Alma (W.Va.) Tyler Consolidated running back Mark Rucker couldn’t help but shake the idea of staying home and playing for his home state Mountaineers.

So, after considering his options that’s exactly what the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder is going to do.

Rucker will be a preferred walk on at West Virginia, bypassing a scholarship offer from Old Dominion in order to spend his college career in Morgantown in large part because of his trust in the coaching staff as well as the vision that they have for the program.

“I’ve been to Morgantown plenty of times going to the football games and every time I’ve gone, I’ve just pictured myself being the one making plays,” he said.

Making plays is something that Rucker is accustomed to after rushing for over 1,800 yards and scoring 33 touchdowns this past season while earning first-team all-state honors three years in a row. The Mountaineers saw a talented prospect that could fit right into the offensive system and Rucker agreed.

That was really cemented after Rucker took an unofficial visit to West Virginia in mid-January when he was able to get a comprehensive view of the football program and how he could fit into it. The Mountaineers are recruiting Rucker as a running back and have been impressed with his size and speed.

Inside wide receivers coach Travis Trickett served as the lead recruiter for Rucker and the two developed a close bond which made him feel comfortable in his choice. It was Trickett that received word from Rucker that he was deciding on the Mountaineers and he also spent time with head coach Neal Brown.

“They embraced me so I’m just ready for the task at hand and that’s to be the hardest working kid there,” he said.

It was not a decision Rucker took lightly as he took visits to Old Dominion, Glenville State, West Virginia Wesleyan and West Virginia State but ultimately the thought of staying home and playing for the state’s flagship school was an opportunity that he didn’t want to pass up.

“At the end of the day West Virginia was my decision and I’m very content with my decision,” he said. “…I’m going to earn my scholarship and be the best player for this program I can be.”

Rucker is the latest prospect to select the Mountaineers as a preferred walk on in recent weeks joining Austin (Tx.) Vandegrift linebacker Jax McCauley, Huntington (W.Va.) linebacker Brocton Blair and Morgantown (W.Va.) athlete Preston Fox.

Others that have elected to walk-on for the Mountaineers include Bluefield (W.Va.) kicker Kaulin Parris, Bel Air (Md.) John Carroll long snapper Austin Brinkman, Cumberland (Md.) Fort Hill kicker Danny King and McGuffey (Pa.) athlete C.J. Cole.

----------

• Talk about it with West Virginia fans on The Blue Lot.

• SUBSCRIBE today to stay up on the latest on Mountaineer sports and recruiting.

• Get all of our WVU videos on YouTube by subscribing to the WVSports.com Channel

• Follow us on Twitter: @WVSportsDotCom, @rivalskeenan, @PatrickKotnik

•Like us on Facebook