If WVU opened fall camp today, the offense would already have a pretty clear spine in place. A few spots are still up for grabs, but at quarterback, running back and several places along the line, the Mountaineers have enough clarity to sketch out a workable two-deep before a single practice rep gets logged.
At the top of it all is Nicco Marchiol. The job is his, and it’s been his for a while.
WVU wants a true dual-threat presence there, and Marchiol fits that mold with the kind of legs that can change how defenses play the whole offense. Scotty Fox is still coming along, but he needs more time.
Marchiol is the one who can win games right now and remains the centerpiece of what this program is trying to build immediately.
Behind him, the depth chart starts with the nation’s leading rusher, and that means true freshman Diore Hubbard is the primary backup. JUCO transfer Martavious Boswell will be part of the mix, and fellow true freshman Chris Talley is in the conversation too, but the staff’s confidence in Hubbard stands out.
He has the look, and more importantly, he plays like it. The best comparison offered here is a more polished version of freshman CJ Donaldson: big, physical, and already more advanced because this isn’t a brand-new position for him.
At receiver, there’s a little more uncertainty, mostly because of health and development. Cam Vaughn is expected to be ready after dealing with an upper-body injury during the spring festival, though his ankle sprain last year at USC is part of the reason availability remains a real question. Jaden Rashada, the LSU transfer, brings a ton of talent and could eventually become the Mountaineers’ No. 1 wideout.
DJ Epps is listed as the starter in the slot, and he might be the most explosive receiver WVU has in 2026. He’s the kind of player who can turn a routine touch into something special once the ball is in his hands.
Behind him, Armani Bomar-Weaver has kept progressing, while Kedrick Triplett arrives after carving up defenses every week in the JUCO ranks. One of those two should be ready to claim the next spot.
Tight end looks like a strong pairing as well. Jimmori Robinson is the starter, with Grayson Barnes right behind him.
The only real issue with Robinson is availability; the foot injury has kept him sidelined for much of the last two years. If that flares up again, WVU should be in better shape with Barnes, a UConn transfer the staff is clearly high on.
The feeling here is that he’s more than just insurance.
There’s a similar sense of depth at the other tight end spot, where Tyler Bray is the starter and Grayson Barnes and Dyllon Ball are both expected to get work. Bray’s issue is also health, and the foot has been a problem for a long stretch.
Barnes should be part of the rotation no matter what, while Ball, the Mississippi State transfer, gives WVU a real red-zone target at 6'7". For Bray to hold the lead role, he has to be better as a blocker, and there’s belief inside the building that he has improved there.
Up front, the line is starting to take shape in a way that gives WVU more options than it had a year ago. Carson Casady has been a model of reliability in pass protection, with 654 career pass pro plays and no sacks allowed.
He’s also held up in the run game, with PFF grades of 73.7 and 75.3 over the last two seasons. He played right tackle at UConn, but the expectation is that he moves to the left side, which opens the door for younger talent elsewhere.
That move helps set up a change on the interior too. Jaxon Krahe did a solid job at left tackle last season, but he’s sliding inside to left guard now that Casady is in the picture.
The switch makes sense, especially if the goal is to get more athleticism across the interior. Behind Krahe, Cam Griffin and Wes King, the Jax State and Wyoming transfers, are the next men up.
Center may be the most interesting battle on the line. Landen Livingston is the starter, but this is a spot where the competition could still shift.
He was solid last year and is one of only two returning starters on the offensive line, which is probably a good thing. He could build on what he showed in 2025 and settle in as a dependable anchor, but King or Griffin could also push their way into the job.
Last season, WVU had one playable center. This year, it has three.
That’s a welcome change.
At right guard, Amare Grayson is the clear choice. He was excellent last year at Jax State under Rick Trickett, and that fit should translate cleanly into this offense.
Devin Vass, the K-State transfer, was dealing with some spring issues, so the backup race there will be worth watching. Josh Aisosa, who logged limited snaps a year ago, is also in the mix.
And at right tackle, the answer is simple: true freshman Kevin Brown. He’s the day one starter.
Malik Agbo has made real progress, putting on healthy weight and improving his game, but Brown is a different kind of player. Like any true freshman offensive lineman, there will be moments, but he’s technically sound, extremely smart, and should keep the mistakes to a minimum.
In Other News...
WVU Just Got Early Hope From Two Potential Breakout Difference Makers
West Virginia got a little preseason encouragement in the form of two names that could matter a lot once the games start counting. DJ Epps, the Troy transfer, and Nate Gabriel were both singled out as breakout candidates heading into the season, giving the Mountaineers at least a couple of players with a chance to turn promise into production as the schedule gets underway.
Epps brings the kind of receiving upside that can change an offense quickly after his jump from one catch across his first two seasons at Troy to a much bigger role last fall. Gabriel is the other intriguing piece, entering his third year after logging meaningful defensive snaps as a sophomore, and West Virginia will get an early look at both when it opens at home on Sept. 5 against Coastal Carolina, the same day Pat Whites No. 21 is set to be retired. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs New Roster Update Leaves One Big Signing-Class Question
West Virginias 2026 roster update brought a fresh batch of names into view, with 14 new players added overall and a dozen of them coming from the signing class. The update gives the program a clearer picture of what next seasons depth chart could eventually look like, and it also shows how quickly a recruiting class can start to take shape once the paperwork is in and the roster page gets refreshed.
One name still missing from that group is running back Cheeks, even though West Virginia signed him as part of the class. His situation has been one to watch ever since the ACL injury he suffered in his senior season, and the school has continued to sound confident about his recovery path. For now, the roster page leaves one small but meaningful question hanging, and it sounds like more clarity should come as the offseason moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Rich Rodriguez Faces His First Real WVU Turning Point
Rich Rodriguez is heading into his second year back at West Virginia with the kind of roster-building job that rarely comes with instant payoff. After a difficult 2025 season, the Mountaineers have tried to reset the trajectory with a top-25 recruiting class and a wave of transfers, giving the staff a younger group that should look better as it grows together. The bigger picture is less about a quick fix than about laying down enough foundation for the program to climb back into a more competitive place.
The encouraging part for WVU is that the pieces are young enough to keep improving, and the schedule offers some room to breathe while that happens. There is still a sense that the roster is not finished, though, and the most obvious pressure point may be a spot that could force the staff back into the portal before the season is over. Rodriguez has a chance to make 2026 a clear step forward, but the real question is how much of the future he can set up now without waiting too long for the breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]