Rich Rodriguez, head coach of the West Virginia University football team, said on Apr. 16 that he is taking a simpler approach to this year’s spring practices. Rodriguez explained that with a roster full of transfer portal additions, junior college transfers, and a large class of high school recruits, he wants to focus on evaluating players rather than implementing complex strategies.
This approach matters as it aims to give all players an equal chance to show their abilities and help coaches better assess the team’s strengths and weaknesses before the season begins. The simplified practice format is intended to make evaluations fairer and more accurate.
Rodriguez said he decided midway through spring practice to split the roster into two equal teams. “I think sometimes coaches will try to do too much,” he said earlier in the week. “They want to be the smartest guy in the room and have all of these fancy schemes and stuff like that to where it’s still just 11 guys.” He added: “We’re playing checkers not chess (right now). We’re not trying to think four moves ahead; we’re just trying to think the next move.” According to Rodriguez, this method has already helped his staff get better information about player performance during recent scrimmages.
The coach emphasized that his main goal is for his players to adopt core values associated with Mountaineer football—specifically toughness and consistent effort on every play. “We wanted them to have a certain edge,” Rodriguez said. “It’s contagious, if that makes sense, that once you become un-soft, you never want to go back… That’s what our football team needs to be. That’s what our state expects, every player on every play playing that way all the time.” He also noted there can be no instances where effort or toughness lapses without being addressed immediately.
Looking ahead, fans will have an opportunity this Saturday at Milan Puskar Stadium’s Gold-Blue Spring Festival scrimmage—followed by a free Jake Owen concert—to see new recruits in action under this simplified system. Rodriguez invited supporters by saying: “I’ve talked to a lot of fans and they say they are excited about coming up here… so if you are a Mountaineer fan and you can make it this Saturday, come on up here and check us out… And bring your whole family up and let’s have a great time.”
