wvnews
MORGANTOWN, W.Va.
As the start of football practice for the Mountaineers nears, coach Rich Rodriguez and his staff are looking for positive answers to the many questions that plagued the club in its 4-8 2025 season.
If the 26 version is going to improve from last year, it has to have quality answers to the biggest questions it faces this year.
Here are in my opinion the biggest questions facing West Virginia as it prepares for the second season of RichRod 2.0.
In memory of Casey Kasem, Ill count down these questions from six to one.
Links to previous WVU questions: 1.
Offensive line Normally, quarterback would be the biggest question for any team without a multi-year starter returning at that position.
But anyone who watched the Mountaineers in 2025 knows the biggest key to their overall offensive improvement in 26 begins up front.
Since his first stint at WVU (2001-07), Rich Rodriguezs offense has always been powered by a potent rushing attack, but injuries in the backfield and inconsistent play in the o-line didnt allow West Virginia to generate the kind of ground production a RichRod offense normally does.
The Mountaineers averaged just 160.6 rushing yards per game last year, which ranked 10th in the 16-team Big 12.
It was also the lowest rushing average by a WVU offense in 30 seasons, and it was the second-fewest a RichRod offense had ever averaged in his 19 years as a Division I head coach.
Only his first Michigan squad, which finished 3-9 in 2008, was worse with an average of 147.6 rushing yard per game.
After that, hes only had two other seasons where his offense even averaged fewer than 210 rushing yards per game 181 at Arizona in 2014 (when the 10-4 Wildcats passed for 282 yards per game) and 181 by his first WVU squad in 2001, which finished 3-8.
On the other end of the spectrum, two of his offenses rushed for more than 300 yards per game 303 by WVU in 2006 and 309 by Arizona in 2017.
It will take a heck of a leap by West Virginia's offense to approach an average of 300 rushing yards per game this year, especially since it had more contests with fewer than 100 rushing yards last season (four) than it had with more than 185 (three) in 25.
But for the Mountaineers to improve their record from 4-8 or their offense, which was 14th in the Big 12 in points per game at 21.8, they simply must improve their rushing attack ..
and that starts up front.
Admittedly, part of WVUs problems running the football consistently last year can be pinned on a backfield that was racked by injuries, but its offensive line also simply wasnt good enough, no matter who was running the football.
It also gave up the second-most sacks in the Big 12 (31), and its third-down conversion rate of 29.78% was the worst in the league.
West Virginia has brought in a number of new offensive linemen this year with the hope of improving each of those statistical weaknesses.
Just three offensive linemen who started games for WVU last year Nick Krahe (12), Landen Livingston (11) and Malik Agbo (1) return, and Josh Aisosa, who played in 12 games but started none, also is back this season.
To this group of returning o-linemen, the Mountaineers have brought in six true freshmen offensive linemen, highlighted by blue-chip recruit Kevin Brown, as well as five transfers from four-year colleges, where each had previously been starters, and one junior college transfer in Deshawn Woods (6-5, 307 lbs., Sr.).
The quintet of four-year transfers all figure to push for starting jobs and at least playing time this coming fall.
Each arrived at WVU in January, and all but Kansas State transfer Devin Vass (6-6, 306 lbs., Jr.), who missed most of the spring with an injury, were part of the Mountaineers two-deep throughout spring practice.
Krahe, who moved from left tackle to left guard, and Agbo, who was at right tackle, were the only two returnees consistently running with the first unit in the spring, though the prized freshman, Brown, figures to push Agbo for the starting right tackle spot.
Connecticut transfer Carsten Casady (6-6, 304 lbs., Jr.) made a strong impression at left tackle, and a pair of Jacksonville State transfers, Cam Griffin (6-2, 304 lbs., Sr.) and Bubba Grayson (6-1, 309 lbs., Jr.), typically were with the No.
1 group at center and right guard, respectively.
Wyoming transfer Wes King (6-3, 304 lbs., Sr.) can slot in at any of those interior line spots as well.
Since everyone in this group, other than talented true freshman Kevin Brown, has past starting experience at the college level, it would appear that offensive line coach Rich Trickett, who is back for his third stint on the Mountaineer coaching staff, has more talent and certainly more experience to work with this year than WVU did last season.
Now the question is, how will this o-line gel? Its obvious after watching West Virginias blocking struggles last year that improvement in that unit is vital for the Mountaineers in 2026 if they are going to take a step forward in year two of RichRod 2.0.