MAILBAG: Rock Bottom, Roster Concerns, Coaching, 2026, Secret Scrimmage + More

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

From @VentDTP:

Q: Any info about the “secret” scrimmage that happened with Maryland, I heard we looked very good (I need something to hope for).

A: There's been a lot that has leaked out since the mailbag opened, which I'm sure you've seen. WVU won pretty comfortably with big performances from Honor Huff and Treysen Eaglestaff. I do know Maryland was without one of its top players, but regardless, the staff was pleased with what they saw. The one thing I keep hearing about this group is how well the ball moves. It doesn't stick very often, which is quite the contrast from last year.

From @Bigtomwv11:

Q: 1. Realistically how long will this take to just get competitive? 2. Is it concerning the athletic department releases about all the scholarships being added and Rich at podium next day basically saying need more money? Always says more money and Baker is robbing banks at this point.

A: One offseason. Now, don't mistake that for me saying being competitive for a Big 12 title. I'm just talking respectable football, which is what I believe you're searching for here. For your second question, no, not at all. He was asked directly how much above the cap they would need and didn't bring it up unprompted or go off on a tangent about it. That number is something Wren Baker and the administration have probably floated around in discussions with Rich, too. No one was surprised by his comment, I can assure you that.

From @lauderdaleer:

Q: 1. How can we keep Cam Vaughn satisfied when no one can throw him the ball?
2. Why haven’t we seen more of Nick Taylor?
3. When will the OL show improvement from playing every down?/Doesn’t the OL coach deserve heat?

A: Trust in the coaching staff. That's what you have to bank on. Other schools know he's talented but hasn't been able to truly put it on display, so I'm not sure how many will be trying to get him to enter the portal. As far as Nick Taylor, I'm honestly surprised he hasn't played as much either. I'll do some digging, but it could be the fact that the seniors are eating up the majority of the reps.

From @WVUoline:

Q: Will we ever actually have the lead in a game this year? I am not trying to be funny. This is a serious question.

A: Former Mountaineer Steve Earley! Welcome to the mailbag! A lead? Yeah, I could see that happening. Beyond something like 3-0, 7-0, or 7-3? Whew. Yeah, that might not happen.

From @JordanWVU07:

Q: I knew this year was going to be rough but hard to see a path forward with the current state of things. Some reasons for hope to give out? Some flips from Penn State commits might go a long way, but feel like this a wasted year.

A: You're spot on. It is a wasted year IF they can't find a handful of guys that can come back next season and start games for you. Obviously, we all knew there would be many holes to fill with many of the starters being seniors, but you hoped you'd have something promising from some of the youngsters and aside from Cam Vaughn, Curtis Jones and maybe Nick Taylor, it hasn't existed.

From @zakkburton2:

Q: It seems poor OL play is the root of all the teams issues, making it difficult to accurately assess anything else. What are the chances Jack Bicknell gets replaced?

A: Everyone not named Zac Alley is on a short leash and their short-term contracts prove it. I don't have any information at the moment as to what coaches could be replaced; we'll get a better feel for that a couple of days after the season. But if there isn't a great deal of improvement and Rodriguez doesn't feel comfortable with where things are heading, he'll make a change — the same can be said for any position.

From @Huddleston1138:

Q: Does this coaching staff have good enough recruiters to bring in the type of talent the program needs?

A: I think so. Recruiting is a multi-layered process. Identifying winning talent and paying them the right price is the tough part. Most of these coaches in college football know how to sell a program. The evaluation piece is the biggest concern, but I'm not putting much stock in last year's portal class because they had to cast such a wide net.

From @j_tennant:

Q: Do you think it’s possible that they will lose enough games to finally get the people (who only became fans after Rich started winning the first time) to leave the fanbase?

A: I'm not sure how many of those folks are out there. I think this fan base is pretty loyal, regardless of who is the head coach. There's obviously some strong feelings about Rodriguez being the guy from a segment of the fan base, but as we all know, winning brings everyone together.

From @TML25302:

Q: Is men’s basketball going to be good this year or is it just false hope at this point?

A: I wouldn't set your expectations too high. Keep in mind this is an entirely new roster and they'll go through some rough stretches, especially once they hit league play. I believe it'll be eerily similar to last year where they're right on the edge of the bubble come Selection Sunday.

From @CharleyPonzi:

Q: Is this program ever going to be relevant again in NIL era?

A: Yes. 100%. WVU will be in the top four or five in the Big 12 in terms of resources moving forward, so being able to attract and retain talent shouldn't be a problem. It all comes down to evaluation and development.

From @mwalters_68:

Q: Put players on the field who are FROM the state or regional area, who understand what it means to wear gold and blue. Maybe they suck, but at least they have PRIDE wearing the uniform. That is the least we should expect if we’re going 2-10. Are we recruiting the wrong players?

A: Rich would if he had more playable players from the state, but as you know, there's maybe only one or two each year who are capable of playing in the Big 12. Some years there may be three of four, but more often then not, you'll have to hammer in on Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, which you mentioned. Not recruiting the wrong players — most of these guys portaled in.

From @RyanHamrick21:

Q: Is he trying to copy Nehlen where we run 3 straight QB draws then punt?

A: I chuckled at this, I'm not going to lie. Haha. Yeah, that call sheet is pretty limited right now.

From @wvuchris24:

Q: How much is Rich Rod's buyout?

A: We can talk about that in a couple of years haha. That's not happening right now, even if they go 2-10.

From @daghaphmd:

Q: I have to ask, is the problem that our players are inadequate, which means that either Rich Rod didn’t have enough time to get the players he wanted, we didn’t have enough resources to get the players, or he’s not a good assessor of talent, or is the problem coaching?

A: I think it's pretty simple. They knew replacing 80-some players in year one would be a tough chore, so they were wise with the money they did spend in the portal, which is why they have a few million left which will roll over to this upcoming offseason. When you have so many additions, you spread your dollars thin. They also operated with a pretty bare portal by the time he was hired and got his staff in place. Not to mention, they had no idea what they actually needed... they just had to fill out the roster. Now they know where those needs lie and have evaluations of guys currently on the roster. But I will say, certain areas could be coaching.

From @ScottEl13805771:

Q: Do you think next year is any better?

A: Yes, 1000%. How much better? I don't have the answer for that. This is as bad as it gets. This is rock bottom. Worse results could happen in the final five games, but from a state of the program standpoint, it can't get much worse.

From @BigNeer55:

Q: How am I supposed to get to August of 2026?

A: Enjoy life. Talk to friends, family... spend quality time with them and hope basketball puts everyone in a much better mood. Sorry, but that's all I got.

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.