Rich Rodriguez didn’t leave much room for interpretation after Saturday’s game: West Virginia needs to keep Mike Hawkins Jr. in Morgantown.
Eight games into his WVU career, Hawkins is already putting together the kind of season that makes people start reaching for old comparisons. He’s producing like a throwback Mountaineer quarterback, and the numbers back up the eye test. He’s 11th in the country in rushing with 836 yards, shares the national lead in rushing touchdowns with 16 alongside Army’s Cale Hellums, and has also been productive through the air with 1,598 passing yards, a 161.7 passer rating, and the 24th-best passer rating among starting quarterbacks.
That passing production puts him ahead of a long list of recognizable names, including John Mateer of Oklahoma, Gunner Stockton of Georgia, Anthony Colandrea of Nebraska, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele of Cal, Arch Manning of Texas, Bear Bachmeier of BYU, and others.
Rodriguez made the case plainly in his postgame comments, praising the freshman’s arm, speed, decision-making, and growth.
“He can make all the throws, and he’s got a tremendous arm, and he’s going to be one of the fastest guys on the field. He’s a willing runner too.
He’s intelligent with his running. We don’t slide, but we dive out of trouble.
Mike’s got the capability of making so many big plays. Even today, when there’s a couple of the throws that were off, he doesn’t lose focus.
He knows it right away and makes a play or two at the end that you need. I mean, he’s a freshman in our system.
He’s going to just keep getting better and better. I’m really proud for a first-year player what he’s doing.
We got to make sure he stays in Morgantown for the next three years, or two and a half years.”
Rodriguez’s timeline was a little compressed, since Hawkins has two years of eligibility left after this season and the coach was folding in the final four games of the current year. Still, the message was the same: West Virginia wants to keep him in the program for the long haul.
Talks between the two sides have already been going on for a while, and Hawkins’ family has plenty of love for WVU. The Mountaineers will have to pay him what he deserves, but this doesn’t sound like a decision that will come down to money alone.
And from West Virginia’s perspective, the bigger picture is clear. Much of the offense is set to return in 2027, and if the Mountaineers can keep Hawkins and shore up the defense, they’ll be in a strong spot to push for a Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff berth next fall.
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WVU's 2027 Dream Could Hinge On These 10 Decisions
West Virginia heads into the bye week at 5-3, and with the seasons second half ahead, the conversation inside the program is already shifting toward 2027 as much as the present. The Mountaineers are looking at a cluster of players whose decisions will shape what this roster looks like down the line, from rising contributors whose development has outpaced expectations to veterans whose future status will help define the teams stability.
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 🡒]
Rich Rodriguez Made WVU's TCU Win About Something Much Bigger
The win at TCU carried an extra layer for West Virginia, one that had little to do with the box score and everything to do with memory. Rich Rodriguez and his staff paid tribute to Ike Morris, a longtime supporter of Mountaineer athletics and one of Rodriguezs closest mentors, by wearing hats marked with IKE during the game. Morris died at 88, and the gesture gave the night a far more personal meaning for a program still finding its footing under Rodriguez.
Rodriguez spoke afterward about how much Morris meant to him and how deeply his influence ran through the programs story. For a coach trying to build momentum, the emotional undercurrent made the result feel bigger than one road win, turning it into a tribute to someone whose presence had long been part of West Virginia football. [Read more 🡒]