We’re into the part of the Mountaineers’ 2026 importance list where the details start to matter more than the label. Cam Griffin may not be the flashiest name on the roster, but he’s exactly the kind of player who can shape how this season feels snap to snap.
Griffin arrives at West Virginia from Jacksonville State after earning first team All-CUSA honors last season, and he did it while logging a massive 971 snaps on offense. That workload came with starts at guard, tackle and center, which tells you everything about the kind of flexibility he brings to the table. He’s not a one-position player trying to survive; he’s a lineman who has already shown he can move around and hold up.
His path to Morgantown has been building for a while. Griffin played 192 snaps for Rich Rodriguez in 2024, and before that he was a regular on special teams as a true freshman in 2023. Now he’s in the mix with Wyoming transfer Wes King and potentially Landen Livingston for the starting center job.
That competition matters because center is one of the spots that can quietly steer an offense. Griffin gives West Virginia a real option there, and at the very least he looks like dependable depth on the interior. At his best, he could be the guy anchoring the line in front of an offense that is going to lean on the run game behind him.
Even if he doesn’t win the starting job in fall camp, Griffin’s experience in Rich Rod’s system and his ability to play multiple spots could become a major asset if the line needs to be reshuffled during the season. The projection here is simple: 1st or 2nd string center.
In Other News...
No Big 12 Game Means More To West Virginia Than Pitt
West Virginias decision to move its 2027 game against Ohio into Week 0 did more than tidy up the calendar. It also stirred fresh talk around a matchup Mountaineer fans have never really stopped circling: the Backyard Brawl. Athletic Director Wren Bakers scheduling announcement was enough to get people wondering whether the long-dormant rivalry with Pitt could come back sooner than expected, especially with the opening on Sept. 18 now sitting there on the slate.
Still, an earlier renewal of the series would take more than one schedule shuffle, and there are existing agreements that would have to be worked around first. Even with West Virginia settled into the Big 12, Pitt remains the opponent that still carries a different kind of weight for the program, which is why any hint of movement gets attention fast. For now, the rivalry remains a defining part of the Mountaineers identity, and the calendar change is only enough to keep the conversation alive. [Read more 🡒]
Rick Trickett's Return Puts One Huge WVU O-Line Question Front And Center
Rick Tricketts return to West Virginia has already changed the feel of the offensive line room, because Rich Rodriguez didnt just shuffle a few names around when he replaced Jack Bicknell Jr. He brought back a coach with a long history in this system, and with that comes a fresh look at a unit that will have to settle quickly if the Mountaineers want the run game to look the way Rodriguez expects.
The bigger question now is how all of the pieces actually fit once camp decisions start getting real. There are battles still sorting themselves out in the middle and on the edges, and the group also has the kind of young talent that can force its way into the lineup sooner than planned. For West Virginia, the coaching change is about more than technique. It is about whether this line can be organized fast enough to give the offense the kind of stability it needs. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Freshmen Are Already Threatening To Shake Up The 2026 Depth Chart
West Virginias 2026 depth chart already has a few spots that feel far from settled, and that is creating a real opening for the freshman class to matter sooner than expected. The discussion starts on defense, where the Mountaineers are sorting through questions in the secondary and along the line, but it also stretches to the offensive side, where young linemen are being watched closely because the roster picture is still taking shape.
The most interesting part for WVU is how many different paths are available for true freshmen to force their way into the conversation before they are supposed to be ready. Some are being tracked as immediate depth pieces with a chance to climb quickly, while others may be better positioned to grow into larger roles as the season unfolds, which is exactly why the next few months of development will matter so much for a team still trying to define its long-term answers. [Read more 🡒]