WVU does have 49 high school players coming in to even out that number, but it might’ve been more than Rodriguez expected.
