MAILBAG: More Departures, NIL Money, Hoops Rotation, WR1, + More

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

From @MmaMountaineer:

Q: I know we have our big 3 in Football, Basketball, and Baseball. But when will WVU Wrestling get some love? I believe they’re ranked and have a couple guys that could win a natty.

A: It's always a challenge for the Olympic sports to get much recognition. I mean, look at rifle, for example. They've won how many national championships? It's unfortunate, and with the big three consuming the media's time, it's challenging to dip into the others. I'd love to hire someone to cover wrestling, volleyball, soccer, etc. Maybe one day we'll spill the resources into it. But yes, hats off to those guys!

From @wvufan2023:

Q: How confident are you on a scale from 1-10 about us beating Houston? I’m hoping the momentum will carry over from the Kansas game and we can give Houston all they can handle even tho it’s at their place.

A: Am I allowed to zero? What about negative two? Haha, all kidding aside, I don't see it happening. The Cougars are a really good team, per usual, and it's one of the most difficult places to play at in the country. The crowd may not be what it is in Lawrence, but they just rarely ever lose there. We haven't seen this team show any signs of consistency, especially against high majors. I can't see it happening now against a pair of top 25 teams.

From @MrEd315:

Q: Does anyone actually know how much cash is in the WVU vault for football players? And what’s the budget for the next roster?

A: Not exactly. Everyone has a ballpark idea as to what that number is, but for competitive reasons in negotiations, they, like everybody else, would rather keep that close to the vest. I'm sure Rich Rod or maybe even Wren Baker will speak about it sometime this spring, but with the large high school class that they just brought in, I wouldn't be surprised if they have some rev share dollars that will roll over to 2027, just like this past season.

From @ScottEl13805771:

Q: With all the transfer portal signings, do you think they’ll ask players to leave?

A: They already have, and there may be a few more that trickle out, depending on what they can get. They're in the final stages with five or six portal guys right now, so if they feel good about where things stand with them heading into the final day of the portal, we may see some departures that morning.

From @WVwings:

Q: What are the average paydays for our football players in key positions?

A: I mentioned this in one of the questions above, but no one really has any idea. Any numbers you do hear are most likely inaccurate. WVU isn't going to let anyone in on where they are exactly financially, in terms of what they pay a starter, backup, or transfer. Now, agents, on the other hand, may be willing to give some of that info up, but it's hard to always take their word for it. Let's put it this way: it's probably much lower than you think. Yes, it's six figures, but very few of these guys are pushing seven figures, if any.

From @coalcountrywvu:

Q: After seeing the portal class we have thus far (there will likely be a few more additions), what's your initial ceiling/floor for West Virginia Football in 2026?

A: I'd like the dust to settle before I go in-depth with it, but I will leave you with this... they can be a 7-8 win team. Even once the portal madness slows down, we won't be able to get a good read on the situation until spring ball, which will be here before you know it.

From @wvuchris24:

Q: What happened to Jackson Fields? He seems to have fallen completely out of the rotation. I know Obioha is our key, but Thomas seems to be getting all the backup minutes now.

A: Great question. I think part of it is Jackson still getting up to speed on some things, whereas Thomas has more games under his belt (this season) and more reps in the system. I fully expect Fields to remain in the rotation. Morris Ugusuk, however... not sure the same can be said there.

From @DoubleDinWV:

Q: If Bray isn’t able to stay on the field, who is the leading candidate for receiver #1?

A: Man, that's a tough question. I don't know that there is a true bona fide No. 1, even if Bray is healthy. I believe it's going to be a lot of spreading the wealth, and maybe somewhere in there, someone emerges. On paper, that guy just doesn't exist right now. That's not to say he can't, though. Nor is it necessarily a bad thing.

From @wvuremfan:

Q: Is there a website where a casual fan can see how much a player makes in NIL? If so, can you provide a link?

A: There is not, unfortunately. Some media outlets will provide projections for what a player makes, but unless the agent lets those details out, no one has a clue. This is a big problem, in my opinion. If we are truly trying to model this thing like the NFL, there needs to be transparency.

From @EverlyDave:

Q: Who is the guy at the end of the bench who runs out to the corner of the court every big play? He acts like the bench is going to rush the court. Don’t ever remember seeing that before.

A: It might be strength and conditioning coach Jason Martinez, but not sure. I've never paid attention to it, honestly. I'll keep an eye out next game.

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.