West Virginia Mountaineers
· 2026-06-28
The West Virginia Mountaineers are set to kick off their 2026 season on September 5 against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers.
The team has undergone significant changes, with Rich Rodriguez bringing in new talent through the portal.
The backfield is now loaded, with Oklahoma transfer Michael Hawkins taking over the quarterback gig.
Cam Cook, a senior running back, is expected to be a star player, having led the nation in rushing last year with 1,659 yards and 16 touchdowns.
The offense has been overhauled, with a new system in place that should allow the quarterback to move and the running back to take over.
The offensive line needs to be sharper, particularly in pass protection, where they struggled last season.
The team is also looking to replace top receiver Cam Vaughn, who left for Miami, with new pickups Prince Strachan and DJ Epps.
The defense will be looking to hang on, with the offense going at warp speed, and will need to improve on their worst-in-the-Big-12 pass defense from last year.
The team's schedule analysis shows that they have a tough road ahead, but with the right pieces in place, they could make a push for the Big 12 title.
The Mountaineers were 4-1 when they had more than 350 yards of total offense last season, and 0-7 when they didn't, so the offense will be key to their success.
Rich Rodriguez has a proven track record, having taken the Mountaineers to within a game of the national championship in 2005, and then winning nine games in 2022.
The team's 2025 record was 4-8, but with the new talent and system in place, they are looking to improve on that this season.