Rich Rodriguez has never been shy about trusting his running backs, and this year’s West Virginia room already looks like it has some juice. Cam Cook is the clear headliner and should handle a heavy load, but the early read on the three freshmen is encouraging enough to suggest WVU may have landed on all of them.
That doesn’t mean the Mountaineers are looking at three future stars. It does mean each freshman appears to have a path to being a useful piece of the run game, even if those paths look different.
The most polished of the bunch may be Latimer, whose size and style have already shown up in camp. The staff has not been bothered by much beyond the normal growing pains that come with being a true freshman and learning a new offense.
He has the frame to run through contact, and he’s already doing exactly that, using his sturdy build to push through defenders and pick up yards after contact. Even with Cook leading the way, Latimer should still get chances to contribute.
Talley brings a different kind of pop. He has the kind of speed that can flip a play in a hurry, and the ability to stop and cut without losing much momentum stands out.
He arrived on campus in the winter, like Latimer, so he’s had more time to settle in and understand what the staff wants. Right now, he and JUCO transfer Martavious Boswell look like the candidates to split RB3 work.
Cook and Latimer are expected to soak up most of the carries, so Talley’s role may be modest this season, but he should still get on the field and start building experience.
Autry is the most unknown of the three, mostly because his path to Morgantown came late. He flipped from Tulane on the eve of signing day and didn’t arrive until the summer, which left him playing catch-up from the start.
If he had been there for spring ball, maybe he could have worked into some short-yardage snaps, but WVU already has Cook, Latimer and fullback Kayden Luke for those situations. The adjustment has shown in practice, which the staff sees as normal.
Even so, Autry has flashed enough in camp to get attention. He’s another downhill runner who likes to work between the tackles, and the coaches are trying to get him ready to help this season, even if that takes until midway through the year. That matters, because if the room takes a hit from injuries again, WVU wants more than just bodies - it wants backs it can actually trust.
In Other News...
Miles Sadler Faces Huge Expectations As Ross Hodge Sends Clear Message
Miles Sadler arrives in Morgantown with the kind of recruiting profile that naturally brings a spotlight with it, and West Virginia is already talking about what his presence could mean before he even settles into his freshman season. Ross Hodge has been clear that the attention around Sadler is part of the deal for a player viewed so highly, especially on a roster that could use immediate help in the backcourt and a steady hand in bigger moments.
What has stood out to Hodge, though, is less about the buzz and more about how Sadler carries himself through it. The staff likes the way he approaches coaching and the edge he brings into every workout, traits that can matter just as much as raw talent when a young guard is asked to contribute right away. If Sadler translates those qualities quickly, he has a chance to become more than a newcomer West Virginia is excited about, with his freshman season carrying a real chance to shape the tone of the team. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs Young Core Is Already Shaping The Mountaineers Future
West Virginias long-term picture is starting to take shape through a group of younger players who have already logged limited but meaningful action. The programs evaluation of its next wave centers on 10 football players who have played 299 snaps or fewer, a snapshot that helps show where the roster is headed and which pieces could grow into larger roles over the next few seasons.
Those early assessments are still fluid, and the staff plans to keep updating them as the season unfolds. For Mountaineers fans, the intrigue is less about what these players have already done and more about how their skills, projected roles and future contributions might change once the game reps start piling up. [Read more 🡒]