WVU Football Head Coach Rich Rodriguez knows there is still plenty to prove before the Mountaineers take the field.
But as the 2026 season approaches, Rodriguez sees a team that is in a much different place than it was a year ago.
After going 4-8 in his first season back in Morgantown, West Virginia enters this season with more continuity, more experience and, perhaps most importantly, more depth across the roster. Read more: Rich Rodriguez: West Virginia football “looks like we’re a little bit faster” in 2026.
Rodriguez joined WV Sports Nation for a special interview across the John Frederick Media Network to discuss the state of the program heading into the season. The veteran coach touched on everything from the quarterback competition to the trenches, Cam Cook, and the overall development of his team.
A more experienced roster
One of the biggest differences Rodriguez sees from a year ago is simply the amount of time his players have spent together.
West Virginia went through a massive roster overhaul last season, while this year’s group has had significantly more time together before the start of the season.
“The biggest difference between last year and this year as far as roster goes is most of our guys have been here through spring ball and through the summer, whereas we didn’t have to have 20-something new guys join us in the summertime,” Rodriguez said. “They’ve been here for six, seven, eight months. They’ve got a good grasp, I think, of what we’re doing. Now, we just got to play some games and get some game experience.”
That continuity comes after a season in which West Virginia dealt with an unusual number of injuries, including having to turn to its fourth or fifth quarterback and fifth or sixth running back by the middle of the season.
Rodriguez is hoping a healthier roster, combined with more time in the system, can help the Mountaineers take another step forward.
“If we can retain most of our guys and keep developing, I really like what we’re going to look like in the next two or three years,” Rodriguez said. “Now, it’s so transactional now that it’s a little bit tougher to do that. But we think we’re in a good spot with that.”
Depth could be a difference-maker
Depth has been a major point of emphasis for Rodriguez heading into the season.
West Virginia will play eight straight games before reaching a bye week, making it important to have players ready to contribute throughout the roster.
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But Rodriguez’s desire to play more players than anyone else in the Big 12 is not simply about surviving the schedule.
“I want to play a whole lot of people. I want to play our whole roster if we can,” Rodriguez said. “But we’re not going to play you just to play you. You got to be ready to win with. And that’s the challenge that we work with all of our guys.”
Rodriguez believes the Mountaineers are closer to having that type of depth than they were a year ago, with several positions featuring legitimate competitions and what he described as “co-starters.”
Experience up front
The offensive line was one of the biggest question marks for West Virginia last season, but Rodriguez said the struggles were largely the result of inexperience.
“It’s just none of them had played,” Rodriguez said. “And we knew coming in, that was a big concern, that all these guys were starting for the first time.”
This year, the Mountaineers still do not have a large group of returning starters up front, but they have added players who have already played significant snaps at the collegiate level.
“If you’ve had a thousand snaps on the college level, whether it’s Group of Five or one double-A or what have you, that experience really means a lot,” Rodriguez said. “We can see that in practice and, hey, this guy may be new to our system, but he’s played a lot of games in college. So he’s an older, more mature guy.”
That experience is something Rodriguez and offensive line coach Rick Trickett specifically targeted through the transfer portal.
Quarterback competition remains under wraps
The biggest unanswered question entering the season remains at quarterback.
Redshirt sophomore Michael Hawkins Jr. and true sophomore Scotty Fox Jr. have both impressed Rodriguez throughout the offseason, while Max Brown and the other quarterbacks remain part of the competition.
Hawkins has been what West Virginia expected when it brought him in; a quarterback capable of making plays through the air and on the ground. Fox, meanwhile, started games as a true freshman last season and has kept developing.
Rodriguez has said he expects to wait until September 5 to reveal the starter, but he does not want the quarterbacks spending their time worrying about who will ultimately win the job.
“I wanted them to concentrate on just being the best quarterback they could be, not worrying about who’s going to be the guy,” Rodriguez said. “Now I may know now, you know, I probably do, but I don’t see any need to have to tell them.”
Instead, Rodriguez wants each quarterback focused on mastering the offense and developing his own strengths.
“They all run all of our stuff,” Rodriguez said. “And then as we get ready for a game, we’ll kind of have a plan that, okay, this is what Mike runs the best. This is what Scotty runs the best or any of the quarterbacks.”
Cam Cook leads the way
One player Rodriguez doesn’t have to worry about breaking in is running back Cam Cook.
Cook enters the season as the nation’s leading rusher from a year ago and has become one of the veteran leaders of the Mountaineers.
Rodriguez praised Cook’s maturity and his ability to contribute in every area of the position.
“Cam is, again, he’s a proven quantity, obviously at this level, but he’s such a mature guy,” Rodriguez said. “He’s the leader in the room right there. He’s surrounded by a bunch of young guys, but he’s just got a feel for football, whether it’s in pass protection, running routes, obviously running the ball. He’s solid in every aspect.”
Rodriguez believes Cook’s versatility makes him especially valuable as West Virginia works to develop a younger group of running backs around him.
Defense still learning
West Virginia also has several players Rodriguez believes can provide leadership on defense, including Ben Cutter, Nate Gabriel, and Corey McIntyre.
Still, Rodriguez believes the biggest thing for the defense is continuing to learn.
“We do a whole lot on defense, maybe more than anybody in the country,” Rodriguez said. “And it can be challenging mentally as well as physically. And we challenge our guys mentally. We want our guys to learn ball.”
For Rodriguez, developing football players means focusing on everything.
“We take as our responsibility for our guys to learn football, not just to be a football player, but to learn football,” he said. “And then sometimes that takes a little bit of time, but I think they’re learning.”
More competition, more athleticism
The competition is not limited to one or two positions.
Rodriguez said battles are taking place throughout the roster, which he views as a positive sign.
“I think offensively, you know, we were hoping to have six or seven guys ready to win with. I think we’re closer to having eight or nine,” Rodriguez said.
The wide receiver position has several players competing for playing time, while the running back room features Cook alongside a group of young backs.
The secondary is completely new and competitive at both safety and cornerback.
Rodriguez still believes there are areas where West Virginia needs more experience, but he likes what he sees physically.
“At least I look out there and it looks like we’re more athletic at every spot,” Rodriguez said. “And we got to stay healthy and we got to play the right ways. But we look like we’re a little bit faster, a little bit more athletic than we were this time of year ago.”
Honoring Pat White
Before the season gets fully underway, West Virginia will also celebrate one of the most iconic players in program history.
Pat White’s No. 5 will be retired at the season opener, giving Rodriguez a chance to honor one of the players who helped define his first tenure in Morgantown.
Rodriguez remembers White as much for his approach as he does for his production.
“He was one of the most iconic college players in the entire country for several years,” Rodriguez said. “And they were just, from a coaching standpoint, they were so much fun to coach because as much individual success as they had, it was always about the team. You know, with Pat White, it was always about the team.”
White’s team-first mentality was still on display when West Virginia announced his number would be retired. Jaden Bray is wearing No. 5 this season, as White suggested waiting a year before officially retiring it.
“Pat’s always been about the team,” Rodriguez said. “He’s always been about, you know, how do I, what do I do to help us win?”
As Rodriguez enters another season at West Virginia, he hopes his current group can develop some of those same qualities.
The Mountaineers still have plenty to prove. But with more experience, increased depth, and a roster Rodriguez believes is more athletic than it was a year ago, there is optimism that 2026 can look much different than 2025.
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