When Rich Rodriguez decided to return to West Virginia , he brought some of the former WVU greats with him on his staff. One of those greats was former star running back Noel Devine. Rodriguez brought Devine back to help coach the running backs.
On Monday, his 8th-grade son, Noel Jr., picked up an offer from Miami. A few hours later, he picked up an offer from Rich Rod and WVU. This is Noel Jr’s. second official offer he has received. Many pundits assume these are the first of many offers to come for Noel Jr.
Surreal moment my son Noel received his 2nd offer. From my alma mater, where I now coach and from the same coach who offered me coming out of high school Coach Rich Rod! Proud is a understatement. First 8th grader coach ever offered! https://t.co/FbujkCwdGG
— Noel Devine (@noel_devine7) September 8, 2025
Devine already has one of his sons on the Mountaineers roster, Andre, who was with Rich Rod in the 2024 season at Jacksonville State. He was a late transfer to Morgantown in mid-August. While it's exciting to hear that another Devine could find his way to WVU.
The bad news is that Noel Jr. is very young and not going to be in college anytime soon. Another aspect to consider is the fact that he was already offered by the Miami Hurricanes. If he is already drawing that type of attention. It’s fair to wonder if WVU would even be his front-runner spot by the time he is ready for college football.
Obviously, the friendship that Devine and Rodriguez have built over their time working together will play a factor in Noel Jr’s. future decision. If Devine is still helping coach the Mountaineer running backs by the time his 8th-grade son is ready to commit. If he is, it would give WVU a boost as they continue to try and compete in an ever-changing college football landscape.
Noel Jr. is a versatile middle school player who plays quarterback, wide receiver, and running back. He stands at 5'8", 136 lbs, and is already generating some buzz. WVU fans are going to be very curious to watch how Andre develops and if Noel Jr. ends up in Morgantown when the time is right.
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