Bearcats In The Mix For WVU Transfer Davonte James

This according to MetroNews.

A 6-foot-3, 230-pound standout linebacker at Springfield High School in Ohio, James enrolled in January but was impacted by the staff shuffling that occurred one month later when defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Keith Patterson left for Arizona State. Tony Gibson subsequently was promoted to coordinator, and newly hired assistant Damon Cogdell was assigned to linebackers.

The change at the top of the defensive coaching staff meant a change in philosophy, going away from 4-3 favored by Patterson to the 3-3-5 stack that has been the Mountaineers calling card for years. Whats odd about moving James from linebacker to defensive end during that switch is that James would appear to have the ideal dimensions for the position in a 3-3-5 scheme.

James is not on the roster for the Mountaineers and is expected by some in Morgantown to land in Cincinnati. For the Bearcats adding James would make a lot of sense. Linebacker is absolutely loaded this year with Jeff Luc, Nick Temple, Solomon Tentman and Eric Wilson there is not a lot in proven depth behind them, and only Eric Wilson will be on the team in 2015. Adding James to go along with Kevin Mouhon, Marcus Tappan and Wilson would theoretically smooth the transition from this group to the next.