MAILBAG: Cam Vaughn's Departure, Staff Changes, Payroll, Portal Possibilities + More

Good afternoon, Mountaineer fans! It's time to crack open this week's West Virginia On SI mailbag.

From @jon_helman:

Q: Is there any insight into why Vaughn left? Also, any rumors about any certain transfers they are going after?

A: This was not a financial situation or a lack of talent situation, so I'll just leave it at that. Rich Rod warned about some "tough conversations" toward the end of the season and that some players would be given time to prove they deserve a spot, but would be "up against it." I think it's safe to say another conversation took place recently.

From @wvuremfan:

Q: What are the chances of WVU landing Rocco Becht if he doesn’t go to Penn State? Should WVU go after a transfer QB, or ride with who we got? What other big names in the portal should WVU go after?

A: I don't see it happening, but wouldn't completely rule it out, simply because of the connection to the program. Once the portal opens up, I'll have a better feel for their level of interest in him as other options become available. As for the QB position in general, yes, they need to add someone. With Marchiol, Henderson, and Wilkins set to depart, you have to bring in at least one guy for depth purposes, but preferably someone who can push for the starting job. I don't think you spend a lot of money there. Not this offseason.

From @coalcountrywvu:

Q: Fans seemed to be unconcerned about the Cam Vaughn situation. I have a differing opinion. Why should we believe that the elite talent in this recruiting class, Rich Rod just brought, will stick around or be any different when they get developed than Cam Vaughn? This is college football nowadays. Me before we. That’s just the way it is. We need to keep our elite talent regardless of a little attitude issue.

A: I completely disagree, respectfully. I do understand your stance because players are going to hop in the portal all the time, but you still can't allow anyone to fall short of the standard you are trying to set. Trust me, if something happened once or twice, it would be a different story. It's when it happens all the time that it becomes a problem. If Rich Rod lets any one player slide, he's showing the entire roster that meeting the standard doesn't matter.

From @BrianMcGuinnWV:

Q: Will college presidents & ADs work together this year to create rules that make sense for football & basketball? Probably need antitrust or CBA. Let’s make that the number one priority. We can’t wait 5 years.

A: There's a lot of efforting taking place, but the problem is getting everyone on the same page. You have some schools that want to stay completely away from making the student-athletes employees, and others who believe it's the best thing to do. It would be one thing if the NCAA had one clear problem. Instead, they have a million things wrong that need to be fixed, and it's difficult to get everyone on the same page on all of these issues. A CBA is likely needed, but that, of course, means identifying someone or a group who will represent the athletes. This is a multi-year process and one that may take longer than five years to resolve, unfortunately. Great question!

From @MrEd315:

Q: Do you have any idea how much the WVU football payroll is and other men's and women’s sports? If so, what are those numbers? And are women’s programs getting their fair share of team dollars?

A: Good question, Ed! Always enjoy your submissions. WVU has not made those numbers public, but somewhere in the ballpark of $12 million, give or take, of the rev share for football. It's about on par with what most Power Four schools are doing, and remember, they have a little cash stashed in their back pocket from last year's rev share that they didn't use. The actual number, though, is really difficult to gauge because there is no transparency whatsoever with how much is coming in through NIL.

From @jmbwvu:

Q: When will we know what assistants are staying?

A: Should know fairly soon. Most of them are on one-year deals, which come to an end in January. I don't know exactly where the changes will come, but I'd be surprised if Jay Boulware and Rick Trickett are the only two newcomers.

From @DoubleDinWV:

Q: Do you believe any of the freshmen offensive linemen are starters next season? If so, who and what position?

A: Kevin Brown at right tackle, yes. He'd be the only one, in my opinion. Nick Krahe is your starting left tackle, and Landen Livingston is your starting center, leaving the two guard spots open, which they will address in the transfer portal. That's where they'll be big spenders. Rhett Morris, Lamarcus Dillard, Camden Goforth, and Jonas Muya are all intriguing prospects, but need a little time to develop.

From @BBSprtz:

Q: Why shouldn’t WVU throw a lot of money at USF QB Byrum Brown?

A: I don't think it's worth spending big at quarterback this offseason, especially when you may already have the answer in Scotty Fox. This team is going to be extremely young, so why not build with the youngster? I'm not opposed to bringing in another quarterback. In fact, I think they have to. I just don't see the sense in splurging on a one-year rental when a lot, and I mean a lot, needs to happen for them to be a contender.

From @MmaMountaineer:

Q: Is next year likely to be another rebuild year for WVU football? Are we gonna have to count this past season as “year 0”?

A: I'm afraid so. Now, that doesn't mean they won't be able to go win eight games or so. It's just that I don't think that should be the expectation heading into the year. The defense is being completely rebuilt, the offensive line needs to be revamped, the entire running back room is new, and you still have questions at quarterback. It's hard to bat 1.000 on that many needs in one offseason.

From @bobmadigan_wvu:

Q: I know players don't owe an explanation for leaving, but has there been speculation as to why they are leaving in what feels like a mass exodus?

A: They are all for different reasons. But if you scan through our transfer portal tracker, you'll notice Jahiem White and Cam Vaughn are really the only two who would have helped you in 2026. Much of it is trimming the back half of the roster, who were only on hand for depth purposes this past season. It would be way more concerning if WVU were losing a ton of star talents, but that's not the case. And the two who may fit under that label could have been retained if the staff wanted to.

From @ScottEl13805771:

Q: Who is the Cam Vaughn replacement?

A: It could be Jaden Bray. We'll see. I don't expect WVU to go all out on someone, to be honest. They really like the two JUCO additions — Keon Hutchins and Kedrick Triplett — and if Bray can get an extra year, they'll feel good about their top three. Oh, and I can't forget about Rodney Gallagher III. They'll add someone, but I guess what I'm saying here is it won't be a top five or maybe even ten receiver in the portal. Of the players I mentioned, only Bray would be able to fill in for Vaughn's spot at the X.

From @WVinSC487:

Q: Do you see a way out of this doom spiral that is the current state of the NCAA football?

A: It was mentioned in one of the questions above, but a CBA is probably what this is going to ultimately come down to. When that happens, how it happens is anyone's guess. And I'm afraid we're still a handful of years (or more) away from getting the game where it needs to be. A lot of it comes down to the College Football Playoff and the access that each conference will have. Trying to get ADs and commissioners from all leagues on the same page is not going to be easy. Getting a commissioner in place has to happen.

From @Buck489:

Q: Honest thoughts on strength and conditioning, is it time for a fresh start? Not saying Mike Joseph should be fired or doesn’t do a good job, but with all the injuries we see year after year, and how slow we look compared to teams, are we missing something?

A: I'm always wary to comment on that side of it because Mike Joseph and every strength coach out there will forget more knowledge about the body than I'll ever know. However, I think it would be a big red flag if WVU had a bunch of soft tissue injuries and that wasn't really the case. If you start filing through the names, a lot of it comes down to bad luck and having smaller players who took a beating.

From @MountainManWvu:

Q: Do you think we go after a big-time WR in the portal now?

A: I'd be shocked if they did. There's really no reason to, honestly. It's a run-first offense, and they have three solid, reliable options as it is, assuming Jaden Bray can come back. Should they add a big, long body who can play the X and be productive? Yes, absolutely. Do they need a bona fide dude there? Probably not.

To participate in next week's mailbag, send me a DM on X (@Callihan_) reply to my tweet asking for submissions on Saturday, or place your question in the comments section under my poston Facebook.