Quick Hits: Evaluation of Running Backs, Secondary, & Centers

Rich Rodriguez gives another update on spring practice.
West Virginia University running back Diore Hubbard.
West Virginia University running back Diore Hubbard. | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez met with the media over the weekend to discuss the team's first padded practice and provide an update on the progression of a couple areas of the roster.

First day in pads

“First day in pads. Some good, some bad. You can teach a lot more and learn a lot more when you go through pads. We only went 10 or 15 minutes live, but a lot of good evaluation coming out of it. I saw some pretty good moments where we looked like we were competitive, playing with an edge. And then I saw too many periods of softness and we’ll have to get that fixed.”

Early thoughts on the RB room

“Jahiem, we know is a proven guy, and I think he’s going to have a great year. He’s got a great skill set and for what we do too. (Diore) Hubbard is going to be a good player. We got a big guy, Tye Edwards. I like to have three guys that I know are ready to roll. I think there’s some talent there, but we may need to bring another guy in as well.”

How many guys he needs at center

“I think there’s four or five that are getting snaps. You always got to rep that many. You can never have too many centers, too many guys that can snap.”

How the secondary is coming along

“The secondary play (last year) was not good. But the guys that are coming back, hopefully they’ll get better and that’s our jobs as coaches. And then the guys we brought in, I think definitely bring us some competition. The competition is pretty good right there. Do we have a solid eight or nine right there? I couldn’t tell you that, but I couldn’t tell you that at any position.”

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Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Schuyler Callihan is the publisher of West Virginia On SI and has been a trusted source covering the Mountaineers since 2016. He is the host of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru Game Day Show, and In the Gun Podcast. The Wheeling, WV native moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2020 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.

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