Finally some good offseason news for the Indiana football program. And it is a reversal of bad news.
Sampson James’ stay in the transfer portal didn’t last long.
As permitted under the NCAA’s system for facilitating transfers, multiple reports have indicated that James will remain with the IU football program.
Playing in a reserve role behind starter Stevie Scott, the 6-foot-1 and 220 pound James carried the ball 81 times for 275 yards (3.4 ypc) and three touchdowns for the 2019 season. James also caught two passes for 21 yards.
The Avon, Ind. product had a breakout game in Indiana’s win over Purdue to close out the regular season. He rushed 22 times for 118 yards and a score against the Boilermakers before suffering an injury. James also started in the Gator Bowl.
James had originally committed to Ohio State before flipping to Indiana in the fall of 2018. He was rated the No. 8 running back in the country by 247Sports at the time he committed to IU, and he was one of the highest rated recruits to ever commit to Indiana.
The sophomore running back put his name in the transfer portal very soon after it came out that strength coach David Ballou was leaving IU for Alabama. Ballou was a former strength coach at Avon High School, trained James there, and was instrumental in James’ decision to attend Indiana.
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