WVU Football is just over three months away from its season opener against Coastal Carolina, and excitement is beginning to build across the Mountain State as Rich Rodriguez prepares for his second season back in Morgantown. While the 2025 campaign featured more valleys than peaks, it also provided flashes of what Rodriguez is trying to build. The Mountaineers showed occasional signs of progress, but inconsistency, injuries and a lack of overall team speed prevented WVU from becoming a true factor in the Big 12 race. Read more: Big 12 coaches believe WVU Football is on the right path.
Now, the pressure shifts squarely to 2026.
And coaches around the conference are beginning to notice what West Virginia is attempting to construct.
Coach speak
In Athlon Sports’ annual anonymous coaches feature, one Big 12 coach compared the Mountaineers to a former Rodriguez-style program and issued a warning.
“It’s very similar to UCF,” the coach said. “Once they get a triggerman, watch out for them.”
Another anonymous coach cut directly to the biggest issue WVU faced a season ago.
“Rich Rodriguez wants to get the speed,” the coach said. “Those offenses excel when he’s got legit speed at quarterback, at running back and at receiver.”
Quite simply, the Mountaineers did not have the speed or explosive playmakers necessary to thrive in Rodriguez’s fast-paced spread offense in 2025. One opposing coach was especially blunt.
“They didn’t have any team speed,” the coach said. “At least not what Rodriguez is used to having.”
That appears to be changing quickly.
Classic QB controversy
The quarterback battle could ultimately define the season.
Scotty Fox Jr. gave the Mountaineers stability last year and showed toughness during stretches of a difficult season. But all eyes now turn toward Oklahoma transfer Michael Hawkins Jr., one of the most talked-about additions of the offseason. Hawkins was brought to Morgantown to compete immediately, and there is already significant pressure surrounding the highly touted transfer.
In today’s NIL era, quarterbacks do not transfer without expectations. Hawkins reportedly commanded major NIL attention coming out of the portal, and whether fair or not, that creates outside pressure for him to become the face of the offense. Rodriguez acknowledged during spring practice that Hawkins was brought in specifically to compete for the starting role.
Related: WVU’s QB battle closer than fans may think
If Hawkins wins the job, he could fundamentally change the ceiling of the offense because of his mobility and ability to stress defenses in the quarterback run game. That has always been the foundation of Rodriguez’s best offenses.
Speed kills
One of the most important additions is running back Cam Cook, who arrives after stops at Jacksonville State and TCU. Cook brings explosiveness and familiarity with Rodriguez’s style of offense. His ability to accelerate in space fits exactly what WVU lacked last season. Rodriguez has repeatedly emphasized the need for more speed throughout the roster, particularly in the backfield and perimeter game.
WVU also upgraded its speed and athleticism at wide receiver. USC transfer Prince Strachan brings size at 6-foot-5 along with vertical-play potential, while LSU transfer Taron Francis adds SEC-level athleticism to the room. On defense, players such as Kamari Wilson (S) and Maliek Hawkins (S) were added to improve overall team speed and physicality.
The recruiting philosophy itself is also becoming clear.
One anonymous coach specifically pointed to Rodriguez using the transfer portal, junior college recruiting and Florida high school recruiting to rebuild WVU’s speed profile.
That should sound familiar to longtime Mountaineer fans.
Rodriguez’s best teams during his first stint at WVU overwhelmed opponents with tempo, quarterback mobility and speed in space. The current rebuild appears designed to restore that same identity in a modern college football landscape shaped by NIL and the transfer portal.
The schedule also gives West Virginia an opportunity to gain momentum early. Games against Coastal Carolina, UT Martin and Virginia provide a realistic path toward confidence before Big 12 play intensifies.
Three months before kickoff, WVU is still a program built more on projection than proof.
But for the first time in awhile, opposing coaches are no longer dismissing the Mountaineers.
Instead, they sound cautious.
