Photo by: WVU Athletic Communications
Hard-Working Cook Eying Season Opener Against Coastal Carolina
August 17, 2026 03:32 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Rich Rodriguez thought he was getting a good football player when he pursued running back Cam Cook in the transfer portal last winter, and now that Cook has been here for eight months, he is realizing that he's getting a lot more than just a good football player.
He's also getting a good human being as well.
Cook is coming from Jacksonville State, where Rodriguez once coached, so he knew a little bit more about Cook's backstory than other coaches pursuing him. Helping along the process was the return of veteran offensive line coach Rick Trickett, who is turning into the Billy Martin of West Virginia football.
Trickett, who oversaw the blocking at Jacksonville State last year when Cook produced an FBS-best 1,659 yards for the Gamecocks, is back in Morgantown for his third coaching stint with the Mountaineers.
His second run in the early 2000s coincided with the beginning of the most successful period in Mountaineer football history that featured some of the school's most productive running backs, including Avon Cobourne, Quincy Wilson and Steve Slaton.
People tied to the program believe Cook is probably more like Cobourne in terms of size and running style than Slaton or Wilson, which is still a very flattering comparison, nonetheless. Cobourne finished his college career with a school-record 5,164 yards, today ranking 16th in NCAA history.
If Cook ends up being close to Cobourne's category as a runner and a football player, then there are going to be a lot of happy Mountaineer football fans from Weirton to Welch, Martinsburg to Matewan and all points in between this season.
You can count Rick Trickett among the Cam Cook promoters.
"He's what West Virginia football is all about," the veteran coach recently said of the Round Rock, Texas, resident. "He's what you want sitting in this room. If we had everybody playing and sitting in this room going to do what he does to win, we'll be in great shape. He's a great guy; a great football player."
Cook explained his decision to play for Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia after he inserted his name into the transfer portal last winter.
"I just took a look at all the past schools he's been at and how he ran the ball and then him having coach Trickett coaching the O-line before and then coming back now … just knowing what kind of offense he was going to run, it really fit my play style," he said.
"One of the things that sold me most is how hard people work here," Cook added. "If we're going to run the ball, it's hard-edge and we're going to be tough. Everybody is going to do whatever they can to win. You can tell the environment here is different, and that meant a lot."
Cook was asked about the financial aspect of signing with a power conference program like West Virginia, but he pivoted to the value he perceives of being in a proven system with a long track record of developing good football players.
It's not just what a player can earn today playing college football, but also what they can make later once their college eligibility expires.
"I was really trying to be somewhere where I know I can advance my playing style and better myself to get to the next level," Cook admitted. "Being at West Virginia, I felt like this was the best place for me to do that."
Cook said his comfort level has grown each week he's been in the program.
"I'm really comfortable with the offense, just being able to go through spring and then get in a little bit of work during the summer and now that we're into fall camp," he said.
Cook is one of a handful of West Virginia players on this year's preseason watch lists, indicating others outside of the program are aware of his talents. He admits the attention is flattering, but the reality of the matter is production will ultimately win out when award-time comes.
"It definitely means something to me," he offered. "Last year, I wasn't on any watch lists, but I'm not really looking at it in any particular way.
"I just want to do whatever will help us win as a group, and I feel like (the individual accolades) will come along," he said. "If I'm trying my hardest, that stuff will happen on its own."
Preseason camp has been a balancing act between Cook getting in the necessary work to be prepared for the season but also being conscious of the weekly grind ahead.
West Virginia has eight straight games before its open weekend finally arrives on Saturday, Oct. 31, meaning roughly three months of straight football when you include training camp.
That's a lot of wear and tear on a featured back's body.
"It's not like I'm withholding myself from anything," Cook explained. "I'm going to practice however I need to practice, and I do think a running back needs to get a decent amount of hits before the season starts so my body can be ready to take that amount of hits."
Again, a balancing act for sure.
Cook believes there are plenty of capable runners around to keep things going when he's not on the field.
"We've definitely got a couple of dogs in our room," he said. "(Freshman) Amari (Latimer) has come a long way. He's further along and he's shown that he can definitely handle the load. And he's got the size for it. We've got some speed backs too like (Martavious) Boswell and Chris Talley, so just being able to have different looks and show the defense different things, I think we'll be a very diverse backfield."
It's a diverse backfield that also includes a fullback in junior Arizona transfer Kayden Luke, nicknamed "Cowboy" by the Mountaineer coaches and players. Cook mentioned he has an appreciation for what Luke does because he once lined up at fullback when he was a high school freshman.
Cook said playing fullback helped him understand how difficult blocking can be for fullbacks and it also taught him how to run the ball a certain way to make a fullback's block easier.
"Having someone willing to put his face in the fan means a lot, so you know he's going to be willing to go out there and try his hardest to make sure the team wins," he said.
Cook's thoughtful comments fall in line with the type of person he's become.
"(He is a) really good guy; a really good team guy," Trickett said. "It's not a me-or-an-I guy. He'll do anything he has to do to help us win – a good person and I think a really damn good football player."
West Virginia wrapped up its 11th practice of fall camp on the Steve Antoline Family Practice Field earlier today. Classes for the fall semester begin Tuesday, requiring the team to switch to afternoon practices for the remainder of the month.
The Mountaineers are now three weeks away from their season opener against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 5. Tickets are on sale through the Mountaineer Ticket Office by logging on to WVUGAME.com.
He's also getting a good human being as well.
Cook is coming from Jacksonville State, where Rodriguez once coached, so he knew a little bit more about Cook's backstory than other coaches pursuing him. Helping along the process was the return of veteran offensive line coach Rick Trickett, who is turning into the Billy Martin of West Virginia football.
Trickett, who oversaw the blocking at Jacksonville State last year when Cook produced an FBS-best 1,659 yards for the Gamecocks, is back in Morgantown for his third coaching stint with the Mountaineers.
His second run in the early 2000s coincided with the beginning of the most successful period in Mountaineer football history that featured some of the school's most productive running backs, including Avon Cobourne, Quincy Wilson and Steve Slaton.
People tied to the program believe Cook is probably more like Cobourne in terms of size and running style than Slaton or Wilson, which is still a very flattering comparison, nonetheless. Cobourne finished his college career with a school-record 5,164 yards, today ranking 16th in NCAA history.
If Cook ends up being close to Cobourne's category as a runner and a football player, then there are going to be a lot of happy Mountaineer football fans from Weirton to Welch, Martinsburg to Matewan and all points in between this season.
You can count Rick Trickett among the Cam Cook promoters.
"He's what West Virginia football is all about," the veteran coach recently said of the Round Rock, Texas, resident. "He's what you want sitting in this room. If we had everybody playing and sitting in this room going to do what he does to win, we'll be in great shape. He's a great guy; a great football player."
Cook explained his decision to play for Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia after he inserted his name into the transfer portal last winter.
"I just took a look at all the past schools he's been at and how he ran the ball and then him having coach Trickett coaching the O-line before and then coming back now … just knowing what kind of offense he was going to run, it really fit my play style," he said.
"One of the things that sold me most is how hard people work here," Cook added. "If we're going to run the ball, it's hard-edge and we're going to be tough. Everybody is going to do whatever they can to win. You can tell the environment here is different, and that meant a lot."
Cook was asked about the financial aspect of signing with a power conference program like West Virginia, but he pivoted to the value he perceives of being in a proven system with a long track record of developing good football players.
It's not just what a player can earn today playing college football, but also what they can make later once their college eligibility expires.
"I was really trying to be somewhere where I know I can advance my playing style and better myself to get to the next level," Cook admitted. "Being at West Virginia, I felt like this was the best place for me to do that."
Cook said his comfort level has grown each week he's been in the program.
"I'm really comfortable with the offense, just being able to go through spring and then get in a little bit of work during the summer and now that we're into fall camp," he said.
Cook is one of a handful of West Virginia players on this year's preseason watch lists, indicating others outside of the program are aware of his talents. He admits the attention is flattering, but the reality of the matter is production will ultimately win out when award-time comes.
"It definitely means something to me," he offered. "Last year, I wasn't on any watch lists, but I'm not really looking at it in any particular way.
"I just want to do whatever will help us win as a group, and I feel like (the individual accolades) will come along," he said. "If I'm trying my hardest, that stuff will happen on its own."
Preseason camp has been a balancing act between Cook getting in the necessary work to be prepared for the season but also being conscious of the weekly grind ahead.
West Virginia has eight straight games before its open weekend finally arrives on Saturday, Oct. 31, meaning roughly three months of straight football when you include training camp.
That's a lot of wear and tear on a featured back's body.
"It's not like I'm withholding myself from anything," Cook explained. "I'm going to practice however I need to practice, and I do think a running back needs to get a decent amount of hits before the season starts so my body can be ready to take that amount of hits."
Again, a balancing act for sure.
Cook believes there are plenty of capable runners around to keep things going when he's not on the field.
"We've definitely got a couple of dogs in our room," he said. "(Freshman) Amari (Latimer) has come a long way. He's further along and he's shown that he can definitely handle the load. And he's got the size for it. We've got some speed backs too like (Martavious) Boswell and Chris Talley, so just being able to have different looks and show the defense different things, I think we'll be a very diverse backfield."
It's a diverse backfield that also includes a fullback in junior Arizona transfer Kayden Luke, nicknamed "Cowboy" by the Mountaineer coaches and players. Cook mentioned he has an appreciation for what Luke does because he once lined up at fullback when he was a high school freshman.
Cook said playing fullback helped him understand how difficult blocking can be for fullbacks and it also taught him how to run the ball a certain way to make a fullback's block easier.
"Having someone willing to put his face in the fan means a lot, so you know he's going to be willing to go out there and try his hardest to make sure the team wins," he said.
Cook's thoughtful comments fall in line with the type of person he's become.
"(He is a) really good guy; a really good team guy," Trickett said. "It's not a me-or-an-I guy. He'll do anything he has to do to help us win – a good person and I think a really damn good football player."
West Virginia wrapped up its 11th practice of fall camp on the Steve Antoline Family Practice Field earlier today. Classes for the fall semester begin Tuesday, requiring the team to switch to afternoon practices for the remainder of the month.
The Mountaineers are now three weeks away from their season opener against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 5. Tickets are on sale through the Mountaineer Ticket Office by logging on to WVUGAME.com.
Players Mentioned
Friday, August 14
Friday, August 14
Friday, August 14
Friday, August 14
