Rodriguez Has Higher Expectations for These Three WVU Wide Receivers

Right now, there are well over 70 players on the West Virginia football roster who are trying to learn a brand new system, style of coaching, and how to do things from a technical standpoint. The offense isn't going to be a well-oiled machine by the time the ball kicks off against Robert Morris on August 30th, but Rich Rodriguez can rely on a few familiar faces while everyone else gets caught up to speed.

Biletnikoff Award watch list member Cam Vaughn is the first guy you'll want to pay attention to. In his redshirt freshman season last year at Jacksonville State, he was the team's triple crown winner, leading the Gamecocks in receptions (48), receiving yards (803), and touchdown receptions (5).

“Cam’s an athletic guy. He was a high school quarterback. Had a pretty good year for us last year and still hasn’t come close to reaching his ceiling. One of the fastest guys we’ve got, and he can take hard coaching because we’ve been on him for a couple years. He had a pretty good day today," Rodriguez said on Wednesday.

Vaughn is projected to start at the X receiver spot while a pair of his teammates who also followed Rich Rod from Jax State, Jarod Bowie and Jordan McCants, are fighting for their spot in the rotation.

"And I told all three of those guys, the expectations for me or us are a little bit higher because they know the system and how the operation works, so they should take the next step in their development this year,” Rodriguez stated.

Bowie is in a battle with Rodney Gallagher III and Eastern Michigan transfer Oran "ManMan" Singleton Jr. at the slot, although all three will see the field. Rodriguez dubbed the group yesterday as maybe the best group of slots he's ever had.

Bowie, a native of Martinsburg, WV, spent time at West Virginia Wesleyan and Concord before transferring to Jax State. Last year, he caught 13 passes for 207 yards.

As for McCants (5'11", 178 lbs), he started to turn the corner last year, posting 15 receptions for 146 yards.

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