MAILBAG: Scotty Fox's Future, New Hope, Portal Talk, Hoops Expectations + More

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

From @harriman21159:

Q: With the NIL situation we have for next year, if you were running the show, what are the top 3 positions you attack most heavily for 2026 in the portal? No-brainer here, but O-line has to be #1 on the list? Retention-wise, keep Vaughn and Jaheim with a few others?

A: You're spot on. You have to reload in the trenches. Defensively, they're losing several of their top players, so they're going to need some grown men in addition to Nate Gabriel and Corey McIntyre Jr. The secondary is going to have to be rebuilt as well, with how many seniors populate the corner and safety rooms. I'll even go one more here... wide receiver. I'm not entirely sure if Jaden Bray is able to come back or not. I haven't received a clear answer on that, but if he can't, you're going to need to go out and get someone who can strike fear into a defense to free up some attention from Vaughn. As far as retention is concerned... Vaughn, White, Curtis Jones Jr., and the two young quarterbacks. After that, I wouldn't say there are any absolute must-keeps.

From @coalcountrywvu:

Q: Was that a preview and what Scotty can do on a nightly basis, or a fluke game because we HAD to throw the football?

A: Great question. I don't think it was a fluke. He's fully capable of being a really good quarterback, but I do believe he took advantage of a really poor pass defense that ranked 110th nationally entering the game. He'll look like a freshman again at some point, and in all likelihood, it'll be this Saturday against a stingy Houston defense. We'll see a fair share of highs and lows, but that's typical for a young quarterback. In my opinion, he's got the highest ceiling of anyone in that room.

From @wvufan2023:

Q: With the showing that we saw tonight, how do you feel about the rest of the season and for the future?

A: The rest of the season, well, it doesn't really change much. The schedule is absolutely brutal aside from Colorado, so I'm not sure there are many winnable games out there, but from a competitive standpoint, they can close the gap and be in more games if the defense plays like it did and they can find a run game to help Scotty Fox out. The future is hard to gauge because this roster is going to look far and away different from what it is right now. They will overhaul many positions, so those who will make plays for this team in 2026 and beyond are on other teams right now. If they can fix the offensive line, Fox gives them a chance next fall.

From @JeffAStump1:

Q: What was the reasoning on the PI no no-call? How could the official signal TCU ball on the onside kick before he got to the pile?

A: To be honest, I thought it was DPI as well. Sometimes officials in that situation swallow the whistle because they don't want to be the reason why the game changes. I'm with you, though. I thought it certainly was. And as far as the onside kick, he probably saw TCU have a clear recovery and made it clear before it was ripped away at the bottom of the scrum. I honestly thought WVU had recovered it.

From @stonk_the:

Q: Can Scotty throw the ball further than 49 yards? Or at least throw it in front of Cam on a deep ball?

A: Yes, he can, but with the poor protection and the lack of separation this batch of receivers gets, it's hard to push it that far vertically. He did underthrow one to Vaughn that he caught, but the deep ball on 4th down was more on Vaughn than Fox. Everyone assumes Fox missed by a mile, but that's because he expected Vaughn to cross the defender's face, and if he did, he probably catches it and scores. Vaughn didn't see it the same and instead pushed more to the pylon.

From @realbeckbdb:

Q: Scotty Fox (assuming he doesn't have a seriously injured knee) should be our starter with a decent length leash going forward, but will a mostly inept offensive line kill his future?

A: That offensive line should worry everyone. The Jahiem White or Tye Edwards injuries weren't their fault, but it's a big reason why Nicco Marchiol, Jaylen Henderson, and Khalil Wilkins are all on the shelf. I could be completely wrong here, but I wouldn't be shocked if Rich Rod backed off some of the QB run game to play it safe with so few options available beyond him.

From @bobmadigan_wvu:

Q: Given how this season has gone, should we be ok/pleased the D didn't give up 40, and Scotty threw for 300 yards?

A: Absolutely. I walked away from that one encouraged. No one gets excited about moral victories, but it sure as hell beats seeing a 30-40-point blowout. They found some answers offensively, and the defense played a much more physical brand of football, showing they haven't bailed on the season. If that continues, that's a win in my book.

From @MrEd315:

Q: How hopeful are you of a successful WVU men’s hoop season?

A: I'm really torn, to be honest, Ed. If they live up to their potential, I think they can be a team that's on the bubble come March. They have more scoring options than last year, and with Ross Hodge at the helm, this team is going to defend at a respectable level. Can it be top half of the Big 12? If so, they'll fly right past preseason expectations. I have them on the wrong side of the bubble right now, but winning some of those key non-conference matchups vs. Ohio State, Pitt, Clemson, or Wake Forest will go a long way in boosting my confidence in this team.

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.