MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Some expected more from Rodney Gallagher during his freshman season, but there’s still plenty of time for him to make an impact as a Mountaineer. WVU wide receivers coach Bilal Marshall talked about where Gallagher stands as he enters his sophomore season and what he expects from the four-star recruit moving forward.
Marshall said Gallagher is still not where he would like him to be as a route runner, but covers up a lot of his mistakes through effort. He called Rodney a “ball player” and said he likes to watch him work.
While discussing how Gallagher has been progressing this offseason, Marshall also added that the high school star quarterback turned college wide receiver has put on 10 pounds of muscle since he last appeared in a game.
Around this time last year, WVU fans were buzzing about one of region’s top recruits signing on with West Virginia. But while members of Mountaineer Nation did enjoy watching a freshman make plays, that receiver was Traylon Ray, not Gallagher.
Marshall and head coach Neal Brown are not worried about Gallagher’s 2023 season, both making it clear they knew a learning curve is necessary for any player when changing positions. However, their expectations for Gallagher in 2024 are now different. Brown even went as far as to say he plans to use Gallagher more in the passing game this fall.
At the start of the spring practice session, Brown was asked about year two for Gallagher. Brown explained Gallagher has worked really hard this off-season and is a much better true receiver now than he was at any point last year. He expects him to be more involved in the offense beyond gadget plays etc moving forward.
Gallagher, a product of nearby Western Pennsylvania based Laurel Highlands High School, made 10 catches for 74 yards as a receiver and was also used on gadget plays. Head coach Neal Brown recently said he believes Gallagher can be star by gilding his body and gaining more experience at the position.
Watch Bilal Marshall’s full press conference below.
Click here to read WV Sports Now’s full position group preview for the wide receivers.
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