West Virginia is only three days into fall camp, and Rich Rodriguez is still in the part of August where certainty is in short supply. That’s true everywhere this time of year, but it’s especially true when a roster has more than 80 new faces and a coaching staff is still trying to figure out exactly what it has.
Rodriguez said he liked the work the Mountaineers got done in winter workouts, spring ball, and the summer sessions run by the players. Even so, he’s not ready to stamp this group just yet. That kind of judgment, he said, comes later, after the practices start stacking up and the details become harder to hide.
“The concern is that it’s the first year, first season for a lot of guys. Now, we don’t have 40 seniors like we had last year.
I don’t know what we have, like 16 or 17 seniors- so we’ll have a lot of the guys back, I think, unless they get bought out somewhere or whatever the case may be. But I think we’re getting closer to developing the type of culture and environment that we want, but I can’t make that statement after one practice.
I would like to say, if you ask me this in two weeks, is the environment, the attitude, the intensity, how hard they play, is it where you think you should be after two weeks? If I’m not sure then, then I have concerns.
But I think in two weeks, they’ll be where I want them to be.”
That timeline is the real checkpoint for Rodriguez: not day three, but what things look like after a couple of weeks. He wants to see whether the attitude, intensity and effort settle into the level he expects.
There’s also a lot more to like about the roster than there was a year ago. When Jahiem White went down last season, West Virginia had to scramble for answers, trying to get Tye Edwards ready before he got hurt too. The result was a run game that never really got on track.
This year looks much different. The Mountaineers have the nation’s leading rusher, plus freshman Amari Latimer and JUCO transfer Martavious Boswell, who ran for more than 1,000 yards last season. That gives the backfield a much stronger foundation than it had before.
Up front, West Virginia also brings back one of its most seasoned groups. The projected starting offensive line has logged more than 5,000 snaps, and with Rick Trickett working with that unit, the expectation is that the trench play should be a whole lot better.
Even on defense, where the Mountaineers are replacing all 11 starters, the profile of the newcomers is different. The players they’ve brought in have actual production on their resumes from previous stops, and they made an impact there. That’s a major step up from relying on journeymen, former walk-ons and players who barely saw the field.
In Other News...
Rich Rod Leaves Door Open On A WVU Roster Decision
Rich Rodriguez has kept West Virginias roster picture in a holding pattern while the program sorts through a few moving parts tied to players with fifth-year eligibility. For now, the Mountaineers are not bringing anyone in, and Rodriguez made it clear the current roster is not being trimmed to create space as the staff waits on the NCAA side of the equation.
One name worth watching is cornerback Jordan Scruggs, who has shown interest in coming back. His situation is part of the broader uncertainty around whether the Mountaineers will ultimately add any more experienced pieces, but for the moment everything remains on pause and no final calls have been made. [Read more 🡒]
Rich Rodriguez Is Watching One West Virginia Issue Very Closely
West Virginia opened preseason 30 days before the first game on its usual timetable, giving Rich Rodriguez a little more runway to sort through what looks like a different kind of roster this summer. The coach said the group has a more balanced mix of freshmen and transfers than it did a year ago, and many of those additions still have multiple seasons left, which at least gives the staff something to build around beyond the immediate fall.
What Rodriguez is watching most closely, though, is the number of players who are new to college football and new to his system. With that much turnover, the early weeks of camp are about more than learning assignments. The Mountaineers need better conditioning and more intensity before the opener arrives, and how quickly those pieces come together could shape how ready this team really is. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Browns Rise Could Change West Virginia Up Front
Kevin Browns arrival has given West Virginia something it rarely gets to enjoy this early in the calendar: a long look at a freshman who already feels like part of the plan up front. The offensive lineman is projected to be the starting left tackle for the 2026 season, and his early work since arriving in spring has only strengthened the belief that he can grow into one of the most important pieces on the roster.
Brown also comes with the kind of recruiting profile that raises the stakes for everyone around him, as one of the highest rated prospects in program history. Even so, the Mountaineers do not need to rush him into the spotlight alone, thanks to experienced depth at the position with senior Malik Agbo in the mix. The bigger question is how quickly Browns rise can translate from promise to pressure on a line that could look very different by the time 2026 arrives. [Read more 🡒]