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Rich Rodriguez's WVU Starts July, Aims 5-0 Season Start

7/18/2026

42 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

West Virginia will start camp in July 2026, beginning Rich Rodriguez’s year with Mike Hawkins Jr. as starter.
Travis Trickett will guide a unit whose starters have 5,000 snaps, with Kevin Brown slated to start Week 1 versus Coastal Carolina.
The team entered 2026 without preseason All-Big 12 defensive honorees, though four players could emerge.
Projections see a 5-0 or 5-1 start that could earn ranking, making a 4-5 or 5-4 record likely.

History

Historical Context

In 1999 Oklahoma hired Bob Stoops, and he guided the Sooners to a perfect 13-0 record and the national championship in the 2000 season. Rodriguez, who turned Arizona around with consecutive bowl wins in 2012 and 2013, is now tasked with reviving West Virginia’s program, echoing the rapid turnarounds seen at Oklahoma.

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Story summary

West Virginia will start camp in July 2026, beginning Rich Rodriguez’s year with Mike Hawkins Jr. as starter.
Travis Trickett will guide a unit whose starters have 5,000 snaps, with Kevin Brown slated to start Week 1 versus Coastal Carolina.
The team entered 2026 without preseason All-Big 12 defensive honorees, though four players could emerge.
Projections see a 5-0 or 5-1 start that could earn ranking, making a 4-5 or 5-4 record likely.

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