Three Silent Killers That Could Stall the Hype Around WVU Football in 2025

Originally posted on West Virginia Mountaineers on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 9:50 AM ET

Beating Pitt, getting to a bowl game, and winning a bowl game are three things that West Virginia fans want most in 2025. But what about the three things that absolutely can not happen? Let's discuss.

Lack of buy-in

It's one thing to say "hard edge," but it's another thing to truly live it out. It's an action phrase. Without taking it into action, it's useless. It may seem like a cooler term than "Trust the Climb," but at the end of the day, it has to be more than a phrase.

Over the last six years, there was nothing to trust, and the level of buy-in fluctuated from year to year. That can't happen here, and I have a pretty good feeling it won't. Rich Rodriguez is a no-nonsense coach. If you don't buy in, you might as well go ahead and take some of the NIL money you have and purchase one of those portable stadium seats from the concourse because you won't see the field.

This is a culture-setting year, and I know no one wants to hear that because that means the wins and losses aren't weighted as heavily. Yes, they still matter, but the most important thing in 2025 is to set the standard.

Being uncompetitive in losses

As previously mentioned, losing games is just going to happen with this team in 2025. Obviously, the fewer the better, but the bumps in the road are inevitable for a team with well over 70 newcomers. Even in the games WVU loses, they need to play competitively for four quarters. Captain Obvious, I know, but if you go 5-7 and have five or six one-score losses, you're going to feel much better about it than if they go 6-6 and get blown out in three games.

Keeping games close also creates belief. Yes, there will be a lot of players who will be out of eligibility after this season, but still, there's a nucleus that will be back, and plus, what you put on tape or on the scoreboard will be seen by recruits. They need to see that you're building toward something.

Young core not developing

Building off my previous point, the Mountaineers will have to hit the transfer portal pretty hard again in 2026, but not quite as much, thanks to having a full class of high school signees coming. There aren't a ton of proven underclassmen, but this is a group that Rodriguez and Co. are going to lean on moving forward, so they have to show some signs of being able to contribute or even start by next fall.

Guys like QB Nicco Marchiol, RB Diore Hubbard, WR Christian Hamilton, TE Ryan Ward, OL Josh Aisosa, OL Nick Krahe, OL Cooper Young, DL Nate Gabriel, DL Corey McIntyre Jr., LB Ashton Woods, CB Nick Taylor, S Israel Boyce, and S Zae Jennings are who I'm mainly talking about. If the majority of these guys make strides between now and December, it will be a nice boost of momentum heading into the spring. Of course, some of these guys may not see the field much this fall, but can still show improvement in practice.