MAILBAG: Portal Issues, QB1, NIL, Best Conference Fit, Penn State Decommits + More

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

From @v55_dub:

Q: What type of donor money and money tier in general does WVU have to get to in order to bring in higher quality of recruits? Hodge seems to be doing it, and I only expect Rich Rod and his staff to be able to do so as well.

A: I'd say you would want to be in the top half of the league to stand a chance. I know that sounds like a low bar, but that at least puts you in a position to compete and possibly overachieve. My guess is once WVU gets all its ducks in a row, they'll be in the top four or five in the Big 12. How much money is it going to take? I have no idea.

From @wi_thompson:

Q: With the week off, I think most of us will expect to see an improved team this week and a win. What will be something to look at against UCF to feel good that we are improving besides a win? A lot of things to consider, D, RB, QB play, or interior line play.

A: I hate to be that guy, but I think you can't have this conversation without discussing the quarterback spot. If Khalil Wilkins comes out and looks the part, plays a clean game, and gives you some explosive plays, you might have something there with him. If not, it's not necessarily the end of the line for him, but it'll make for a true competition down the stretch. That is assuming he gets the start, of course. The o-line is and has been a problem all year, and I don't know that it can be fixed until the offseason, to tell you the truth. Defensively, it's about not giving up the explosive plays. They gave up six in the passing game two weeks ago to BYU. They're going to happen. There's never been a defense in the history of the sport that went several weeks without giving up a few. You just have to cut the number down to maybe two or three at most.

From @JordanWVU07:

Q: How serious was the Andy K interest from the WVU side? Seems like that would have been an awful hire with how bad PSU's offense has been this season.

A: He was a candidate. They talked. I'm not sure that there was ever an official offer on the table, though. There could have been, but I was never told anything that suggests there was. I don't think it would have been a bad hire, though, to be honest. Yes, Penn State's offense is in a rut, but he's had success all throughout his career and was the one who really groomed Jalon Daniels into what he is today, along with that Kansas offense. He'll be a head coach one day, and in my opinion, a solid one.

From @MtneerShaw:

Q: Can WVU mirror the success of Indiana? How did Cignetti do it so quickly? And the difference as to why most people think Rich Rod will struggle next year, while Indiana continues to roll?

A: I actually talked about this on Between The Eers yesterday for a good 15-20 minutes or so. I'd encourage you to check it out. For the second part of your question, I do believe there will still be some struggles next year, but it's going to be night and day from the product you're seeing on the field this season. There will still be 40-50 new players coming into the program, and there's still uncertainty (for now) along the offensive line and at quarterback. Until those two areas get solved, that's plenty of reason for folks to feel uneasy.

From @MrEd315:

Q: Your knowledge, do WVU players get paid during their respective seasons or each month during the school year? Or might it differ for NIL and university monies?

A: Great question, Ed! NIL and university pay are structured differently. Many NIL deals are done in one transaction and typically before the season, but not all. Some are monthly, depending on how the business wants to set it up. Any money they receive from the school, I believe, is a monthly stipend, but I'm not 100% clear on that. I'll look into it.

From @VentDTP:

Q: What sport do you think benefited the most from the increase in scholarships?

A: Ooh, that's tough to pick just one because I think you could make an argument for just about any of them. I'll go with baseball, though. Men's and women's soccer are in a really good spot, and the women, in particular, have been nationally competitive for a really long time. Baseball has had an enormous amount of success in the last ten years or so, but has really turned the corner in these last two to three years. For them to remain atop the Big 12 and take the next step, they needed this boost in scholarships. They went from 11.7 to roughly 28. That's huge.

From @ScottEl13805771:

Q: Who’s the best option at quarterback?

A: Can I get three guesses? Haha. Instead of taking the long-term view here, I'll narrow it down to just this week versus UCF. I think it makes all the sense in the world to start Khalil Wilkins again. He played pretty well in a tough environment on the road, on a short week, and now, he's had two weeks to build on that and correct his mistakes. A case could be made for Scotty Fox, too.

From @Vensel__:

Q: Would we be better off in another conference?

A: People aren't going to like this answer because it lacks regionality, but no. The Big 12 is a perfect fit for WVU if we remove the geography piece. The Big Ten and SEC are never going to come calling, but that's probably a good thing. Sure, the TV money would be great, but it would be almost impossible to field/court a good team on a yearly basis. The ACC is a dying league, and while it would be nice to see some old "friends," it would be a step down, and the TV money isn't great. The Big 12 has a respectable TV deal and is wide-open every year in football and basketball.

From @bobmadigan_wvu:

Q: Outside wins, what would be the goals of the rest of the season? Identifying the QB of the future, better o-line play, and better coaching would be a few examples.

A: You hit the nail right on the head. Finding the QB or at least seeing some positive things out of the two youngsters would give you confidence heading into the offseason that one of them will eventually emerge as the guy. On the o-line, you're hoping one more player with eligibility beyond this season steps up and shows he can start, alongside Nick Krahe and Landen Livingston. Defensively, you're searching for the same thing — players who can come back to step up and contribute. That defense has seniors littered all over it.

From @Jeremia62776484:

Q: Was the portal really so empty by the time RR was hired that he was left with a subpar-talented roster, or did he just swing and miss on his portal class?

A: It wasn't empty necessarily, but by the time he was hired and got his staff in place, they were behind the 8-ball, for sure. There were some swings and misses for sure, but when you bring in that many transfers, it's very unlikely you're going to have a high hit rate. Personally, I believe they were just trying to field a roster by getting a bunch of seniors who have something to prove and then took a flier on guys with multiple years of eligibility, who may not be ready now, but are guys they hope they can develop into something. This offseason, the hit rate should improve, although you're still talking about a pretty large transfer class.

From @baNarDeaux4real:

Q: HOW MANY OF THE PENN STATE DECOMMITS WILL WE BE GETTING????

A: Great question. I think they'll be in on a couple for sure. I'm not sure I could identify one in particular they would pursue when it comes to the 2026 class, but the moment I hear something, I'll report it. However, I would keep an eye on some of the current players who could hit the transfer portal. Pass rusher Daniel Jennings is a Princeton native, and safety Braswell Thomas is very familiar with WVU, but not with this coaching staff. They could stay, but if they hit the portal, I'd expect WVU to reach out.

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.