My Fiver on WVU's immediate and long term future with Richard 2.0>>>
1. The Consternation. Personally, I'm agnostic with Rich's hire. I just want to win. And I'm looking forward to turning the page on Neal Brown's Vanilla Wafer Program and seeing what Rich can do in his return. However, there are a great deal of extremely pissed off WVU fans about Rich's return. This we know. On the flip side, there are a great deal of WVU fans who exalt Rich as if he were a football deity, sent by God to bring justice to the football world. For those who are pissed, look, i get it. Some people you can only cross once, and if you do them wrong, you don't get a second chance. I happened to be married to one of those types
. And for those of you happy about Rich's hire, I would just say this -- respect those other WVU fans and their inability to reconcile their own distrust of the guy. It's a bit silly to go at them on message boards and stoke the flames. Everyone will come around if and when we start the season 3-0 next year.
2. The Return of a Fullback? One staple of WVU teams from Don Nehlen through Stew as the WVU fullback. WVU's own Jim Braxton created the prototype of what an NFL FB should be, and Ron Wolfley enjoyed a long NFL Career after starring for Nehlen in the early 80s. WVU fullbacks were a symbol of the toughness we wanted our program to exude. Ron Wolfley (NFL), Craig Taylor (NFL), Rico Tyler, Aaron Evans, Rodney Woodard, Jim Freeman, Leroy White, Kantroy Barber (NFL), Corey McIntyre, Anthony Green (NFL), Wes Ours, Moe Fofana, Owen Schmitt, Will Johnson (NFL), Ryan Clarke, Ricky Kovatch. When we introduced the Air Raid with Dana and then Neal, the WVU Fullback position died a slow death (Dana used Elijah Wellman, and some Logan Thimons, but they were not at all a featured part of the offense) Neal Brown has no use for a Fullback. I can't wait to see the first commit for Rich at the fullback position. I hope the kid wears neck rolls like Wolfley and smashes face masks like Schmitt.
3. We open with Alabama in 2026 and play at Alabama in Tuscaloosa in '27 with Rich running the show. This pleases me.
4. Under Rich from 2001-2007, WVU had fantastic defenses in each year except the transition year of 2001 and 2006 when we had serious secondary issues. (That was corrected nicely in '07). It's high time that WVU started playing defense again. The hire of a DC is a huge, huge moment for Rich and this program. From 2011 through 2024 in the Air Raid systems, our defense has been largely an afterthought. I'll give Tony Gibson a bit of credit for 2014-2016 when our defense had its moments. But, 2024 was embarrassing. Penn State's 20-second, 75-yard scoring strike to end the first half. Pitt's two effortless touchdowns over the final 5 minutes. Kansas State dropping 45. Baylor dropping 49. Texas Tech dropping 52. I long for the return of a hard-hitting WVU defense, which chased QBs relentlessly, and forced turnovers.
5. Our current roster, and Rich's ability to succeed right away. First, this Big 12 conference is ripe for the taking. If Arizona State can rise up and snag the conference away from the presumed powers Oklahoma State and Utah, then so can WVU. Much has been said about our roster, and its seeming lack of talent. I don't buy that. There's talent here. Guys like Tomas Rimac, Johnny Williams, Jahiem White, Traylon Ray, Hudson Clement, RicDarius Farmer, Edward Vesterinen, Reid Carrico, Trey Lathan, Corey McIntyre Jr., Kyle Altuner, Xavier Bausley, Nate Gabriel, Greg Genross, Dom Collins, Asani Redwood, Makai Byerson, they can all be damn good - if they are coached right. Then, you have the QB question - Can Nicco Marchiol start and thrive in Rich's system? Or, would be better off with a quick twitch type of QB like Scotty Fox or a portal transfer? We have some good young pieces in this new class and last year's freshmen class like Israel Boyce and Zae Jennings. If Rich can hold this talent together, make the correct call at QB and DC, and bring in playmakers from the portal at WR and DB...there's a chance that WVU 2025 could become next year's Indiana.
1. The Consternation. Personally, I'm agnostic with Rich's hire. I just want to win. And I'm looking forward to turning the page on Neal Brown's Vanilla Wafer Program and seeing what Rich can do in his return. However, there are a great deal of extremely pissed off WVU fans about Rich's return. This we know. On the flip side, there are a great deal of WVU fans who exalt Rich as if he were a football deity, sent by God to bring justice to the football world. For those who are pissed, look, i get it. Some people you can only cross once, and if you do them wrong, you don't get a second chance. I happened to be married to one of those types
. And for those of you happy about Rich's hire, I would just say this -- respect those other WVU fans and their inability to reconcile their own distrust of the guy. It's a bit silly to go at them on message boards and stoke the flames. Everyone will come around if and when we start the season 3-0 next year.2. The Return of a Fullback? One staple of WVU teams from Don Nehlen through Stew as the WVU fullback. WVU's own Jim Braxton created the prototype of what an NFL FB should be, and Ron Wolfley enjoyed a long NFL Career after starring for Nehlen in the early 80s. WVU fullbacks were a symbol of the toughness we wanted our program to exude. Ron Wolfley (NFL), Craig Taylor (NFL), Rico Tyler, Aaron Evans, Rodney Woodard, Jim Freeman, Leroy White, Kantroy Barber (NFL), Corey McIntyre, Anthony Green (NFL), Wes Ours, Moe Fofana, Owen Schmitt, Will Johnson (NFL), Ryan Clarke, Ricky Kovatch. When we introduced the Air Raid with Dana and then Neal, the WVU Fullback position died a slow death (Dana used Elijah Wellman, and some Logan Thimons, but they were not at all a featured part of the offense) Neal Brown has no use for a Fullback. I can't wait to see the first commit for Rich at the fullback position. I hope the kid wears neck rolls like Wolfley and smashes face masks like Schmitt.
3. We open with Alabama in 2026 and play at Alabama in Tuscaloosa in '27 with Rich running the show. This pleases me.
4. Under Rich from 2001-2007, WVU had fantastic defenses in each year except the transition year of 2001 and 2006 when we had serious secondary issues. (That was corrected nicely in '07). It's high time that WVU started playing defense again. The hire of a DC is a huge, huge moment for Rich and this program. From 2011 through 2024 in the Air Raid systems, our defense has been largely an afterthought. I'll give Tony Gibson a bit of credit for 2014-2016 when our defense had its moments. But, 2024 was embarrassing. Penn State's 20-second, 75-yard scoring strike to end the first half. Pitt's two effortless touchdowns over the final 5 minutes. Kansas State dropping 45. Baylor dropping 49. Texas Tech dropping 52. I long for the return of a hard-hitting WVU defense, which chased QBs relentlessly, and forced turnovers.
5. Our current roster, and Rich's ability to succeed right away. First, this Big 12 conference is ripe for the taking. If Arizona State can rise up and snag the conference away from the presumed powers Oklahoma State and Utah, then so can WVU. Much has been said about our roster, and its seeming lack of talent. I don't buy that. There's talent here. Guys like Tomas Rimac, Johnny Williams, Jahiem White, Traylon Ray, Hudson Clement, RicDarius Farmer, Edward Vesterinen, Reid Carrico, Trey Lathan, Corey McIntyre Jr., Kyle Altuner, Xavier Bausley, Nate Gabriel, Greg Genross, Dom Collins, Asani Redwood, Makai Byerson, they can all be damn good - if they are coached right. Then, you have the QB question - Can Nicco Marchiol start and thrive in Rich's system? Or, would be better off with a quick twitch type of QB like Scotty Fox or a portal transfer? We have some good young pieces in this new class and last year's freshmen class like Israel Boyce and Zae Jennings. If Rich can hold this talent together, make the correct call at QB and DC, and bring in playmakers from the portal at WR and DB...there's a chance that WVU 2025 could become next year's Indiana.
