For the second time since the start of spring practice, West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez is tasked with finding a replacement on his coaching staff. Inside wide receivers coach Blaine Stewart has accepted an opportunity to return to the NFL, leaving Rodriguez to once again adjust his staff.
Stewart’s departure comes just weeks after Rodriguez filled the running backs coach vacancy left by Chad Scott with the hiring of Larry Porter. Stewart, who had been with the Mountaineers since 2023 under former head coach Neal Brown, was retained by Rodriguez upon his arrival in Morgantown. However, his move to the professional ranks brings him back to familiar territory, having previously spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2018 to 2022.
“Blaine had an opportunity to go back to the NFL, and I’m happy for him,” Rodriguez said regarding Stewart’s decision.
With the Mountaineers heading into spring break, Rodriguez has indicated that the plan is to hire a new inside wide receivers coach. In the interim, senior offensive assistant Travis Trickett will take on Stewart’s duties, mirroring the approach used when Scott left earlier this offseason.
“We’re in good shape,” Rodriguez reassured, adding that while Trickett is a capable fill-in, the goal is to find a permanent replacement soon.
Rodriguez has multiple options for filling the vacancy, whether it be shifting Trickett into the role permanently or hiring an external candidate. However, he emphasized that recruiting will be a major factor in his decision, as the program aims to maintain a strong pipeline of talent.
“The recruiting piece is going to be a big part of it. Every coach has to recruit. Everybody in the program has to recruit, but my thought is let me find the guy that can do the best job recruiting, and that will be a big factor in who I hire,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez values recruiters who are not only experienced in their positional coaching duties but also excel at bringing in high-level talent. As the process begins, he is looking for a coach with a proven track record of successfully landing top prospects.
“Bringing big-time players—that’s the direction I’m looking at,” Rodriguez concluded, making it clear that the next hire will be someone who can make an immediate impact on the Mountaineers’ recruiting efforts.