West Virginia’s first fall camp press conference under Rich Rodriguez figures to touch a lot of ground, but two roster questions stand out above the rest.
One involves Cheeks, the class of 2026 running back who is the only signee, whether from high school or the portal, still missing from the official roster. Cheeks suffered a season-ending torn ACL last October and previously said he expected to be back by late June or early July.
An update hasn’t come yet. Rodriguez and others were contacted for one, but no response has arrived, and the fact that he still hasn’t been added to the roster suggests he may not make it to Morgantown this summer.
There’s still time, though. WVU knew about the injury when it signed him in December, so if he doesn’t show up, it would point to either a setback or some other delay.
If he does not end up at West Virginia, a junior college path would not be a surprise, since it could get him on the field sooner and help him settle into the college game.
Cheeks chose WVU over a long list of offers that included Appalachian State, Ball State, Buffalo, Coastal Carolina, Delaware, East Carolina, Kentucky, Liberty, Minnesota, Old Dominion, Pitt, South Florida, Temple, UConn, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest.
The other question centers on the NCAA’s ongoing eligibility fight. Colorado U.S.
District Judge Charlotte Sweeney issued a class-wide preliminary injunction to the 2022 class, granting those players a fifth year of eligibility. The NCAA is appealing, and the case will ultimately go to the Tenth Circuit, so nothing is settled yet.
If those players are allowed to take the field this fall, would Rodriguez be open to bringing back any familiar Mountaineers? The six from last year’s roster who fit that group are TE Jacob Barrick, DL Eddie Kelly Jr., CB Jason Chambers, CB Tyrence Crutcher, N/S Fred Perry, and P Oliver Straw.
Rodriguez may not have a final answer on that front yet, but he should at least be able to say whether it’s a possibility. West Virginia added players after fall camp started last year, though none of those additions made much of an impact.
This situation would be different, since those six know the system. The real question is whether they’re still in football shape.
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Hawkins is also right in the middle of a quarterback competition, which makes his development even more important for West Virginia. The Mountaineers are looking for a starter who can keep the offense on schedule while still threatening defenses outside the pocket, and Hawkins has the tools to make that happen if the passing mechanics continue to come along. For a team hoping to push higher in the Big 12 picture, the difference between a good season and a real run could be how far Hawkins can carry the job. [Read more 🡒]
Cyrus Traugh Is Giving West Virginia Fans A Reason To Watch Closely
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Traugh finished the 2024 season as the teams second-leading receiver, and the expectation now is that he will see significant playing time this fall alongside the rest of the wideout rotation. Even with 2026 viewed as the bigger window for him to become a key part of the group, the way he has progressed already gives West Virginia something useful on offense to keep tracking. [Read more 🡒]