The 5 Biggest ‘What If?’ Questions Facing WVU This Season

There are a million questions about this WVU football team, largely because of how many new faces populate the roster. The coaching staff feels good about certain spots and a little worried about others, but the truth of the matter is, no one has any idea as to how everything will shake out.

I've got five "what if" scenarios I want to break down. Three of them are player/position specific, while two are more geared toward the direction of the season.

What if QB Mike Hawkins Jr. is one of the best QBs in the Big 12?

I've heard so many good things about the Oklahoma transfer, and there's a belief within the building that Hwkins can absolutely be one of the best signal callers the Big 12 has to offer. And by that, I mean in 2026. I really don't know where this belief that there is a QB battle comes from. This is Hawkins' offense and has been for a while. Now, it comes down to how good he can be this fall?

If he lights it up and West Virginia wins 7+ games, you're going to see the Mountaineers attract more of the top-tier talent in the transfer portal next winter, as guys will see something special is being built. To me, this is more of a what-if about the future than it is the now. If Hawkins does what he's capable of, he accelerates WVU's rebuild.

What if Cam Cook gets hurt?

This, to me, is the biggest concern I have on the offensive side of the ball for West Virginia. There is a ton of talent in the Mountaineers' running back room, but it's all unproven. True freshman Amari Latimer is a stud, and his classmate, Chris Talley, has next-level speed; can they overachieve if this nightmare scenario happens?

Junior college transfer Martavious Boswell will be a part of that backup rotation and has flashed some promising things, but the same question exists for him as the true freshmen — can he step up in a big way if thrown into the fire with a larger workload? Hopefully for Rich Rodriguez's sake, Cook stays healthy, plays all 12 games, and is among the nation's leading rushers for the second straight year.

What if WVU can't find an answer opposite Chams Diagne?

Georgia State transfer Chams Diagne is locked in as a starter and is a guy who has earned the coaching staff's trust. Who starts on the opposite side is the big question. Nick Taylor looks to be the favorite to do so, while JUCO product Da'Mun Allen and Kent State transfer Jaire Rawlison will be looking to push for that spot, as well as one of the few returners, Keyshawn Robinson.

If none of those guys play well enough consistently, expect one of the top two nickel/sams, Geimere Latimer or Maliek Hawkins, to see more reps on the perimeter. Both have experience out there and can fill in if necessary.

What if WVU opens 4-0?

West Virginia University head coach Rich Rodriguez | Christopher Hall – West Virginia on SI

Could the Mountaineers really match their 2025 win total in the first month of the season? It's possible, especially with how the schedule sets up — two gimmes to open with Coastal Carolina and UT Martin, a neutral site game against Virginia, and then the Big 12 opener at home against Oklahoma State, which is still going to be figuring things out at this level with much of their roster making the jump from Group of Six football.

If this happens, you can expect WVU to either be ranked or receive votes in the AP Top 25 poll. I'm not sure it increases their chances to compete as a Big 12 contender, but it will put them in a position to potentially double last year's win total and get in a solid bowl game.

What if WVU goes 0-2 in the Arizona/Cincinnati homestand?

I don't see it happening, but if West Virginia goes 0-2 in this two-week homestand, it puts them behind the 8-ball in a big way. And by that, I mean they could miss out on a bowl game for the second straight year. They may already have a loss to Virginia and/or Oklahoma State at this point and still have games against Texas Tech, TCU, Houston, and Utah. The last thing Rodriguez can afford to have happen is to miss out on a bowl game and have donors questioning whether they should continue throwing money toward the football team heading into 2027.

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