It didn’t take long for WVU’s newest addition at running back to start making some positive press with the Mountaineers. This morning, Brandon Gall of Athlon Sports put out his list of Big 12 Heisman candidates. While Charles Sims wasn’t considered in the top ten, he was listed at the number eleven spot. WVU has never had a player win the Heisman Trophy. Despite Tavon Austin’s spectacular season in 2012, he finished 8th in the voting last year. Before that, Steve Slaton and Pat White have made runs at the trophy, but have ultimately come up short, with both gaining top five finishes in their careers.
Sims, who just joined the Mountaineers last week after transferring from Houston, is looking to be an immediate upgrade for WVU at running back. Sims can come in and become an 800-plus yard rusher who can also be a great pass-catcher out of the backfield. Last year, Andrew Buie ran for 851 yards and caught 28 passes for 318 yards. Sims ran for the exact same amount of yards, 351, and caught 37 passes for 378 yards last season, despite missing three full games.
If Sims can stay healthy and put in the work, he has a great shot of moving up this list as the season goes on. Sims has a chance to be one of the top running back picks in next year’s draft, and it’s no shocker that he’s on this list of Heisman candidates from the Big 12. Sims didn’t transfer to WVU to sit back and watch his dream of the NFL pass him by.
Look for a big season out of this guy.
