West Virginia will open the season without one of its biggest wideouts.
Prince Strachan is not on the dress list for today’s game against Coastal Carolina, which means he will not play this afternoon. The absence comes after a frustrating run of injuries for the 6-foot-5, 215-pound receiver, who was slowed by a shoulder injury in the spring after diving for a deep pass during the spring festival.
Strachan spent much of the summer trying to get back, and while he was cleared to return during fall camp, he was banged up again recently. Rich Rodriguez said Strachan is expected to miss "a couple of weeks."
His absence forces a few changes in the receiver group. Jaden Bray will move to the X, while UConn transfer John Neider steps into the starting lineup at the Z. LSU transfer TaRon Francis will be the top backup behind Bray at the X, though Rodriguez said several players could get snaps there, especially if the game goes the way West Virginia wants it to.
When healthy, Strachan is the kind of target that changes how a quarterback sees the field. He gives Mike Hawkins Jr. a big body to throw to downfield, but he also brings value in the quick and intermediate passing game.
Rodriguez said, “(Special Teams Coordinator) Pat (Kirkland) coached his brother, who was a great player for him at Charleston, so we had a relationship with the family," Rodriguez said about Strachan. "We tried to get him before, and he went to USC. He’s a big body, an experienced guy.”
Strachan started his college career at Boise State, where he caught 37 passes for 578 yards and three touchdowns across two seasons. After a strong 2024 season, he entered the transfer portal and ended up at USC, where an ankle injury and a crowded receiver room kept him from making a bigger impact.
West Virginia and Coastal Carolina kick off at 12 p.m. ET, with the game set for TNT.
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There is also a current-day wrinkle to the moment: senior wide receiver Jaden Bray will wear No. 5 this season with Whites permission, tying the present roster to a number that means a great deal in Morgantown. For fans, the ceremony is more than ceremonial hardware. It brings Whites run back into focus, from the big games to the defining achievements that made his jersey retirement feel overdue rather than simply overdue. [Read more 🡒]