Saturday, September 5
Morgantown, W.Va.
12:00 p.m.
West Virginia University
vs
Coastal Carolina
Photo by: Raquel Rodriguez/Mountaineer Football
Mountaineers to Kick Off 2026 Season on Saturday Against Coastal Carolina
September 02, 2026 01:06 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The depth chart the WVU Athletics Communications Office released on Tuesday for this Saturday's season-opening football game against Coastal Carolina comes with a couple of caveats.
There are several "ors" littered throughout and it's only a snapshot of where things are right now heading into the regular season.
Nothing is set in stone, and never is with veteran coach Rich Rodriguez, leading his 29th football team into action this weekend against the Chanticleers.
"If you are asking for certain positions, there are some 'ors' on there," he explained Tuesday. "I'm a little more anxious because we have so many new guys. Even though they have played some college football, they haven't played in this system so that adds to the anxiety a little bit.
"But I'm excited for them," he added. "They've worked hard coming up to this week to get ready, and now we'll see what we have."
What West Virginia has and what people think West Virginia has are probably not in sync right now, and for good reason.
Rodriguez's first season in 2025 returning to his alma mater after 12 seasons coaching at three different schools, not to mention the years he spent as an assistant coach rebuilding his head coaching career since leaving West Virginia in 2007, wasn't what he hoped for or expected.
In fact, expectations around here have been muted for a quite a while considering the Mountaineers haven't been nationally ranked since 2018 and have registered four losing campaigns in the last five years.
But each autumn, hope is renewed, and Rodriguez believes he's got a better roster of players than the one he had last year with more resources and a lot more time to explore the transfer portal.
Now, all of their hard work will be on display this Saturday afternoon. Rodriguez believes the 2026 version of the Mountaineers are bigger, faster and stronger than the one people saw here last year.
"I think we've got exciting skill players on offense, and we have some explosive guys on defense," he observed. "I think our overall team speed is a little higher on both sides of the ball, and I think they'll really play hard. We'll learn a lot in the first game, probably more than any game, because we've got so many new guys playing."
The one "or" that is preoccupying everyone's minds is the quarterback position, where Oklahoma transfer Michael Hawkins Jr. and sophomore Scotty Fox Jr. have been battling it out since last spring.
Mountaineer fans became familiar with Fox when he was forced into action last year and responded with the best statistical season any true freshman quarterback has ever produced at West Virginia. Hawkins was brought in during the offseason when the Sooners chose to stick with John Mateer as their starter.
Hawkins is capable of bringing an added element to the offense with his playmaking abilities inside and outside the pocket.
Those two should help an offensive line that will feature a number of new starters and a rare true freshman starting at left tackle in four-star legacy recruit Kevin Brown, son of former Mountaineer standout Tim Brown.
This year's offensive line has three first-year players listed on this week's depth chart, perhaps an indicator of where things are right now with that group but also where things are headed down the road because veteran offensive line coach Rick Trickett is high on all three.
Senior Nick Krahe, a tackle last year who is now at left guard, is the most established performeer of the group and is a player Rodriguez believes could develop into one of the Big 12's best by the end of the season. Right guard Amare "Bubba" Grayson was an All-Conference USA performer last year for Trickett at Jacksonville State, and it will be interesting to see how that translates to the Big 12 action this year.
Grayson's Jacksonville teammate, Cam Cook, four-star prep prospect Amari Latimer and emerging true freshman Chris Talley give West Virginia an intriguing trio of running backs with different abilities.
Cook was the most productive back in college football last year and was at the top of West Virginia's transfer portal list last winter. Rodriguez has compared his running style to Avon Cobourne's, the school's all-time leading rusher. Latimer was a late Wisconsin flip last winter who provides a promising blend of power and athleticism, while Talley has shown a knack for making the explosive play during practice.
It will fun to watch their development over the course of the season.
The wide receiver corps features senior Jaden Bray returning at X, with Connecticut transfer John Neider and Troy transfer DJ Epps parlaying productive seasons last year into Power Four starting roles in 2026.
There are a handful of other receivers who could get into the mix as the season goes on.
The tight end position features a pair of former ACC transfers, Clemson's Josh Sapp and North Carolina's Ryan Ward, listed as "ors" on the depth chart. Ward has been limited during preseason camp, which has enabled Sapp to take advantage of his opportunities.
On the defensive side of the ball, second-year coordinator Zac Alley has several new players complementing returners Ben Cutter (mike linebacker), Nate Gabriel (nose guard), Corey McIntyre Jr. (defensive tackle) and Nick Taylor (right cornerback).
Coastal Carolina transfer Zeke Durham-Campbell has emerged as one of the team's top defensive ends and will face his old team in the opener, with Hutchinson Community College transfer Darius Wiley earning an "or" status.
Western Kentucky transfer Harper Holloman is listed as the team's top bandit; Wisconsin transfer Geimere Latimer II has reunited with Alley after the two were together two years ago at Jacksonville State and will man the nickel safety spot, while UNLV transfer Andrew Powell and Memphis transfer Kamari Wilson are expected to start at the other safety spots.
Chams Diagne, a 6-foot-3, 209-pound senior transfer from Georgia State, will occupy the left corner position opposite Taylor.
Sophomore will linebacker Cam Torbor is perhaps West Virginia's most intriguing defensive player. He is a former high school basketball player with great bloodlines as the son of former NFL linebacker Reggie Torbor. Rodriguez discovered the younger Torbor when he was coaching at Jacksonville State. Had the NCAA "five-for-five" ruling been in place last year, Torbor would have seen significant action a season ago.
The defense also has a trio of promising true freshmen who could earn lots of playing time this season in four-star safety prospect Matt Sieg, defensive tackle Yendor Mack and nickel safety Miles Khatri.
There are plenty of others who could also emerge.
"I think we'll be a lot better football team in five weeks than we are this week, but that should always be the case if you stay healthy," Rodriguez predicted.
Western Kentucky transfer Jack Cassidy and Fairmont Senior product Nate Flower have been locked in a tight kicking battle and are listed as "ors" on the depth chart, while Colorado State transfer Bryan Hansen is expected to handle the team's punting chores.
The strong-legged Cassidy will handle kickoffs, while Epps and Sieg will begin the season manning the punt and kickoff return duties.
"My challenge to the guys during spring ball, then four weeks ago when camp started, was don't be concerned where you are at on the depth chart," Rodriguez observed. "Just show that you are good enough to win with – that we can play you and for us not be nervous that it diminishes our chances to have success. I think they've done that.
"I haven't seen guys out there worried who is first or second," he continued. "In fact, we've had guys that have been on the scout team the last three or four days that have done a great job to the point where I've said, 'Listen, you're showing us enough on the scout team and now you've got a chance to maybe play on the other side of the ball for real.' That part of it is really good, and as a coach, there are a couple of others I'm trying to motivate to pick it up."
West Virginia will be facing a Coastal Carolina team with a new coaching staff and several new players, which Rodriguez maintains will present challenges in itself.
"They are going to be well coached," he predicted. "They rarely give up big plays or easy, cheap ones. They are going to be in the right spot all the time and you can tell by watching their games, their schemes and what they're doing. They've got some really good football players and you're not sure where they are going to be lined up all the time. And offensively, they can have a whole lot of stuff we haven't seen.
"We are going to have to play well to win the game, and our guys know that," the coach said.
Prior to kickoff, West Virginia University will officially retire assistant quarterbacks coach Pat White's No. 5 in an on-field ceremony. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 11:30 a.m. in time for the ceremony at approximately 11:45 a.m., according to Erin Gibson, senior associate athletics director in charge of marketing.
Kickoff is set for noon in a game to be televised nationally on TNT, TruTV and HBO Max (J.B. Long, Mike Golic Jr. and Coy Wire).
Regular Mountaineer Sports Network radio coverage with veteran play-by-play man Tony Caridi, analyst Dwight Wallace and sideline reporter Jed Drenning will get underway at 11 a.m., two hours after the Mountaineer Tailgate pregame show at 9 a.m. hosted by Andrew Caridi.
Including pre- and postgame coverage, that's nine hours of Mountaineer football on stations throughout West Virginia, online via WVUsports.com, as well as the Varsity Network and WVU Gameday apps.
"I like our team and the way they worked, and I think they're ready for a game," Rodriguez concluded.
Coastal will be making its second visit to Morgantown, the first coming in 2010, a season-opening 31-0 Mountaineer victory.
There are tickets remaining and those can be purchased through the Mountaineer Ticket Office by logging on to WVUGAME.com.
There are several "ors" littered throughout and it's only a snapshot of where things are right now heading into the regular season.
Nothing is set in stone, and never is with veteran coach Rich Rodriguez, leading his 29th football team into action this weekend against the Chanticleers.
"If you are asking for certain positions, there are some 'ors' on there," he explained Tuesday. "I'm a little more anxious because we have so many new guys. Even though they have played some college football, they haven't played in this system so that adds to the anxiety a little bit.
"But I'm excited for them," he added. "They've worked hard coming up to this week to get ready, and now we'll see what we have."
What West Virginia has and what people think West Virginia has are probably not in sync right now, and for good reason.
Rodriguez's first season in 2025 returning to his alma mater after 12 seasons coaching at three different schools, not to mention the years he spent as an assistant coach rebuilding his head coaching career since leaving West Virginia in 2007, wasn't what he hoped for or expected.
In fact, expectations around here have been muted for a quite a while considering the Mountaineers haven't been nationally ranked since 2018 and have registered four losing campaigns in the last five years.
But each autumn, hope is renewed, and Rodriguez believes he's got a better roster of players than the one he had last year with more resources and a lot more time to explore the transfer portal.
Now, all of their hard work will be on display this Saturday afternoon. Rodriguez believes the 2026 version of the Mountaineers are bigger, faster and stronger than the one people saw here last year.
"I think we've got exciting skill players on offense, and we have some explosive guys on defense," he observed. "I think our overall team speed is a little higher on both sides of the ball, and I think they'll really play hard. We'll learn a lot in the first game, probably more than any game, because we've got so many new guys playing."
The one "or" that is preoccupying everyone's minds is the quarterback position, where Oklahoma transfer Michael Hawkins Jr. and sophomore Scotty Fox Jr. have been battling it out since last spring.
Mountaineer fans became familiar with Fox when he was forced into action last year and responded with the best statistical season any true freshman quarterback has ever produced at West Virginia. Hawkins was brought in during the offseason when the Sooners chose to stick with John Mateer as their starter.
Hawkins is capable of bringing an added element to the offense with his playmaking abilities inside and outside the pocket.
Those two should help an offensive line that will feature a number of new starters and a rare true freshman starting at left tackle in four-star legacy recruit Kevin Brown, son of former Mountaineer standout Tim Brown.
This year's offensive line has three first-year players listed on this week's depth chart, perhaps an indicator of where things are right now with that group but also where things are headed down the road because veteran offensive line coach Rick Trickett is high on all three.
Senior Nick Krahe, a tackle last year who is now at left guard, is the most established performeer of the group and is a player Rodriguez believes could develop into one of the Big 12's best by the end of the season. Right guard Amare "Bubba" Grayson was an All-Conference USA performer last year for Trickett at Jacksonville State, and it will be interesting to see how that translates to the Big 12 action this year.
Grayson's Jacksonville teammate, Cam Cook, four-star prep prospect Amari Latimer and emerging true freshman Chris Talley give West Virginia an intriguing trio of running backs with different abilities.
Cook was the most productive back in college football last year and was at the top of West Virginia's transfer portal list last winter. Rodriguez has compared his running style to Avon Cobourne's, the school's all-time leading rusher. Latimer was a late Wisconsin flip last winter who provides a promising blend of power and athleticism, while Talley has shown a knack for making the explosive play during practice.
It will fun to watch their development over the course of the season.
The wide receiver corps features senior Jaden Bray returning at X, with Connecticut transfer John Neider and Troy transfer DJ Epps parlaying productive seasons last year into Power Four starting roles in 2026.
There are a handful of other receivers who could get into the mix as the season goes on.
The tight end position features a pair of former ACC transfers, Clemson's Josh Sapp and North Carolina's Ryan Ward, listed as "ors" on the depth chart. Ward has been limited during preseason camp, which has enabled Sapp to take advantage of his opportunities.
On the defensive side of the ball, second-year coordinator Zac Alley has several new players complementing returners Ben Cutter (mike linebacker), Nate Gabriel (nose guard), Corey McIntyre Jr. (defensive tackle) and Nick Taylor (right cornerback).
Coastal Carolina transfer Zeke Durham-Campbell has emerged as one of the team's top defensive ends and will face his old team in the opener, with Hutchinson Community College transfer Darius Wiley earning an "or" status.
Western Kentucky transfer Harper Holloman is listed as the team's top bandit; Wisconsin transfer Geimere Latimer II has reunited with Alley after the two were together two years ago at Jacksonville State and will man the nickel safety spot, while UNLV transfer Andrew Powell and Memphis transfer Kamari Wilson are expected to start at the other safety spots.
Chams Diagne, a 6-foot-3, 209-pound senior transfer from Georgia State, will occupy the left corner position opposite Taylor.
Sophomore will linebacker Cam Torbor is perhaps West Virginia's most intriguing defensive player. He is a former high school basketball player with great bloodlines as the son of former NFL linebacker Reggie Torbor. Rodriguez discovered the younger Torbor when he was coaching at Jacksonville State. Had the NCAA "five-for-five" ruling been in place last year, Torbor would have seen significant action a season ago.
The defense also has a trio of promising true freshmen who could earn lots of playing time this season in four-star safety prospect Matt Sieg, defensive tackle Yendor Mack and nickel safety Miles Khatri.
There are plenty of others who could also emerge.
"I think we'll be a lot better football team in five weeks than we are this week, but that should always be the case if you stay healthy," Rodriguez predicted.
Western Kentucky transfer Jack Cassidy and Fairmont Senior product Nate Flower have been locked in a tight kicking battle and are listed as "ors" on the depth chart, while Colorado State transfer Bryan Hansen is expected to handle the team's punting chores.
The strong-legged Cassidy will handle kickoffs, while Epps and Sieg will begin the season manning the punt and kickoff return duties.
"My challenge to the guys during spring ball, then four weeks ago when camp started, was don't be concerned where you are at on the depth chart," Rodriguez observed. "Just show that you are good enough to win with – that we can play you and for us not be nervous that it diminishes our chances to have success. I think they've done that.
"I haven't seen guys out there worried who is first or second," he continued. "In fact, we've had guys that have been on the scout team the last three or four days that have done a great job to the point where I've said, 'Listen, you're showing us enough on the scout team and now you've got a chance to maybe play on the other side of the ball for real.' That part of it is really good, and as a coach, there are a couple of others I'm trying to motivate to pick it up."
West Virginia will be facing a Coastal Carolina team with a new coaching staff and several new players, which Rodriguez maintains will present challenges in itself.
"They are going to be well coached," he predicted. "They rarely give up big plays or easy, cheap ones. They are going to be in the right spot all the time and you can tell by watching their games, their schemes and what they're doing. They've got some really good football players and you're not sure where they are going to be lined up all the time. And offensively, they can have a whole lot of stuff we haven't seen.
"We are going to have to play well to win the game, and our guys know that," the coach said.
Prior to kickoff, West Virginia University will officially retire assistant quarterbacks coach Pat White's No. 5 in an on-field ceremony. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 11:30 a.m. in time for the ceremony at approximately 11:45 a.m., according to Erin Gibson, senior associate athletics director in charge of marketing.
Kickoff is set for noon in a game to be televised nationally on TNT, TruTV and HBO Max (J.B. Long, Mike Golic Jr. and Coy Wire).
Regular Mountaineer Sports Network radio coverage with veteran play-by-play man Tony Caridi, analyst Dwight Wallace and sideline reporter Jed Drenning will get underway at 11 a.m., two hours after the Mountaineer Tailgate pregame show at 9 a.m. hosted by Andrew Caridi.
Including pre- and postgame coverage, that's nine hours of Mountaineer football on stations throughout West Virginia, online via WVUsports.com, as well as the Varsity Network and WVU Gameday apps.
"I like our team and the way they worked, and I think they're ready for a game," Rodriguez concluded.
Coastal will be making its second visit to Morgantown, the first coming in 2010, a season-opening 31-0 Mountaineer victory.
There are tickets remaining and those can be purchased through the Mountaineer Ticket Office by logging on to WVUGAME.com.
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