WVU football coach Rich Rodriguez implements scrimmages for season prep

West Virginia University football head coach Rich Rodriguez is managing a condensed training camp as the team prepares for its season opener against Coastal Carolina on September 5. Due to the upcoming start of the academic year, Rodriguez noted a sense of urgency to maximize practice time before players must balance football with their studies.

To compensate for the lack of preseason games, Rodriguez plans to implement scrimmages during Saturday practices to simulate game situations. The coaching staff is using these sessions to evaluate roster depth, particularly among a large group of 70 new players.

In the quarterback position, Scotty Fox Jr. and Michael Hawkins Jr. have emerged as leaders but may wear black tag jerseys during live drills to avoid injury. Additionally, Rodriguez highlighted intense competition within the secondary and noted the development of freshman quarterback Jyron Hughley, who is expected to receive scrimmage time as the team progresses through camp.