Sampson James removes name from transfer portal
Indiana freshman running back Sampson James, after entering his name into the transfer portal earlier this week, has removed his name and will return to Indiana, a source confirmed to TheHoosier.com on Friday.
Indiana freshman running back Sampson James, after entering his name into the transfer portal earlier this week, has removed his name and will return to Indiana, a source confirmed to TheHoosier.com on Friday morning and was later confirmed by Indiana head coach Tom Allen on Friday afternoon.
James entered his name into the transfer portal Monday, the day following the news of Indiana strength and conditioning coaches David Ballou and Matt Rhea departing for Alabama. He removed his name Friday morning.
"Sampson James will be back with us in our meetings tomorrow and be practicing with us," Allen said. "That's good news for the Hoosiers. Sometimes you make mistakes, and he's admitted that, and it's been a few days, but we love Sampson."
James entered the program after flipping from his seven-month commitment to Ohio State and eventually becoming one of the highest-rated recruits to ever sign with Indiana. He sat behind sophomore Stevie Scott and Ronnie Walker, who also entered his name into the transfer portal but is not expected to return. James spotted Scott in the regular season finale at Purdue and rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown.
His intent to transfer left Indiana with only two scholarship running backs before entering the spring, but now the Hoosiers will have three.
Indiana eventual-redshirt sophomore quarterback Mike Penix said he and the team have welcomed him back and are planning to continue to encourage him throughout the spring as a guy who "works extremely hard" who the team "loves."
"Life is made of choices, and he made a choice," Penix said Friday. "But he followed his heart and he came back, and we still accept him, and we appreciate him for that."
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