Photo by: Raquel Rodriguez/Mountaineer Football
Fall Training Camp Notebook
August 11, 2026 01:19 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Last year around this time of fall training camp, Rich Rodriguez told the story of his distaste for pulling weeds in the family garden when he was a youngster growing up in Grant Town.
One of the reasons he said he became so enamored with sports was because of his dislike of the chore. But the message he was getting across that afternoon was that sometimes the tedious and mundane things in life are also the most necessary.
For the beans to grow properly in the garden, the weeds must be pulled.
Late last week, following a so-so Friday morning practice, Rodriguez revealed another of his personal hangups – garbage. Specifically, the sight of garbage on the floor in the locker room or within the team complex.
"I got mad because I don't like for there to be once piece of trash anywhere in our building," he mentioned. "And if it's in the locker room or this room (team room) or something like that, it shouldn't happen. It bothers me.
"I know I'm going off on a tangent, but it bothers me that people think it's acceptable to just put their trash down," he continued. "If you (media members) have something to drink here and leave, take your cups with you – and you guys do that; you're respectful.
"Our players should understand the same thing," he said. "There should never be trash on the floor - not one piece of trash on the floor in the locker room during practice. If I were to go in the locker room while they are getting ready for practice, there is to be nothing on the floor in case somebody wants to come in to sweep it or clean it, they don't have to pick up somebody's tennis shoes … nothing. Nothing."
When the team makes its first road trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, to play Virginia in Bank America Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19, Rodriguez's expectation is to leave the place as immaculate as it was before they arrived.
"When we go on the road for a road game, and they're nice enough to give us a locker room to change in, when we leave that locker room after the game, win or lose, there is nothing on the floor," he said. "It is clean or cleaner than when we walked in there. That's just the way you are supposed to do it. That's just our deal.
"So, if we're going to do that on the road, we're sure as heck going to do that at home," he said. "There was a little bit (of stuff) on our locker room floor when we started practice, so that just set me off in the wrong way."
Again, the message is simple - have pride in your surroundings. How your place looks is a reflection of you and those around you. And more importantly, it doesn't take great personal wealth or good fortune to be neat and clean.
Briefly:
* Rodriguez was asked about the significant number of junior college players added to the roster last winter, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Four Hutchinson Community College teammates – KJ Henson, Darius Wiley, Da'Mun Allen and Rayshawn Reynolds Jr. – were brought in during the last cycle.
In all, there were seven junior college players added on defense and four on offense.
"I don't want to say JCs are getting overlooked, per se, but I do think with the transfer portal where it is, there are more portal guys being taken than JC guys, and there has always been good football players in the junior college ranks," the coach mentioned. "And I think some of them are getting overlooked now because schools are getting veterans out of the portal, as opposed to junior college players.
"I've said this before, I don't care if they are from high school, from another school in the portal or if they are junior college guys, let's just find the best players we can find," he said. "If they have multiple years left, that brings more value."
Rodriguez said the junior college players they added have at least two years of eligibility left, and some have three.
"We're going to continue to recruit the junior college guys, and there are some good ones out there," he said.
That was part of the formula Kansas State once used to build its program under Bill Snyder.
* On Monday, the coach brought up the topic of booing players in today's college game. In the past, it was considered taboo to boo college players, but with the compensation aspect now such a big part of the game, he admits views on how fans react must be reconsidered by coaches.
"In the NFL, you can boo those guys because those guys are getting a lot of money. You pay for your ticket, so you have every right to boo 'em," he said. "Well, now we aren't going to get upset if you boo a college player because they're getting paid. They've got to take the pro approach and understand if you're not playing well, and the fans are paying good money to come to the games, and they boo you that's part of the deal."
In the past, his opinion was that they are just college players so give them a break.
"Now, I can't say that," he admitted.
Once the subject was broached, Rodriguez was asked if he ever booed anyone as a fan.
"I've booed myself before," he answered. "I was like, 'That was a terrible call. What the hell was I thinking?' I've been in games when we've gotten booed and understood it. In society today, they are probably more likely to express their feelings, but I've never booed because I know what goes into it.
"I don't think any coach is intentionally making a bad call, or no player is intentionally making a bad play," he said. "And I guess you've got to throw officials in there, too. Have I ever booed an official? No. Have I ever gotten a 15-yard penalty? Never, in 29 years as a head coach. Now, I've deserved a few and I don't know how the heck I got out of them. I guess in football when you're screaming and yelling, they can't hear your, or they just ignore you.
"I've been ignored a lot in 29 years."
* Rodriguez said more special teams work is being incorporated during each practice as the team gets deeper into fall training camp. Monday's practice concluded with some kickoff coverage, including the entire coaching staff lining up and covering the final kickoff to wrap up work.
Rodriguez was among those who took off down the field to cover the kick.
The coach listed DJ Epps, Armoni Weaver-Bomar, Cyrus Traugh and Matt Sieg among the candidates for kickoff and punt return.
"That's the hardest thing to figure out because I don't know if I've ever done live kickoff in preseason because it's such a crazy play," he said.
* Today's practice work in full pads began up on the Steve Antoline Family Practice Field but rain once again forced the squad indoors in the Caperton Indoor Practice Facility. The team's practice schedule for the remainder of the week tentatively calls for a Wednesday morning workout in helmets, another full practice on Thursday, helmets on Friday and the first closed scrimmage of the fall inside the stadium on Saturday morning.
The first day of fall classes is scheduled for next Tuesday, August 18.
The next media opportunity for Rodriguez, an undetermined assistant coach and select players will take place following Wednesday morning's workout.
One of the reasons he said he became so enamored with sports was because of his dislike of the chore. But the message he was getting across that afternoon was that sometimes the tedious and mundane things in life are also the most necessary.
For the beans to grow properly in the garden, the weeds must be pulled.
Late last week, following a so-so Friday morning practice, Rodriguez revealed another of his personal hangups – garbage. Specifically, the sight of garbage on the floor in the locker room or within the team complex.
"I got mad because I don't like for there to be once piece of trash anywhere in our building," he mentioned. "And if it's in the locker room or this room (team room) or something like that, it shouldn't happen. It bothers me.
"I know I'm going off on a tangent, but it bothers me that people think it's acceptable to just put their trash down," he continued. "If you (media members) have something to drink here and leave, take your cups with you – and you guys do that; you're respectful.
"Our players should understand the same thing," he said. "There should never be trash on the floor - not one piece of trash on the floor in the locker room during practice. If I were to go in the locker room while they are getting ready for practice, there is to be nothing on the floor in case somebody wants to come in to sweep it or clean it, they don't have to pick up somebody's tennis shoes … nothing. Nothing."
When the team makes its first road trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, to play Virginia in Bank America Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19, Rodriguez's expectation is to leave the place as immaculate as it was before they arrived.
"When we go on the road for a road game, and they're nice enough to give us a locker room to change in, when we leave that locker room after the game, win or lose, there is nothing on the floor," he said. "It is clean or cleaner than when we walked in there. That's just the way you are supposed to do it. That's just our deal.
"So, if we're going to do that on the road, we're sure as heck going to do that at home," he said. "There was a little bit (of stuff) on our locker room floor when we started practice, so that just set me off in the wrong way."
Again, the message is simple - have pride in your surroundings. How your place looks is a reflection of you and those around you. And more importantly, it doesn't take great personal wealth or good fortune to be neat and clean.
Briefly:
* Rodriguez was asked about the significant number of junior college players added to the roster last winter, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Four Hutchinson Community College teammates – KJ Henson, Darius Wiley, Da'Mun Allen and Rayshawn Reynolds Jr. – were brought in during the last cycle.
In all, there were seven junior college players added on defense and four on offense.
"I don't want to say JCs are getting overlooked, per se, but I do think with the transfer portal where it is, there are more portal guys being taken than JC guys, and there has always been good football players in the junior college ranks," the coach mentioned. "And I think some of them are getting overlooked now because schools are getting veterans out of the portal, as opposed to junior college players.
"I've said this before, I don't care if they are from high school, from another school in the portal or if they are junior college guys, let's just find the best players we can find," he said. "If they have multiple years left, that brings more value."
Rodriguez said the junior college players they added have at least two years of eligibility left, and some have three.
"We're going to continue to recruit the junior college guys, and there are some good ones out there," he said.
That was part of the formula Kansas State once used to build its program under Bill Snyder.
* On Monday, the coach brought up the topic of booing players in today's college game. In the past, it was considered taboo to boo college players, but with the compensation aspect now such a big part of the game, he admits views on how fans react must be reconsidered by coaches.
"In the NFL, you can boo those guys because those guys are getting a lot of money. You pay for your ticket, so you have every right to boo 'em," he said. "Well, now we aren't going to get upset if you boo a college player because they're getting paid. They've got to take the pro approach and understand if you're not playing well, and the fans are paying good money to come to the games, and they boo you that's part of the deal."
In the past, his opinion was that they are just college players so give them a break.
"Now, I can't say that," he admitted.
Once the subject was broached, Rodriguez was asked if he ever booed anyone as a fan.
"I've booed myself before," he answered. "I was like, 'That was a terrible call. What the hell was I thinking?' I've been in games when we've gotten booed and understood it. In society today, they are probably more likely to express their feelings, but I've never booed because I know what goes into it.
"I don't think any coach is intentionally making a bad call, or no player is intentionally making a bad play," he said. "And I guess you've got to throw officials in there, too. Have I ever booed an official? No. Have I ever gotten a 15-yard penalty? Never, in 29 years as a head coach. Now, I've deserved a few and I don't know how the heck I got out of them. I guess in football when you're screaming and yelling, they can't hear your, or they just ignore you.
"I've been ignored a lot in 29 years."
* Rodriguez said more special teams work is being incorporated during each practice as the team gets deeper into fall training camp. Monday's practice concluded with some kickoff coverage, including the entire coaching staff lining up and covering the final kickoff to wrap up work.
Rodriguez was among those who took off down the field to cover the kick.
The coach listed DJ Epps, Armoni Weaver-Bomar, Cyrus Traugh and Matt Sieg among the candidates for kickoff and punt return.
"That's the hardest thing to figure out because I don't know if I've ever done live kickoff in preseason because it's such a crazy play," he said.
* Today's practice work in full pads began up on the Steve Antoline Family Practice Field but rain once again forced the squad indoors in the Caperton Indoor Practice Facility. The team's practice schedule for the remainder of the week tentatively calls for a Wednesday morning workout in helmets, another full practice on Thursday, helmets on Friday and the first closed scrimmage of the fall inside the stadium on Saturday morning.
The first day of fall classes is scheduled for next Tuesday, August 18.
The next media opportunity for Rodriguez, an undetermined assistant coach and select players will take place following Wednesday morning's workout.
Players Mentioned
CB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DL
/ Football
CB
/ Football
S
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DL
/ FootballTuesday, August 11
Monday, August 10
Monday, August 10
Monday, August 10
