Rich Rodriguez is bullish about West Virginia’s prospects for the 2025 campaign, insisting the team will be “much better” than a season ago. The coach points to a series of strategic moves that have reshaped the roster, from a larger recruiting budget that prioritized proven production to the infusion of seasoned transfers and a promising freshman phenom.
Preseason analysts have placed the Mountaineers near the bottom of the Big 12, with Phil Steele projecting a tie for seventh, but Rodriguez has a history of outperforming such lowly forecasts when expectations are modest. He notes that the program’s recent 4‑8 record was an outlier compared with his earlier successes, and that the current roster is built to reverse that trend.
A Simpler, Faster Approach
A key emphasis this year is speed and efficiency on both sides of the ball. Rodriguez wants the defensive secondary to play faster, leveraging the added athleticism of newcomers, while the offensive line and overall scheme are being simplified to help newcomers grasp their responsibilities quickly.
The quarterback position will feature returning signal‑callers Scotty Fox Jr. and Max Brown, complemented by Oklahoma transfer Michael Hawkins Jr. At running back, a blend of transfers and talented freshmen is expected to provide a much‑needed boost. Meanwhile, the wide‑receiver corps, still feeling the void left by Dana Holgorsen’s departure in 2018, will rely on emerging talent to step up.
Defensive coordinator Rick Trickett, a 78‑year‑old veteran, returns for his third stint with the program, adding further stability to the coaching staff. With training camp slated to open on August 5, a month before the home opener against Coastal Carolina, the Mountaineers are poised to turn the page on last season’s disappointment.