Rich Rodriguez is entering his 28th season as a college football head coach, but his return to West Virginia presents new challenges unlike any he has faced before. With a roster that features no returning full-time starters on defense and only two offensive players with significant experience, Rodriguez acknowledges that this spring will be especially critical in shaping the team’s identity.
“I’ve never had a time where I had zero starters on defense and every lineman and probably three of the backups,” Rodriguez said. “You expect more turnover now because of the transfer portal, but it’s also a lot of seniors moving on. It’s a little bit unique.”
With so much change, the Mountaineers are in search of leadership. There are no established voices in the locker room to guide the transition, meaning the team must quickly adapt to the expectations of the new coaching staff. Early indicators from the team’s Tour of Duty—a series of four intense early morning workouts—suggest that players are beginning to embrace the new culture.
“I saw a big difference from the first day we did it to the last one,” Rodriguez noted. “I thought they did a really good job adapting. I feel encouraged that these guys will adjust well to practice.”
Building a new team culture takes time, but Rodriguez has been pleased with the overall progress made during winter workouts. While there are still discrepancies between his definition of playing hard and the team’s current intensity, he sees a group eager to prove itself.
“There’s been moments where I’m thinking their version of playing hard and mine don’t quite match up, but I think they’re willing,” Rodriguez said. “Our guys are buying in. They don’t have a choice, but they’ve got a good attitude and they’re eager to prove themselves.”
With spring practices approaching, the coaching staff will closely evaluate every position. Rodriguez understands the importance of identifying contributors early, especially with another transfer portal window opening in mid-April. While some position groups remain a concern, he hopes many of those uncertainties will be resolved by the end of spring camp.
Despite all the turnover, the expectations at West Virginia remain unchanged—winning is the priority. Rodriguez made it clear that his return is not about nostalgia but about building a successful program in today’s competitive landscape. “I didn’t get hired for nostalgia reasons. I got hired to win,” he said. “People want to talk about 2003-07, but the expectation is to win, and that’s what we’re going to do.”