Prather hopeful for continued production after coming on late last week

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Through the first two games of the 2022 season, it’s apparent wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton is the favorite target of quarterback JT Daniels.

With 20 receptions for 249 yards, Ford-Wheaton ranks top 10 nationally in both categories. He has 11 more catches and 108 more yards than WVU’s next closest player — fellow veteran wideout Sam James.

Yet late in last Saturday’s 55-42 overtime loss to Kansas, Kaden Prather displayed the productivity West Virginia’s coaching staff is hoping the sophomore receiver can maintain moving forward. 

With WVU behind 42-31 in the fourth quarter, Prather brought in a 22-yard reception that helped lead to a field goal. On the Mountaineers’ next possession, their final one in regulation, Prather made a 10-yard catch on fourth-and-5, then added a 25-yard grab four plays later that put West Virginia just outside the red zone.

“I never worry about when is he going to throw me the ball,” Prather said. “My mindset is on any play the ball can come, so I don’t get down on myself when I don’t get that many targets, because I know at the end of the day, the ball will find me.”

The strong fourth quarter enabled Prather to finish with six catches for 79 yards, both career highs. 

“JT’s comfortable with all of us, but if somebody is hot, you continue to get him the ball,” Prather said. “He and Bryce have a great connection, because the spark is there, but JT gets all of us the ball and if he doesn’t, he’ll try to the next week.”

A year ago, Prather took on a more expanded role as his true freshman season progressed. He made nine of his 12 catches in November and finished with 12 receptions for 175 yards.

Prather was already set to become a bigger factor in 2022 than what he was in 2021, and the likelihood of it only increased when former WVU wideouts Winston Wright, Isaiah Esdale and Sean Ryan each transferred during the offseason.

A 6-foot-4, 211-pound native of Montgomery Village, Md., Prather has eight receptions for 100 yards through two games of his sophomore season.

“I feel different physicality wise and mentally,” Prather said. “My biggest problem my freshman year was adjusting to college period. I’m definitely better this year.”

Prather was held to two catches for 21 yards and lost a fumble in the Mountaineers’ season-opening loss to Pitt. He learned to move past the play, something Prather isn’t so sure he’d have been capable of last season.

“If I don’t catch a ball, I put that behind me very fast,” he said. “I had a problem with that last year, having that drop stick with me the rest of practice or the rest of a game. I worked on forgetting about the last play and moving on to the next.”

On Saturday, the Mountaineers welcome Towson (2-0) for a 1 p.m. affair at Mountaineer Field. Although the Tigers’ campus is 50 miles from his hometown, Prather said he doesn’t have much familiarity with Towson’s roster. 

He does, however, have a connection to the Tigers’ football program. Towson’s running backs coach Tyree Foreman is Prather’s cousin.

Foreman was a decorated running back in the 1990s at Sherwood High School (Md.) who went on to play at Virginia and briefly in the NFL.

“He’s my mom’s first cousin,” Prather said. “They pretty much grew up together. It’s really an honor.”

As the Mountaineers prepare to face the Tigers, they do so with an 0-2 record for the first time since 1979.

“We’re definitely frustrated, but we’re hungry, because we know deserve better and deserve more,” Prather said. “We’re not going to stop working hard until we get those wins, because at the end of the day, it’s all about winning.”





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