Five WVU Fall Camp Predictions as Rich Rodriguez Era Officially Gets Underway Today

The second era of Rich Rodriguez in Morgantown officially begins.

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It's like Christmas in July! Today marks the first day of fall camp in Morgantown, and later today, we'll get to hear from West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez, who will discuss how day one went.

There's a ton of unknowns with this team, but I'm going to do my best to give you five predictions for fall camp that I feel pretty good about.

QB decision isn't revealed until game week at the earliest

Oct 26, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Nicco Marchiol (8) looks to throw the ball during the third quarter against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Rich Rod himself told us, "There’s really no gamesmanship with that and holding it back. First off, why would you let anybody know?" when asked about the timeline for a decision during an appearance on In the Gun, which leads me to believe there's a good chance the starter isn't publicly named ahead of the opener.

That doesn't mean a guy hasn't emerged, either. Ideally, you'd like for both quarterbacks, possibly even a third, to get snaps against Robert Morris. If the top two guys see equal playing time in Week 1, it makes it a little more challenging for Ohio's preparation for Week 2. And if things go extremely well in Athens, you could even have Pitt second-guessing the following week.

With it being a blank canvas for everyone in that room, Rich Rod needs to see as much data as possible before making the call. We can all assume that Nicco Marchiol will win the job, but everyone in that building is operating as if it's a wide-open competition.

WVU gets some good news on the eligibility front

West Virginia University running back Tye Edwards | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Former WVU receiver Cortez Braham Jr. was granted a preliminary injunction to receive an additional year of eligibility. All cases are not created equal, however, and knowing WVU's luck with waivers, I would be absolutely stunned if all four they are waiting for answers on (RB Tye Edwards, WR Jeffrey Weimer, DL Jimmori Robinson, S Justin Harrington) get cleared.

I do believe each of them has a very strong case, but this is the NCAA we're talking about. They are dragging their feet as always and never have consistency in their rulings. I'm not here to guess who will get cleared because I'd have a much better chance of picking the numbers for the lottery. I do, however, believe some, not all, will be able to play.

Rodney Gallagher III takes a big step

West Virginia University receiver Rodney Gallagher. | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

If there was one player that was misused so badly by the previous regime, it's this guy. Instead of allowing him to develop as a receiver, they decided to add defensive back responsibilities to his plate last season. Although he didn't spend much time there in games, it still took practice time and film time away from him on offense.

He played quarterback in high school and is still trying to sharpen up his route running, footwork, and everything else that comes with playing the position. When he did line up at receiver, it was mostly to serve as a decoy running motioned routes into the flat or getting the ball on jet sweeps for two yards. Of the returning players not named Jahiem White, Gallagher feels like the player who could see the biggest jump this fall camp.

The defense makes life hard on the offense

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Zac Alley is a brilliant defensive mind. He throws a lot at opposing offenses and sometimes maybe even too much for his guys to grasp at the start. Once they are about a week or so into practice, I'm going to guess that the defense is well ahead of the offense. This isn't a bold take by any means, considering the defense is typically always further along at the start of camp, but with so many new faces populating the offense, the defense will have the advantage. All of his exotic looks, blitzes, and sim pressures are going to cause a great deal of confusion for the offense.

Also, when you look at that side of the ball, they have way more production and experience than the offense. DL Jimmori Robinson, DL Edward Vesterinen, DL Hammond Russell IV, LB Reid Carrico, LB Chase Wilson, CB Michael Coats Jr., CB Jordan Scruggs, S Fred Perry, etc. That's a lot of proven talent.

The o-line isn't exactly settled by the season opener

Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; West Virginia offensive lineman Landen Livingston speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

We've talked about this ad nauseam, but it's a major concern heading into the 2025 season — can Rich Rod and Jack Bicknell Jr. find the right five? Barring injury, the interior, to me, seems pretty set with Walter Young Bear, Landen Livingston, and Kimo Makane'ole. The two tackle spots, however, are a whole other story.

It's not a bad situation WVU is in, either. They have capable bodies to put on both sides; it's just a huge unknown as to who those guys will be. The starting five may not be figured out entirely heading into Week 1. Unless someone just has an absurdly good camp, I have a feeling we could see that competition spill into the regular season.

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