Rich Rodriguez is making one thing plain at West Virginia: he doesn’t want a roster full of players treating the Mountaineers like a pit stop.
In an era shaped by NIL and the transfer portal, where long-term player development has become harder to sustain, Rodriguez said Monday night on his radio show that his team has to stand for something bigger than individual gain. The message, as he laid it out, is about loyalty to the school, the state and the program.
“I want them to feel a certain obligation to West Virginia. To our school.
To our program. To our state,” he said during his radio show on Monday night.
“I don’t want them to be hired guns, even if they just came for one year. I want them to feel like I’m playing for West Virginia.
I’m playing for my school, I’m playing for my state, I’m playing for my teammates, and that is the most important thing that they take from a mental standpoint. Not that I’m playing for myself so I can get a bigger contract.
That can’t be who we are.”
Rodriguez was also asked about the kind of play that gets labeled a “business decision” - a player easing up on a tackle or holding back because he’s thinking about injury and the next contract. His answer left no room for ambiguity.
“If a guy turns something down, like he had a chance to tackle a guy, or he just kind of, like, ' Eh, I don’t want to do that because it might get me hurt and that’s a so-called 'business decision,' I’m going to make a business decision to cut him. I might cut him before the half is over.
That’s how adamant I am in that you have to play a certain way. That’s been the message I’ve been trying to say the last couple years.
You still have to play the game a certain way, and if you do that, you’ll get rewarded. If you turn stuff down, to me, you’re not the type of a guy you can build a program with.
I don’t think I have that (with our guys).”
The reality of modern college football makes Rodriguez’s point hard to ignore. The days of expecting most players to stay three, four or even five years are gone, and with so much movement, it can be tough for anyone to develop a deep connection to one school or fan base.
Still, Rodriguez is drawing a line around what he wants West Virginia to be. And in a state where the Mountaineers are the main event, not just another team in town, that message carries extra weight.
In Other News...
West Virginia Gets A Needed Boost At Texas Tech
West Virginia is set to get a welcome lift for its trip to Texas Tech, with wide receiver Armoni Weaver-Bomar, defensive lineman Corey McIntyre Jr. and cornerback Jason Chambers all expected back in the mix. Weaver-Bomars return is especially notable after he underwent surgery for a fractured finger earlier in the season, and the Mountaineers are hoping he can be available if his recovery continues on schedule.
The timing matters because Texas Tech brings its own dangerous passing-game threat, with Kenny Johnson still the Red Raiders player to watch as their leader in receptions and receiving yards. For West Virginia, getting bodies back on both sides of the ball could help against a team that can stress a defense quickly, and it adds some needed depth to a roster that has been managing absences for much of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Honor Huffs Eligibility Fight Just Became A Real West Virginia Story
Honor Huffs eligibility case has moved from a legal argument to a live roster issue for West Virginia, after a Monongalia County circuit court judge granted him a preliminary injunction that allows him to compete in the 2026-27 NCAA Division I mens basketball season. The ruling blocks the NCAA from enforcing its eligibility rules against Huff for now, giving him the green light as he prepares to enter the transfer portal.
For the Mountaineers, the significance is bigger than one players paperwork. Huff had been seeking an additional year after sitting out a season under transfer rules, and his case centered on whether NCAA rule changes should apply to him. With the court siding with him at this stage, West Virginia now has a real offseason storyline to follow, even if the broader fight is far from over. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia Faces An Early Test Of Ross Hodges New Identity
West Virginias three-game homestand continues with a matchup against Stetson, and it comes with a familiar face on the other bench in Donnie Jones. The Hatters have opened their season with losses to Clemson and South Carolina, but they still bring a veteran presence through senior forward Collin Kuhl, who has been their leader in scoring and rebounds.
For the Mountaineers, the bigger story is how Ross Hodges first team keeps building on the season-opening win over Niagara. West Virginia had multiple players score in double figures in that one, and Hodge came away encouraged by the groups depth and defensive intensity, two traits that will get another early test as the homestand rolls on. [Read more 🡒]