

James Summers is a Pass-Catching Back for East Carolina. James's 2015 season ranks in the 38th percentile nationally by opponent-adjusted EPA per play across 186 plays — a developing rate for the RB.
Third-down weapon out of the backfield. Routes, hands, and separation in coverage define this role as much as rushing.
Players from 2014–2024 matched on EPA efficiency, play volume, and adjusted value tier — not just one metric.
| Player | Team | Yr | Plays | WEPA/play | Line val | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saquon Barkley | Penn State | 2016 | 288 | 0.340 | 3.9 | 97.9 |
| Dalvin Cook | Florida State | 2016 | 292 | 0.340 | 4.3 | 99.3 |
| Travis Etienne | Clemson | 2019 | 213 | 0.470 | 4.7 | 100.1 |
| Breece Hall | Iowa State | 2020 | 301 | 0.340 | 4.5 | 102.3 |
| James Flanders | Tulsa | 2016 | 266 | 0.390 | 4.9 | 103.7 |
Comps are statistical — efficiency, volume, and value tier all factor in. Style and conference context differ.
| Wk | Opponent | Result | Opp SP+ | Car | Rush Yds | Avg | Rush TD | Rec | Rec Yds | Rec TD | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | @Florida | L24-31 | 13.8 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.01 |
| 4 | vsVirginia Tech | W35-28 | 11.4 | 21 | 169 | 8.0 | 2 | — | — | — | 0.75 |
| 5 | @SMU | W49-23 | -17.5 | 9 |
Usage = share of team plays (CFBD has no true snap counts).
Car 1 · Rush Yds 1 · Avg 1.0 · Rush TD 0
| 85 |
| 9.4 |
| 2 |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| 1.12 |
| 6 | @BYU | L38-45 | 8.7 | 10 | 55 | 5.5 | 1 | — | — | — | -0.04 |
| 7 | vsTulsa | W30-17 | -8.5 | 12 | 44 | 3.7 | 1 | — | — | — | 0.30 |
| 8 | vsTemple | L14-24 | 6.0 | 7 | 29 | 4.1 | 0 | — | — | — | -0.05 |
| 9 | @UConn | L13-31 | -6.3 | 12 | 18 | 1.5 | 0 | — | — | — | -0.19 |
| 10 | vsSouth Florida | L17-22 | 3.6 | 20 | 42 | 2.1 | 2 | — | — | — | 0.17 |
| 12 | @UCF | W44-7 | -15.5 | 3 | 2 | 0.7 | 0 | — | — | — | -0.31 |
| 13 | vsCincinnati | L16-19 | 5.3 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0.87 |