Rodriguez Faced With Roster Decisions As Spring Drills Wrap Up
March 25, 2025 05:30 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University football team resumed spring work on Tuesday and will have roughly another week and a half before coach Rich Rodriguez and his staff will be required to make some very difficult decisions.
As part of the House vs. NCAA settlement, roster sizes for FBS programs have been capped at 105 players, meaning an extra 20 potential scholarships beyond the prior 85 limit, but a reduced number of walk-ons as schools choose to prioritize funded rosters.
It is certainly more professional than amateur these days, something Rodriguez is still trying to get a handle on.
"We are definitely trending toward a pro model, but we don't have all the structures the NFL has, and in my opinion, that's what we need to have," he said after today's practice. "Let's copy them as much as we can and let's not pretend that they are college student-athletes. It's a different dynamic.
"I don't know how you can pay guys and not have them under contract," he stated. "It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. They are all on one-year deals. Saner minds will come and say, 'This is kind of crazy.'"
Rodriguez's immediate concern is getting players 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 and so forth properly evaluated.
On the flip side, he must also evaluate the dollar value of his top players before full revenue sharing is adopted on July 1.
That's one of the reasons why he is concluding spring practice a week early so he can devote enough time to this important process.
"We've got to give them an opportunity to show us what they can do while we're still teaching them our stuff," he said. "It's not going to be fun to reduce the roster to cut guys to make the 105. If they are already here, they should be able to stay here. Either way, we're going to have to do some of that, and it's not going to be fun."
Rodriguez indicated there will likely be a numerical formula to how many offensive linemen, defensive backs, running backs and wide receivers he keeps on the roster. That could fluctuate based on player versatility.
"If you are going to have 85 on scholarship and then 20 more, will be 16, 17, 18 offensive linemen? How many quarterbacks? How many running backs? I know 105 seems like a lot, but you might still need to have some guys who can maybe go both ways," he explained. "I think you will see a little bit more of that.
"There are probably guys on our team now, or guys we are going to recruit, who can maybe play defensive end and tight end, or linebacker and tight end," he continued. "Maybe they can play wideout or safety, so that's part of our evaluations for the (2026) guys, for sure."
Also lurking is the spring transfer portal period, which opens April 16 and closes April 25. That's basically college free agency.
Rodriguez has said numerous times he would prefer just one transfer portal period instead of two.
"At least then, you have an idea what your roster is," he explained. "I hope we don't lose too many of the guys that you want to have. I think every team is probably going to lose some. To this point, I don't see any of our guys acting like they are half out of here. To their credit, they've been really engaged."
There are some players performing for spots on this year's roster. There are others likely performing for other teams' rosters because not all of them are going to be here, and then there are those who are performing for revenue sharing dollars when those become available.
Therefore, there is a lot on the line for everybody involved.
"You can kind of coach them harder because they're getting paid," Rodriguez admitted. "They can earn success, not only in playing time, but also financially. If money is your sole factor for performing well, you're probably not going to be as good as you can be.
"I hope it's because you want to be the best at what you're doing and not just because you are getting a bigger payday. Do you love football and you are playing it because you love football? Or are you just playing it for the money? I would hope we don't have all guys who are just playing for the money. I would like to think that."
He continued.
"Guys that are going to play, have earned success and do well are going to be in a pretty good spot – probably a better spot than they've ever been – and that's the case across the country."
Rodriguez admits those players who are playing for big paydays are probably going to have to get it elsewhere.
"If it's solely about money, then we are probably not recruiting him because he's going to get bought somewhere else probably and probably won't fit here," he said.
"I want dudes who want to help us win, period. Every decision we make is based on, does it help us win?" he concluded.
New running backs coach Larry Porter and linebacker Reid Carrico also visited with media today.
West Virginia's on-field work will resume on Thursday and conclude on Saturday this week.
Rodriguez is scheduled for media visits after both practices, while special teams coordinator and defensive assistant Pat Kirkland will be made available on Thursday, and tight ends coach Michael Nysewander will follow Saturday's practice.
As part of the House vs. NCAA settlement, roster sizes for FBS programs have been capped at 105 players, meaning an extra 20 potential scholarships beyond the prior 85 limit, but a reduced number of walk-ons as schools choose to prioritize funded rosters.
It is certainly more professional than amateur these days, something Rodriguez is still trying to get a handle on.
"We are definitely trending toward a pro model, but we don't have all the structures the NFL has, and in my opinion, that's what we need to have," he said after today's practice. "Let's copy them as much as we can and let's not pretend that they are college student-athletes. It's a different dynamic.
"I don't know how you can pay guys and not have them under contract," he stated. "It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. They are all on one-year deals. Saner minds will come and say, 'This is kind of crazy.'"
Rodriguez's immediate concern is getting players 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 and so forth properly evaluated.
On the flip side, he must also evaluate the dollar value of his top players before full revenue sharing is adopted on July 1.
That's one of the reasons why he is concluding spring practice a week early so he can devote enough time to this important process.
"We've got to give them an opportunity to show us what they can do while we're still teaching them our stuff," he said. "It's not going to be fun to reduce the roster to cut guys to make the 105. If they are already here, they should be able to stay here. Either way, we're going to have to do some of that, and it's not going to be fun."
Rodriguez indicated there will likely be a numerical formula to how many offensive linemen, defensive backs, running backs and wide receivers he keeps on the roster. That could fluctuate based on player versatility.
"If you are going to have 85 on scholarship and then 20 more, will be 16, 17, 18 offensive linemen? How many quarterbacks? How many running backs? I know 105 seems like a lot, but you might still need to have some guys who can maybe go both ways," he explained. "I think you will see a little bit more of that.
"There are probably guys on our team now, or guys we are going to recruit, who can maybe play defensive end and tight end, or linebacker and tight end," he continued. "Maybe they can play wideout or safety, so that's part of our evaluations for the (2026) guys, for sure."
Also lurking is the spring transfer portal period, which opens April 16 and closes April 25. That's basically college free agency.
Rodriguez has said numerous times he would prefer just one transfer portal period instead of two.
"At least then, you have an idea what your roster is," he explained. "I hope we don't lose too many of the guys that you want to have. I think every team is probably going to lose some. To this point, I don't see any of our guys acting like they are half out of here. To their credit, they've been really engaged."
There are some players performing for spots on this year's roster. There are others likely performing for other teams' rosters because not all of them are going to be here, and then there are those who are performing for revenue sharing dollars when those become available.
Therefore, there is a lot on the line for everybody involved.
"You can kind of coach them harder because they're getting paid," Rodriguez admitted. "They can earn success, not only in playing time, but also financially. If money is your sole factor for performing well, you're probably not going to be as good as you can be.
"I hope it's because you want to be the best at what you're doing and not just because you are getting a bigger payday. Do you love football and you are playing it because you love football? Or are you just playing it for the money? I would hope we don't have all guys who are just playing for the money. I would like to think that."
He continued.
"Guys that are going to play, have earned success and do well are going to be in a pretty good spot – probably a better spot than they've ever been – and that's the case across the country."
Rodriguez admits those players who are playing for big paydays are probably going to have to get it elsewhere.
"If it's solely about money, then we are probably not recruiting him because he's going to get bought somewhere else probably and probably won't fit here," he said.
"I want dudes who want to help us win, period. Every decision we make is based on, does it help us win?" he concluded.
New running backs coach Larry Porter and linebacker Reid Carrico also visited with media today.
West Virginia's on-field work will resume on Thursday and conclude on Saturday this week.
Rodriguez is scheduled for media visits after both practices, while special teams coordinator and defensive assistant Pat Kirkland will be made available on Thursday, and tight ends coach Michael Nysewander will follow Saturday's practice.
Players Mentioned
LB
/ FootballRich Rodriguez | Dec. 3
Wednesday, December 03
Reid Carrico | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
Jeff Weimer | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
Rich Rodriguez | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
