MORGANTOWN W.Va. — Junior receiver Jovon Durante, conspicuously absent from West Virginia’s preseason practices this month, tweeted Saturday that he will transfer to Florida Atlantic.
The speedster did not report to fall camp while dealing with “personal issues,” said Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen. West Virginia coaches had abandoned hope of Durante being available for the start of the season, though there remained a path for him to return to the program.
As of Saturday afternoon, Durante remained on the Mountaineers’ roster but a source within the program confirmed his departure.
A four-star recruit from Miami, Durante enjoyed a splashy debut in his first game as a true freshman, going off for 121 yards against Georgia Southern, highlighted by a 41-yard touchdown on his first catch.
Though he started started 17 games and appeared in 25, Durante never reached the 100-yard mark again. He was academically ineligible for the Cactus Bowl victory that capped the 2015 season and subsequently was suspended for the ensuing spring practice.
Durante closed his two years at West Virginia with 60 catches for 726 yards and seven touchdowns. He also exhibited flashes at kick returner during his freshman season, though that became the domain of Shelton Gibson last year.
At FAU, Durante becomes the latest high-profile free-agent to join Lane Kiffin’s effort “to fix our roster.”
The Owls have welcomed the likes of quarterbacks De’Andre Johnson and Chris Robison (dismissed from Florida State and Oklahoma, respectively), defensive tackle Jeremiah Taleni (booted at Pitt), former Louisville defensive end Tim Bonner and Auburn running back Jonathan Franklin.
A look at Saturday’s tweet in which Durante described his ex-teammates as “blood brothers” and thanked West Virginia coaches and fans:
— Jovon Durante (@_field_general) August 19, 2017