MAILBAG: Naming QB1, Under the Radar Players, TV Schedule, Eligibility Fight + More

Answering this week's questions from West Virginia fans.

WVU Athletics Communications, Imagn Images

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

From @WVUyapper:

Q: Is Rich Rod being too hard on players? And why not name a starting QB? The check has already been cashed; why not name Hawkins? Does that mean Scotty is a serious contender to start?

A: Rich is always like this. I actually think he's been more relaxed than usual in press conferences. He's always angry this time of year. But as far as the quarterback ordeal, I really don't know. To some degree, I understand he has no obligation to say anything, nor does it benefit him in any way, but what's it matter? Just to tick off the media? If so, that's pretty wild. You would think you would want more people talking about your quarterback/team. It's not like Virginia is going to be surprised when he starts against them in Week 3. It doesn't really bother me in particular, but I get why fans are agitated by it. As I've said since the spring, it's the worst-kept secret in Morgantown.

From @coalcountrywvu:

Q: Who’s the best team in College Football, and why is it West Virginia?

A: Haha, maybe one day soon. Let's start with having them aim to be the best in the Big 12. I like Oregon, Miami, and Notre Dame the most. All three are capable of winning it all, but each of them always seems to fall short.

From @TML25302:

Q: Other than eligibility, what is your biggest concern with the men’s basketball team?

A: I don't think it's a huge concern given who the coach is, but on-ball defense. Miles Sadler can be pesky on that end of the floor, but he's far from being elite defensively. Finley Bizjack is in the same vein as Honor Huff/Treysen Eaglestaff — guys who came to WVU as legit scorers, yet were known as liabilities on defense. Both Huff and Eaglestaff turned out to be alright on defense, and I would expect that to be the same with Bizjack. The youth and unfamiliarity with each other are other things that could impact them early on.

From @wvufan2023:

Q: With the ongoing court battles between players and the NCAA, do you think Lorient and Buchanan will still be on the team when it’s all said and done?

A: I do. That's just my gut feeling, as there's no way of getting inside a judge's mind. These cases in West Virginia have heavily favored the student-athletes, and I don't see why this one would be any different. Players all around the country who are in these true five-for-five situations are getting injunctions and TROs, so I'd be pretty shocked if that wasn't how it turned out for these two. That said, until it happens, fans have every right to be nervous.

From @Team_WV1:

Q: Where could we find a TV schedule for the games?

A: That will happen week to week throughout the season. Once game times and stations are set, we will have an article out with all of the information. It typically comes out every Sunday or Monday. So far, we have Coastal Carolina on TNT, UT Martin on ESPN+, Virginia on ACC Network (also ESPN+), and Utah on FOX.

From @CkNiTisLeGiT:

Q: If you had to pick one player on offense and one on defense who is sort of “under the radar,” who would they be? My picks are Taylor Brown & John Neider. Thanks!

A: Ah! You stole my thunder there with John Neider, haha! I think he's going to be a big piece of this offense — super reliable. I'll give you another, though. How about Josh Aisosa? They have been repping him at center some during camp and have given some left guard reps to Wes King. What does that mean for Nick Krahe? I don't know, but it's something to keep an eye on. It may just be getting those guys reps together if something happens, or they could be shuffling things up a bit. It could be something, it could be nothing. There's no telling. Defensively, I'll go with Jaire Rawlison. He may only be 5'9", but he packs a punch and plays much bigger than his size would indicate. I think you'll see him in the cornerback rotation and could play a bigger role than we all expect.

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 post on Facebook.