If WVU Does These 3 Things in 2025 the Record Will Not Matter One Bit

It's more than just wins and losses this fall for the Mountaineers.

Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez 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

The easiest way for folks to judge a coach is by the win-loss record. While it is the only result that matters, it's not always the metric that should be used when evaluating a coach. A coach in his sixth year? Yeah, the record means a little more at that point, hence why Neal Brown is no longer the head man at West Virginia. Year one? Not nearly as much.

Barring some unforeseen series of events where the Mountaineers are a catastrophic disaster, the record shouldn't be used as a barometer to forecast the future in Rich Rodriguez's second stint in Morgantown.

Why? Well, he has 56 transfers and over 70 newcomers in total. That's flipping almost the entire roster. Sure, the talent and depth at some spots may be in a better place than it was in year six of the Brown regime, but that doesn't equate to finishing better than 6-7.

The schedule doesn't do them any favors, which is a big reason why fans can't get too caught up in the record in 2025. Of course, winning matters, and I'm not here to diminish the importance of it. This is just me saying, hey, if they only win five or six games this year, it's not worthy of hot seat chatter, especially if they are competitive in the games they do lose.

So, what is important in 2025?

No. 1: Establishing...wait for it... the culture

WVU Athletics Communication

Don't you just love when coaches and we folks in the media talk about culture? It's a word that gets thrown around probably way too much, but I'm not apologizing for the use of it here. Rodriguez has stated from day one that his team is going to play hard every snap of every game, so much so that even the casual fan will be able to tell a difference from last season. The "hard edge" slogan can't just be all talk -- it has to be backed up by the players buying into it and creating a new identity for Mountaineer football.

You could also call this the "buy-in" factor, which nowadays is pretty important. You can't have stability in your program if guys aren't bought in and are constantly departing and heading to the transfer portal. There needs to be a true vision for each individual's future and trust that the coaching staff will handle their development correctly.

If you see max effort, enthusiasm, and willingness to run through a wall for Rodriguez and this staff, that alone is considered a massive win - it sets the culture.

No. 2: Identifying building blocks

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

The Mountaineers brought in a ton of seniors from the transfer portal, meaning there will be a lot of new faces once again next year. That being said, there are still several underclassmen who the coaching staff is excited about and could be a massive piece of this rebuild.

For starters, it begins at quarterback. If Nicco Marchiol can make strides (assuming he wins the job) and shows signs of developing into a top-tier quarterback in the Big 12, it creates optimism going into 2026.

The staff is pretty confident that Jacksonville State WR Cam Vaughn will translate well to the big stage, but he still has to go out there and prove it. If he does and WVU can find three or four others at the skill positions who have multiple years of eligibility left, now you're cooking.

The same can be said with the defensive side of the ball, too. Bunch of seniors, but some young bucks will be counted on in reserve roles. Find a handful of playmakers that can develop into starters in 2026.

No. 3: Be competitive and stun someone

West Virginia University running back Jahiem White | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

I sort of brought this up earlier, but it's extremely important to be competitive in all 12 (potentially 13 or more) games. This isn't just about winning over the fans - it's selling a vision to recruits. Want to make the future of WVU football attractive? Compete your tail off in every game and get in the national headlines by beating a top 25 team - there will be several opportunities.

I know WVU fans would like to completely forget about Darian DeVries, but hear me out for just a second. Remember early on in the basketball season when no one had any idea as to what to expect from a team completely made up of transfers? They stunned Gonzaga, beat Arizona, and then continued that strong start by finally beating Kansas in The Phog. Yes, they stumbled down the stretch, but it showed signs of a program heading in the right direction.

The same thing can happen here on the football side with Rich Rod. Pull off an upset or two, and people will start thinking, man, just wait until he has another year of recruiting under his belt, established more depth, and develops the guys he has who still have eligibility.

If these three things happen, finishing in the neighborhood of .500 isn't as bad as it seems.

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