Charles Sims announced his transfer plans Friday when he revealed his intention to transfer to WVU as a grad student for one final season of college football.

“I’m familiar with the offense and I just felt comfortable at West Virginia,” Sims said during his visit with the Mountaineers staff.

“I’m familiar with their schemes and what they have going.”

Sims said he was also considering UCLA before settling on West Virginia.

“It feels real good to make this decision,” Sims said. “It’s the next step in my life.

“I just want to hurry up and get back to what I do.”

In nine games last season for Houston Sims rushed for 851 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging six yards per carry.

He was also fourth on the team in receiving with 37 catches for 373 yards and three touchdowns.

Low-risk situation for the Mountaineers in that if it doesn’t work, it only lasts a year anyway. There’s high potential for rewards, too, because Sims is a very good back and he’ll help the offense.

This is where you say, “Yeah, we’re really going to run the ball this year.” And this is where I say, “Are you nuts?”

Charles Sims, one of the most capable all-around running backs out there, can work wonders for WVU’s passing game.

I know, I know. The Mountaineers had three good running backs. They hired Ron Crook. Their quarterbacks and receivers are new and they underwhelmed during the spring.

Are those dated arguments? Since spring ended, Clint Trickett, Ronald Carswell, Jacky Marcellus, Shelton Benjamin and Ivan McCartney joined the offense. Mario Alford, arguably the best receiver in the recruiting class, has not yet arrived.

That’s six additions, if not upgrades.

Meanwhile, this push to change Dana Holgorsen’s offense is tethered to a junior college back and two juniors who have had durability issues and who have each accumulated roughly 20 percent of their career rushing yardage in one game. So combine that with a new offensive line coach, a new center and two new guards and, sheesh, that doesn’t seem like the best time to reinvent the wheel.

Or am I wrong?

Now here comes Sims and it’s been received in a way to suggest WVU now has four pairs of legs to run the ball with, as opposed to three, and that Holgorsen is finally going to run the ball more than he’ll pass it.

And I disagree, admittedly with some twisted logic.

In a way, the Mountaineers planned to lean on three backs because they didn’t have one and because, sure, the receivers didn’t do a great job in the spring.

That’s changed, hasn’t it? In Sims, it seems the Mountaineers have a back, plus enough legs to work out snaps and roles for two backups (they’re not using four running backs). Even if you don’t believe the roster has been helped by post-spring arrivals, understand that Sims, we assume, can do what the running back in Holgorsen’s offense is supposed or designed to do. That makes like appreciably easier for the passer and receivers.

So now the running game operates with at least optimal intentions, if not results, and that takes away the supposed advantages the defenses could have combating a rushing offense that could not pass with a shaky quarterback and to iffy receivers. In a way, adding a running back as good as Sims decreases the urge to run more and instead liberates the passing offense.

This is very simple: Sims can give Holgorsen the desired results in fewer opportunities than Smith, Garrison or Buie. Holgorsen loves having extra snaps he can spread however he chooses.