MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The most high-profile transfer in the newly-constructed Jacksonville State-to-Morgantown pipeline during this offseason has been running back Cam Cook. His attention is deserved. Cook rushed for 1,659 yards and 16 touchdowns last year as a junior.

In addition to Cook, nickel safety Geimere Latimer II, running back Andre Devine and offensive linemen Cam Griffin and Amare Grayson have also made the trek to Morgantown after playing for Rich Rodriguez at Jax State. Grayson became a starter on the Gamecock offensive line midway through his freshman season at JSU in 2024 and he made 22 starts while playing in 26 games during his two seasons.

Grayson’s two years at JSU were under the tutelage of offensive line coach Rick Trickett and when the opportunity to follow Trickett to Morgantown was available, Grayson took advantage.

“Playing for Trickett has probably been my best decision. He is a leader of men, besides being a coach. That’s what I love about him. He really cares about you as a player and he tries to put you through hard things. So when you go out in the real world, you can just go out and be yourself. You won’t go through anything harder, I swear,” Grayson said.

“It is pretty much the same thing. Coach Trickett does a great job keeping us doing the same stuff over and over again. Consistency wins in a lot of things. I have come in and adapted great to the scheme, taking that I was in it my freshman year. It is not much of a big change.”

Trickett recruited Grayson while he was competing for Stockbridge High School in Georgia.

“My first time actually meeting him was in high school. He came down to my school and visited. My coach from high school, he just called me. I went in there and I was like, ‘He coaches O-line?’ The first time I talked to him, I just felt the energy. This is my guy right here.

“And then when I stepped on campus at Jacksonville, he pretty much set it straight. He was like, ‘I am going to coach you hard and I am going to love you at the same time’. I needed that right there.

“Basically, being consistent, knowing that if I take my first step in hat placement, I am going to get to where I need to be every time. That has really helped me as an offensive lineman. In high school, that was my biggest thing. I couldn’t stay consistent with one thing. It was like something different every time. He really harped on that. And then, when you don’t get it correct, we’ve got guys that will go and work on it. That’s the biggest thing I love about how he coaches.”

Cook, Latimer II and Griffin all joined the WVU roster after playing at JSU last year. Grayson said each player made their own decision to come to Morgantown.

“We had our own mindset, honestly. We all had different wants and what we wanted out of the transfer portal.

“Cook is great. When I make a mistake, he’ll make me right. So that’s what I love about him. And then, I know when I am pass protecting, if he is in the backfield, he is going to make the block. There’s no doubt about it. He is an overall team player.”

After growing up in Georgia and playing two seasons of college football in Alabama, Grayson’s initial impressions of Morgantown while arriving in the winter were typical for southern players making the trip north.

“The biggest thing I have had to adapt to is probably the weather. I am from the south, so it doesn’t get cold down there. The first week I was here, it was a snowstorm. I kind of had to get used to it. But overall, I love the people. Everybody is nice and welcoming. The coaches just felt like family because they were at Jax State with me my freshman year.”

Grayson’s nickname ‘Bubba’ was established at a very young age.

“My little sister gave me that name. We are eleven months apart. She couldn’t say ‘brother’. So she called me ‘Bubba’. Then my parents were just like, ‘Yeah, your nickname is Bubba’. I was like, ‘Alright, cool’.

“I didn’t like it at first. In elementary [school], I was like, ‘Don’t call me that’. Then it just grew on me over time.”