Rich Rodriguez may not be saying it out loud, but West Virginia’s quarterback picture is starting to look pretty clear.
The Mountaineers still haven’t gotten an official announcement on the starter for 2026, yet the noise around the program points in one direction: Oklahoma transfer Mike Hawkins Jr. is the guy. Rodriguez has kept his cards close to the vest, and that fits his style. He doesn’t see much value in handing out public labels, especially when the first two opponents are Coastal Carolina and UT Martin.
That silence, though, shouldn’t be mistaken for a real battle dragging into September.
Rodriguez has never been the type to march to the podium and declare, “This is my starting...” fill in the blank. He tends to keep those details in-house, whether the topic is quarterback, running back or receiver. Ask him how one player is doing, and he’ll usually work through the whole room instead of singling someone out.
And in this case, there’s a simple reason the staff isn’t making a big production out of it: they don’t need to.
Hawkins didn’t come to Morgantown to audition. He arrived with a reputation that had drawn heavy interest from other Power Four programs, and West Virginia paid a good chunk of change to land him.
The staff believed he was a fit for this offense from the jump, and so far he’s backed that up. He’s absorbed the system quickly and has already stepped into a leadership role in a short span.
That doesn’t mean Scotty Fox Jr. has been forgotten. Fox has made a lot of progress since the end of last season, and the staff clearly feels good about him if he has to play. But Hawkins is the quarterback they brought in to elevate the offense right now, and by all indications, he’s done exactly that.
There’s also a broader reason this setup feels strong for West Virginia: the Mountaineers have one quarterback who looks ready to drive the offense immediately, and another young option they trust if the situation calls for it.
So while Rodriguez may keep refusing to say it before game day, that doesn’t mean he’s undecided. The gap wasn’t created by the first scrimmage, and the silence doesn’t hide much.
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WVU's Freshman Running Backs Are Giving Rich Rodriguez Real Options
Rich Rodriguez has spent the offseason building a backfield that looks a lot more layered than the usual one-man show, and that matters for a West Virginia team trying to sort out its identity early in 2026. Cam Cook still stands as the lead back, but the group behind him now includes a wave of newcomers, with freshmen Latimer and Talley in line for roles and JUCO transfer Martavious Boswell also expected to factor in.
Autry is the name worth filing away, even if he arrived late and is still playing catch-up after missing some of the usual installation time. The early signs in practice suggest there is something to work with there, and for Rodriguez, that kind of depth is the point - not just having bodies, but giving the offense real options as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Miles Sadler Faces Huge Expectations As Ross Hodge Sends Clear Message
Miles Sadler arrives in Morgantown with the kind of recruiting profile that naturally brings a spotlight with it, and West Virginia is already talking about what his presence could mean before he even settles into his freshman season. Ross Hodge has been clear that the attention around Sadler is part of the deal for a player viewed so highly, especially on a roster that could use immediate help in the backcourt and a steady hand in bigger moments.
What has stood out to Hodge, though, is less about the buzz and more about how Sadler carries himself through it. The staff likes the way he approaches coaching and the edge he brings into every workout, traits that can matter just as much as raw talent when a young guard is asked to contribute right away. If Sadler translates those qualities quickly, he has a chance to become more than a newcomer West Virginia is excited about, with his freshman season carrying a real chance to shape the tone of the team. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs Young Core Is Already Shaping The Mountaineers Future
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Those early assessments are still fluid, and the staff plans to keep updating them as the season unfolds. For Mountaineers fans, the intrigue is less about what these players have already done and more about how their skills, projected roles and future contributions might change once the game reps start piling up. [Read more 🡒]