This article was originally published on wvusports.com as part of West Virginia University’s official athletics program. Read More: Larry Porter Named As Next Running Backs Coach Below
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (March 6, 2025) – West Virginia University football coach Rich Rodriguez announced that Larry Porter has been hired as the running backs coach on the Mountaineer coaching staff.
“Larry Porter brings years of successful experience to West Virginia and is a highly respected coach and recruiter,” Rodriguez said. “His ability to develop talent and the impact he will make on our running backs will be a huge asset.”
Porter, a 27-year coaching veteran, comes to West Virginia after serving as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator at North Carolina for the past four years. He is a two-time national recruiter of the year, a three-time Broyles Award nominee, has developed numerous NFL running backs and special teams prospects and has been part of 21 bowl teams since 2002. During his tenure at North Carolina, the running backs averaged 2,447 yards and 27 touchdowns each year, led by the 2022 squad, which finished 9-5 and won the ACC Coastal Division.
Tar Heels Rushing Attack
During the 2024 season, the Tar Heels had the No. 16 rushing attack in Power Four, tied for No. 23 in scoring offense and No. 30 in total offense and were led by two-time All-American and two-time Doak Walker Award finalist running back Omarion Hampton, who is highly regarded among potential NFL prospects in this April’s draft. Hampton finished as the second-leading rusher in Power Four (1,660 yards, 15 touchdowns). In 2023, he ran for 1,504 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaged 5.9 yards per carry and helped UNC rank No. 11 among Power Four schools in rushing offense.
During his first season back at Carolina in 2021, Porter’s running back unit led the ACC in rushing yards. Ty Chandler was the team’s leading rusher in his lone year in Chapel Hill, finishing the season with 1,092 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 6.0 yards per carry. An All-ACC second teamer, Chandler produced the third-most rushing yards in the ACC and the most rushing touchdowns by a running back in the league.
Auburn
Porter also had stints at Auburn from 2017-20 (special teams coordinator/tight ends/H-backs), special teams coordinator and running backs coach at UNC (2014-16), running backs coach at Texas (2013), Arizona State (2012), LSU (2005-09), Oklahoma State (2002-04), Arkansas State (1999-01) and Tennessee-Martin (1998) and was the head coach at Memphis (2010-11).
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In 2016, Porter coached All-ACC running backs Elijah Hood and T.J. Logan, who combined to rush for 1,508 yards and 15 touchdowns. Hood (Oakland) and Logan (Arizona) were selected in the 2017 NFL Draft. An All-ACC performer, Hood rushed for 1,463 yards and 17 touchdowns. Under Porter’s guidance in 2015, Carolina’s running game ranked No. 18 nationally, averaging 224.4 yards per game. That was the highest average on the ground at UNC since 1994. As an offense, the Tar Heels finished No. 9 nationally and set a then-school record at 40.7 points per game.
In his first season at UNC, Porter was part of an offensive staff that set several school records and gained more than 5,000 yards of total offense. Rotating three running backs, the group produced 1,119 rushing yards and scored 11 TDs.
1,000 Year Rushers
Porter developed two 1,000-yard rushers at LSU in Jacob Hester (2007) and Charles Scott (2008) and produced six NFL Draft selections (Hester, Joseph Addai, Quinn Johnson, Charles Scott, Trindon Holliday, Stevan Ridley). He coached 1,000-yard rushers for three straight seasons while at Oklahoma State. In 2004, Vernand Morency earned All-Big 12 honors after rushing for 1,474 yards and 12 touchdowns. A year earlier, Tatum Bell earned first team All-Big 12 honors with 1,286 yards and 16 touchdowns. Morency was a third-round pick of the Houston Texans in 2005 and Bell was a second-round pick by the Denver Broncos in the 2004 NFL Draft.
Prior to his arrival in Stillwater, Porter spent three years at Arkansas State, where he coached Jonathan Adams to back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Porter lettered for four years (1990-93) at Memphis, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1996. He is a member of the Memphis Athletics M Club Hall of Fame. Porter and his wife, Sharmane, have three children; sons Brandon and Omari, and daughter, Olivia.
