WVU Football

West Virginia football head coach Rich Rodriguez has banned his players from dancing in TikTok videos, as noted by the Associated Press.

“They’re going to be on it, so I’m not banning them from it,” Rodriguez said on Monday. “I’m just banning them from dancing on it. It’s like, look, we try to have a hard edge or whatever, and you’re in there in your tights dancing on TikTok ain’t quite the image of our program that I want.”

Maybe so, but dancing on TikTok hasn't stopped some of the game's best players from dominating every Saturday.

Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter didn't let dancing in bear and eagle onesies on TikTok stop him from dominating on offense (96 catches, 1,258 yards, 16 total touchdowns) and defense (four interceptions, 35 tackles).

When he wasn't dancing on TikTok, ex-Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty was dancing into the end zone 30 times to go along with 2,739 yards from scrimmage.

Maybe Rodriguez is on to something, though. Ohio State football players used to perform pregame dances, which appeared on TikTok, but they went by the wayside this year. The Buckeyes, of course, won the national championship.

That may have had more to do with the Buckeyes getting red-hot in the College Football Playoffs thanks to the exploits of Jeremiah Smith, Jack Sawyer, Will Howard and company.

Regardless, it's clear Rodriguez wants the focus on football. He's fine with TikTok dancing if current Mountaineers want to do it in 20 years, though.

"I'm allowed to do that. I can have rules," he said. "Twenty years from now, if they want to be sitting in their pajamas in the basement eating Cheetos and watching TikTok or whatever the hell, they can go at it, smoking cannabis, whatever. Knock yourself out."

Rodriguez is beginning the first year of his second stint in town after coaching WVU from 2001 to 2007. His Mountaineers did a lot of winning when Facebook was the predominant social media site on the block among the youth, with his team going 32-5 from 2005 to 2007.

Nowadays, Rodriguez is wiping TikTok dancing out from being a potential distraction that he didn't have to deal with in the mid-2000s.

"I hope our focus can be on winning football games. How about let's win the football game and not worry about winning the TikTok?"

So while the Mountaineers won't score victories in the TikTok dancing department, they'll hope to get in the win column right away when they host Robert Morris to start the 2025 season on Aug. 30.

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 203

HAND: 8"

ARM: 32"

WINGSPAN: 76"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.50

SHUTTLE: 4.30

VERTICAL: 36.5"

BROAD: 10'5"

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POSITIVES

— Very good length and size with filled out thicker frame. Uses his size and physicality to his advantage when taking on blocks and holds up well against bigger receivers and tight ends.

— Aggressive when contesting through the catch point. Shows good timing and the ability to stay calm with his back to the ball.

— Flashes very good footwork and the ability to sink his hips to transition.

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NEGATIVES

— Lacks the desired movement skills to be an elite cornerback. Often plays with a high pad level, which affects his movement out of breaks. Limited top end speed, allowing receivers to separate downfield.

— Doesn't show ball hawking tendencies. Inconsistent eye discipline in zone coverage. He rallies late to threats in his area.

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2024 STATISTICS

— 13 Games, 46 Tackles, 1 TFL, 6 PBU, 1 FR

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NOTES

— Games Started: 30

— 3-Star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— 2024 Transfer from Northwestern

— Shrine Bowl Invite

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OVERALL

Garnett Hollis Jr. is a long and physical cornerback from West Virginia, boasting a 6'0", 203-pound frame that provides the ideal size to contend with bigger receivers and tight ends at the NFL level. A former Northwestern transfer, Hollis uses his length and physicality effectively but is limited by movement inefficiencies that impact his ability to consistently cover faster and more agile receivers.

In coverage, Hollis thrives when he can leverage his length and physicality, particularly at the catch point. He does a good job of timing his disruptions and remaining calm with his back to the ball. However, his high pad level and slower change-of-direction skills hinder his ability to stick with receivers on shorter routes, and his limited top-end speed leaves him vulnerable to separation on deeper routes. Hollis flashes solid footwork and the ability to sink his hips for transitions, but these traits are inconsistent, especially when defending quicker, more explosive receivers. In zone coverage, his eye discipline can waver, leading to late reactions to threats in his area. While he competes well, Hollis lacks natural ball-hawking instincts and has not shown a tendency to generate turnovers.

Hollis is an aggressive and physical presence in the run game. His size and strength allow him to take on blocks effectively, and he holds his ground well against bigger opponents on the edge. While his block destruction skills are above average, his tackling can be inconsistent. This is often due to his limited movement skills, which make it difficult for him to adjust quickly to ball-carriers. Hollis' aggression sometimes leads to missed tackles as he over-commits or comes in too high.

Garnett Hollis Jr. projects as a developmental prospect who will likely find his role as a physical outside cornerback in zone-heavy schemes. His size, length, and aggression make him an asset against bigger-bodied receivers and in run support, but his movement limitations and inconsistent tackling could cap his ceiling as a backup or rotational player. Hollis will need to refine his technique and improve his consistency to carve out a role at the next level.

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GRADE: 6.2 (Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 202

POSITION RANK: CB23

PRO COMPARISON: Michael Ojemudia

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

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Prospect workout numbers, measurables (40-yard dash, hand size, etc.) and 2024 statistics will be added at a later date.

HEIGHT: 6'6"

WEIGHT: 317

HAND: 10¼"

ARM: 32⅛"

WINGSPAN: 79½"

40-YARD DASH: 5.27

3-CONE: NA

SHUTTLE: 4.69

VERTICAL: 30"

BROAD: 9'0"

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POSITIVES

— Heavy hands to deliver jolt on contact, displace and steer defenders away from the ball

— Solid athletic ability, burst and angles on climbs and pulls to line up his target

— Does a nice job locating the hip/ribs as the drive man on doubles to bump, feed and secure the first level before releasing to the second

— Excels on play-action with a tight, stiff punch to gain quick control, clench and end reps quickly

— Active, effective catch hand in pass protection helps to slow down inside counters

— Good play strength in his anchor to timely halt and sit down on power

— Mixes up his sets and hands to disrupt the timing of rushers

— Plays with good spacing, timing and recognition to sort and handle basic line games and stunts

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NEGATIVES

— Upright playing style with some lower-half stiffness

— Middling lateral quickness and redirect skills leads to quick access to his edges

— Will dip his head, lean and be tardy cutting off moves across his face

— Erratic and inconsistent in pass protection at guard during Senior Bowl practices.

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NOTES

— Born Dec. 27, 2001

— 4-star recruit from the 2021 class, per 247Sports

— No. 1 ranked tackle recruit in West Virginia

— Zero sacks allowed during the 2023 season

— 43 career starts split between left (35) and right (eight) tackle

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OVERALL

Wyatt Milum is a four-year starter at tackle inside West Virginia's run-heavy (60-40 run-pass split) multiple-run scheme. Milum has a long torso, below-average arm length, and a well-rounded build with solid athletic ability and good play strength.

Milum is an experienced and skilled run blocker who excels at fitting and covering up defenders on angle-drive and down blocks with very good grip strength to clench and sustain once latched. He also locates the hip/ribs of defenders as the drive-man on double-teams to jolt and feed them over. Milum shows good timing and solid burst on climbs to line up backers and work inside-out on targets as a puller to secure lanes off of his backside. He runs into issues against spiking/slanting defenders across his face, where he will get caught leaning and be late to redirect and cut off penetration. He will also step under himself on the backside of outside zone cut-offs, leaving him a tick behind the target.

In pass protection, Milum has a stiff, jarring punch with tight hand placement to gain access to the frame of rushers, especially on play-action jump sets where he routinely ends the rep quickly near the line of scrimmage. Milum handles the bull rush well due to a quick, firm anchor, and he shows good processing skills to sort and handle lines, games, and stunts. On true dropback reps, he does a nice job of mixing up his pass sets and strikes to bait and disrupt the timing of rushers, but his upright playing style leaves his balance shaky against adept counter moves, causing him to either get caught flat-footed or straight-legged, leaving him tardy to redirect.

Overall, Milum is an experienced, skilled run blocker with good play strength and powerful hands to displace and sustain blocks. He excels in pass protection on jump sets with a stout anchor to end reps quickly once latched. His upright playing style, sawed-off build, and mediocre lateral quickness lead to getting caught flat-footed and overextended when being set up by rushers capping his ceiling on true drop-back passes against high-end rushers.

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GRADE: 7.1 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter — 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 100

POSITION RANK: IOL11

PRO COMPARISON: Austin Corbett

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

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Prospect workout numbers, measurables (40-yard dash, hand size, etc.) and 2024 statistics will be added at a later date.

Milan Puskar Stadium has not been blessed with great weather during the 2024 collegiate football season.

The West Virginia-Kansas Game was suspended with just under 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter due to a lightning strike in close proximity to the stadium.

A lightning strike is shown in the distance above Mountaineer Field in Morgantown during the game between Kansas and West Virginia on Saturday. The game is currently in a lightning delay. (Photo by me) pic.twitter.com/yEMJgtzhWq

— John Raby (@jrabyap) September 21, 2024

The fans at the game were advised to seek shelter in the concourse, restrooms and even their vehicles or the Mountaineer's nearby practice facility.

This is not the first time West Virginia has dealt with a weather issue during the 2024 season as the opener against Penn State featured a two-hour lightning delay. West Virginia would lose that matchup 34-12.

The initial lightning was eventually joined by significant rainfall, with an end to the delay not appearing close.

Weather update at Milan Puskar Stadium:

It’s raining HARD! #WVU x @GoldAndBlueNtn pic.twitter.com/3xOma63G8S

— Ryan Decker (@RyanDecker_) September 21, 2024

Kansas led West Virginia 21-17 when the delay began. Both teams entered with 1-2 records and are looking to start conference play on a high note.

West Virginia University revealed a helmet decal the football team will wear Saturday in honor of legendary basketball player Jerry West.

The decal, which is located on the back of the Mountaineers' helmets, features West's name and his iconic No. 44 jersey number:

It's our honor to wear 4⃣4⃣ pic.twitter.com/Bk5r37T0T6

— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) August 31, 2024

West, who was born in West Virginia and played collegiately at WVU before enjoying a Hall of Fame career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA, died in June at the age of 86.

Known to some by the nickname Zeke from Cabin Creek due to a creek located near his hometown of Chelyan, West Virginia, West led the Mountaineers to the most successful season in the history of the basketball program in 1958-59.

West helped take WVU to the National Championship Game, and he was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

The Lakers then selected West No. 2 overall in the 1960 NBA draft, and he would go on to spend his entire 14-year NBA career with the franchise.

West was a 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, one-time scoring champion, one-time NBA champion and one-time NBA Finals MVP. He was also chosen as the silhouette featured in the NBA logo, resulting in the apropos nickname of The Logo.

He was arguably even more successful as an executive after his playing career ended, winning eight championships in front office roles with the Lakers and Golden State Warriors.

One of the most beloved figures in basketball history, West is a member of both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the College Basketball Hall of Fame, and his No. 44 was retired by both the Lakers and West Virginia University.

With a 9-4 record in 2023, the West Virginia football team had its best record since going 10-3 in 2016.

There is plenty of hype surrounding the program entering the 2024 campaign as a result, but getting off to a strong start won't be easy.

The Mountaineers are hosting No. 8 Penn State on Saturday in one of the biggest games on the college football Week 1 slate.

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 221

HAND: 9⅜"

ARM: 33½"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.38

3-CONE: 6.97

SHUTTLE: 4.15

VERTICAL: 41"

BROAD: 129"

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POSITIVES

— Excellent build. Tall, thick frame with plenty of muscle.

— Great speed. Can threaten the full vertical route tree at a high level.

— Good play strength. Seldom bullied into the sideline or at the catch point.

— Above-average ball location and flexibility to find the ball. Plays with hands away from frame comfortably.

— Above-average YAC skills. Strong, fast, explosive.

— Great blocker. Plays with good strength and a physical demeanor.

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NEGATIVES

— Below-average route-running skills. Explosiveness in and out of breaks is lacking; not a crafty route-runner.

— Almost exclusively played on the left side of the formation and ran a limited route tree.

— Needs to be faster beating press. Stops his feet and loses momentum.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 G, 62 REC, 675 YDS (10.9 AVG), 7 TD

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NOTES

— 3-star recruit in 2018, per 247Sports' composite list

— 32 career starts

— 2022 second-team All-Big 12

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OVERALL

Bryce Ford-Wheaton is a height-weight-speed prototype with the ball skills and blocking demeanor to blossom into a legit starter.

His receiving game centers around his size and athleticism combination. At 6'4" and 221 pounds, Ford-Wheaton towers over most of his opponents. His 4.38-second 40-yard dash speed also shows up on film, particularly when he gets to take off on go balls and post routes, as well as threaten vertically on comeback routes and dig routes.

On top of that, Ford-Wheaton has enticing ball skills. He's adept at locating the ball quickly, contorting his body to get into a comfortable position and plucking the ball from the air at its earliest point with his arms extended. He can be a quarterback's best friend in that sense.

Ford-Wheaton is a problem with the ball in his hands too. He isn't the shiftiest player out there, but his blend of size, strength and raw speed is enough to threaten explosive plays.

He also adds value as a blocker. His massive frame allows him to swallow defensive backs whole, often showing the ability to drive them out of the play entirely. His strength and relentless demeanor will be welcomed by NFL coaches.

The catch is he's a raw route-runner. West Virginia almost exclusively lined up Ford-Wheaton on the left side of the formation and limited his route tree to go routes, comebacks, digs, posts and slants.

He mostly ran a vertical route tree and little else. Even on those routes, Ford-Wheaton showed minimal nuance in getting in and out of his breaks, and he sometimes struggled to sink and explode out of breaks to create space.

Additionally, his press technique is lacking. He too often stops his feet and loses momentum, disrupting the timing of the play. He has the tools to fix all these problems, but it will take time.

Ford-Wheaton is a developmental project worth taking a swing on. From a size and athletic standpoint, he has everything you could ask for. His ball skills and blocking chops also give him a solid foundation to work with while he irons out the inconsistencies and middling route-running skills that plague his game.

He fits best as a standard X receiver in a vertical offense, a la DK Metcalf or DJ Chark.

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GRADE: 6.8 (Potential Role Player/Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 113

POSITION RANK: WR16

PRO COMPARISON: Discount DK Metcalf

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

Former NFL punter Pat McAfee, who has carved out a niche for himself as a star in the podcasting world and in professional wrestling as a WWE announcer, recently discussed the aftermath of West Virginia's loss to Pittsburgh in the 2007 Backyard Brawl.

In an interview with Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated, McAfee talked about having suicidal thoughts after missing two field goals for WVU in a 13-9 loss to Pitt in the final regular-season game of the 2007 season.

"I didn’t know if I wanted to live anymore," McAfee said. "My life changed immediately that day. It was a terrible f------ night, to be honest with you. It was like something out of a movie. I just drove. I got all the way to Virginia through Maryland. I was gone for a couple days. I drove, parked, slept and kept driving. I didn’t know where I was. I didn’t know where I was headed. I didn’t know what was coming next."

McAfee also noted angry fans vandalized his car, destroyed his yard and made death threats against him.

The Mountaineers entered the Backyard Brawl with a 10-1 record, ranked No. 2 in the BCS standings and likely would have played for the national title with a win over their rival. They scored at least 28 points in each of their 10 victories up to that point.

Pitt was 4-7 and coming off back-to-back losses to Rutgers and South Florida.

McAfee missed two field-goal attempts from 20 and 32 yards in the first half. He did make his only extra-point attempt after backup quarterback Jarrett Brown's six-yard touchdown run gave West Virginia a 7-0 lead late in the second quarter.

Pittsburgh got 13 points in the second half to earn a 13-9 upset win. The Mountaineers fell to ninth in the final BCS standings, but they were able to salvage the season with an impressive 48-28 victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.

McAfee finished his career at West Virginia in 2008, was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 2009 and had a successful eight-year NFL career as a punter. He was named to the Pro Bowl twice and All-Pro first team in 2014.

The Backyard Brawl is being revived this year for the first time since 2011. The Panthers will host West Virginia at Acrisure Stadium on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

If you or someone you know is in immediate crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 for 24/7 access to a trained counselor. You can also contact the Crisis Text Line by texting "HOME" to 741741. For more information about ongoing support and mental health resources, contact the HelpLine at the National Alliance on Mental Illness by calling 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or emailing info@nami.org.