Cam Cook didn’t need much convincing once West Virginia entered the picture.
The nation’s leading rusher had options in the transfer portal, and he could have stayed at Jacksonville State for his final year of eligibility. Instead, Cook pointed to a familiar fit: the offense Rich Rodriguez runs, and the presence of WVU offensive line coach Rick Trickett.
During an appearance on 3 Guys Before the Game, Cook said he dug into the way West Virginia plays before making his decision.
“I definitely looked into their past history and their style," he said during an appearance on 3 Guys Before the Game. "That’s something I didn’t look into when I got to TCU.
When I was a senior in high school, I wasn’t looking for what kind of play style fits me and what was good for me. I was just…this is close to home; I can be around my family still and still ball out.
But at the end of the day, I just think that the play style hadn’t fit how I wanted to play. So going into the portal the first time, that’s something I looked at.
I went to Jax State, and it definitely fit me. This is a similar scheme.
We play fast, too, want to run the ball, and Coach Trickett came. The way he coached and the way he was so hard on our o-line, everybody was going to do their job.
You didn’t have to worry about nobody. Everybody was going to go out there and put their best foot forward regardless.
They trying not to get yelled at. He’s going to yell at you.
He’s going to yell at me. He’s going to yell at everybody there, so you want to do whatever you can to be right around him.”
That connection mattered, but so did the fact that Trickett brought two familiar faces with him to Morgantown: guard Amare "Bubba" Grayson and Cam Griffin, who has taken snaps at all five offensive line spots.
“They definitely were some guys I was leaning on last year," Cook stated. "Like, they knew what I was going through, and I knew what they were going through.
So, just being able to have them here meant a lot, too. They bring that energy that we had last year; they bring that here.
We got a bunch of dominant guys here.”
Cook’s numbers at Jacksonville State were massive, and the workload was just as eye-opening. He carried the ball 295 times last season, which worked out to 22.7 rushing attempts per game.
That kind of volume is rare in today’s game, and Cook said he was ready for it.
“I definitely felt the carries, but it didn’t mean nothing to me," said Cook. "I think before the season had started, I had talked to those coaches, and they told me what it was going to be, so I locked in on making sure my body was ready for that, making sure I was prepared for that. Making sure after every game, stay in the training room and make sure I get my body back to 100.”
With the inexperience behind him, Cook is likely headed for another heavy load in 2026. How much he carries will depend on how fast the younger players around him earn the staff’s trust.
In Other News...
WVU Suddenly Has A Troubling New Question At Receiver
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The problem is that his momentum has been interrupted again. Strachan had turned heads in spring practice and looked like a player who could factor into the offense right away, but another injury has complicated the picture and left West Virginia with a new concern at a position that was supposed to be getting deeper. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Fans Will Be Watching This Roster Update Very Closely
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What jumps out most is how much the weight room seems to have mattered across the board, with several returners carrying noticeably more size into this year. At the same time, the height column tells its own story, because the usual summer trend did not really show up this time around. The numbers create a curious little wrinkle for WVU heading into the season, and the one exception in the height listings only makes the rest of the chart stand out more. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Cook Is Loving What Latimer And Boswell Bring To WVU's Backfield
Cam Cook has spent enough time around West Virginias backfield to know the Mountaineers have more than one option behind him, and he likes what he sees from both Amari Latimer and Martavious Boswell. Latimer, a true freshman, has already earned attention for the way he carries himself in workouts, while Boswell brings the kind of burst that can change the feel of a running back room in a hurry.
For Cook, the appeal is not just talent, but how the pieces fit together as WVU tries to build depth and keep everyone on the same page. Latimers early maturity and Boswells speed give the Mountaineers a different look in the backfield, and both figures figure to matter as the season takes shape. [Read more 🡒]