Rodriguez Hints at West Virginia Adding Another Running Back to the Mix

One of the most important things this offseason for new West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez was to find a way to hold onto star running back Jahiem White.

Despite the head coaching change, the uncertainty of running backs coach Chad Scott's future, to Scott then leaving for the same position at Texas, White remained loyal to the program and university.

Rodriguez knows he has something special in the soon-to-be junior, but now has to find him some help.

“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," Rodriguez told the media over the weekend. "(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.”

Edwards is the most experienced and most proven back in the room aside from White, rushing for a total of 1,548 yards and 11 touchdowns on 266 carries over the last two seasons at Northern Illinois. He's the perfect change of pace back the Mountaineers need and someone who can handle more of the short-yardage/goal line situations, eliminating some of the big hits on White.

What Rodriguez is searching for is someone who can spell Jahiem during the length of the drive. Edwards is certainly capable of doing that and he will, but finding another smaller, shiftier back is what's needed. It could be Hubbard, LJ Turner, or Trae'von Dunbar, but if none of them assert themself as that guy, Rodriguez will go portaling.

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