Rich Rodriguez didn’t hide what Saturday meant after West Virginia’s win at TCU. The Mountaineers’ first-year head coach made it clear the victory carried a heavier weight than the box score, because it came just days after the death of Ike Morris, a man Rodriguez called the “most influential person” in his life.
Morris died earlier in the week at 88, and the loss landed hard with Rodriguez and the people who knew him best. Rodriguez said the two built a bond that went back 36 years, to the time he became head coach at Glenville State.
Morris was a major supporter of the university and its athletics program, and that connection never faded. He stayed close to Rodriguez through every stop over the next three-plus decades, even becoming, in Rodriguez’s words, like a second father.
West Virginia’s coaching staff showed that support before kickoff. Rodriguez and the staff wore white hats with IKE written on them, a visible tribute meant for Morris’s family and for the man they were playing for.
After the game, Rodriguez was asked about the emotional week and what the win meant in the wake of Morris’s passing.
“This is for Ike Morris. We’ve talked about it.
There’s no greater West Virginian than Ike Morris," Rodriguez said. "We were able to go down and see Sue, Doug, and Shelly for a long time on Thursday, and there’s nobody more happy right now than Ike is up in heaven.
Typically, about right now, I’d be calling him. I ain’t got to; he’s already seen it.
I ain’t got to call him; he already saw it.”
The emotion showed up immediately after Ben Cutter jumped on Jaden Craig’s fumble, and it carried through Rodriguez’s on-field interview with ESPN2 and into his press conference. The moment clearly hit him, and the win gave the tribute its proper finish.
West Virginia heads into the bye week riding a two-game winning streak at 5-3 (2-3) and will return to play Texas Tech in Lubbock on November 7th.
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Mike Hawkins Jr. has given West Virginia exactly the kind of spark it hoped for when it brought him in, and his early production has already pushed him into the national conversation. He ranks 11th nationally in rushing yards and is tied for the lead in rushing touchdowns, a start that has made him one of the most important players in Rich Rodriguezs offense and one of the biggest reasons the Mountaineers future suddenly feels tied to his.
Rodriguez has not been shy about how much he values Hawkins, praising his ability and making it clear he wants to keep him around for the rest of his eligibility. Talks between Hawkins and West Virginia about what comes next have reportedly been ongoing, and the encouraging sign for the Mountaineers is that Hawkins appears to see more in the program than money alone. For a team trying to build around a rising quarterback, that makes this one of the more important conversations on the board. [Read more 🡒]
WVU's 2027 Dream Could Hinge On These 10 Decisions
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The biggest question is how many of those pieces can be kept in place long enough to make that long-range vision real. One of the programs top players remains in contract talks, while others are weighing whether to stay, move on or eventually turn professional, and the answers will ripple through several position groups. For West Virginia, the next few months may say as much about the future of the roster as the games still left on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Has A Few New Defensive Answers Worth Watching After The Bye
The bye week gave West Virginia a chance to keep searching for answers on defense, and a few familiar names made the case for more playing time. LeBlanc was one of the biggest beneficiaries, getting extended work on the defensive line and turning in his best game yet with multiple tackles and a defensive stop. Khatri also looked more comfortable after moving from nickel to linebacker, a change that fit his high school background and seemed to bring out better play.
Elsewhere, Hawkins and Bradford continued to see their defensive snaps rise as the staff works through injuries and uneven production in the secondary. Bradford, in particular, appears to be gaining more trust from the coaching staff, while a Georgia transfer did not get on the field in the latest game despite showing well in earlier appearances. For a defense still trying to sort out its rotation, those are the kinds of developments worth tracking as the Mountaineers come out of the break. [Read more 🡒]