By Mickey Furfari
MORGANTOWN — Jock Sanders is catching passes at a record rate for West Virginia this season.
The 5-foot-7, 178-pound junior from St. Petersburg, Fla., leads the receiving corps with 62 receptions and 597 yards. He also has rushed 31 times for 150 yards.
Sanders, who’s averaging 6.2 catches a game, needs just 15 more to tie the record. Counting a bowl game, for which WVU already is eligible, he has three more games to set the school’s all-time single-season record.
It is 77 which Shawn Foreman set in 1977 and David Saunders tied in 1995. Foreman’s receptions covered 928 yards and Saunders’ 883 yards.
Sanders, who lines up at running back when not in the slot, doesn’t even mention that he is close to the record. He’s more interested in bettering the team’s 7-3 record by upsetting old rival Pitt in Friday night’s regular-season home finale.
“Yes, I have 62 receptions, but we’re not where we wanted to be,” Sanders said. “So I want to move forward.
“I enjoy playing Friday, Saturday and Thursday nights. And whether it’s in the slot or at running back, it doesn’t matter much to me.”
Head coach Bill Stewart and offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen have been impressed by his play all fall.
Stewart said, “It’s very nice to see a life in a situation and if you work hard with it, you’ll respond and it’ll work out for you. In February, Jock went on his mission as a man not knowing whether he’d play again.”
Mullen said, “Certainly more needs to be said about Jock and what he means to the team and what he’s done on his own. But it doesn’t surprise me that he’s such a great kid and a really good player.
“Those types of kids tend to do things when the coaches aren’t around.”
Sanders, a three-time all-stater at St. Petersburg Catholic High, has scored four touchdowns this year. Last season he had 53 catches for 412 yards and seven scores. He also rushed 48 times for 250 yards and two TDS.
While Sanders calls it “just another big game,” he noted that the team realizes that it’s important to defeat Pitt.
“A lot of people think this rivalry is a big deal, and we all know it’s important,” he said. “We certainly want to win it. This game sticks out.”
Incidentally, Sanders was asked whether he had any name other than Jock. He replied, “Whatever you want to call me.”
Then, after a brief pause, he revealed that his real first name is Jockee.
