College football analyst Pat McAfee looks to have gathered a few praises. Very recently he got it from his ESPN colleague Kirk Herbstreit, and now, and now from West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez after the Big 12 Media Days. After not having spoken in front of the media in three months, the rapid space of college athletics has seen massive changes in the time away from the podium.

Before diving into transfer portal numbers or TikTok bans, Rich Rodriguez took a beat to acknowledge one of West Virginia’s loudest—and most effective—voices: Pat McAfee. In between pokes at the modern system, Rodriguez credited the former Mountaineer punter and ESPN star for playing a quiet but pivotal role in reuniting the old WVU football family in former players events. “Fortunately for us, we’ve got a big voice on TV in Pat McAfee, who is just not only a tremendous advocate for West Virginia University, our program, but the sport in general,” Rodriguez said to Gold and Blue Nation. “So Pat has really helped. I think a lot of guys—everybody’s got respect for him and he’s got a big forum—so he’s helped get guys reconnected to our program.”

That reconnection isn’t just emotional—it’s cultural. 18 years apart, Rich Rodriguez is trying to reintegrate a generation of players who barely crossed paths with the current roster. Spring games and alumni events have helped, but coach Rod was clear: “I don’t want them to have to feel they have to be invited. You know they could come back anytime. If you played or coached or worked for West Virginia football, you’re always welcome to come back.” It’s more than nostalgia. This is identity reclamation, pulling from the deep well of WVU tradition in a moment when the sport risks losing its soul.

College football’s landscape had changed fast—faster than even Rich Rodriguez could talk—and in a matter of weeks, the sport saw the NIL guardrails go up, revenue sharing confirmed, and a new College Sports Commission installed. But as he returned to Big 12 Media Days, now in the full swing of his long-awaited comeback in Morgantown, Rodriguez looked perfectly comfortable in the chaos. After all, he’s not here for lip service. “I don’t give a s—,” he barked, when asked about his thoughts on playoff structures. “I mean, my give a s— meter is a lot less than a lot of stuff. If you win the league, you’re going to be in. Just win the league.”

But make no mistake, Rich Rod is no throwback romantic. He’s very much aware of what college football has become. “It’s transactional,” he said when asked about the NIL era. “Money has become the driving factor for a lot of them. So that could be frustrating if you don’t have the same resources.” His answer wasn’t bitter, but brutally honest. In a world where the No. 57 recruiting class won’t turn heads, Rich Rodriguez still managed to secure nine five-star pledges and welcomed a jaw-dropping 50 players through the transfer portal.

He’s also laid down the law in ways few modern coaches dare to: TikTok is banned in the program. In a time when recruiting is as much about content as coaching, Rodriguez is going against the grain—and winning. His approach may look gruff, but it’s grounded in control. Culture, not clicks. Structure, not stardom. He doesn’t care for committee discussions or 5–11 debates. “I’m worried about just winning,” he said. For a coach like Rodriguez, returning to a place like West Virginia, anything else is just noise.

Rich Rodriguez still sorting his roster, not sweating the playoff math

Rich Rodriguez doesn’t sugarcoat, and he sure didn’t start now. When asked whether he learned anything new about his team—or anyone else in the league—he kept it blunt. “No. And I’m not being Corey when I say I’m not really sure what we have. We got 70-some new players, so we’re still figuring it out,” he said, knee-deep in roster overhaul rather than a man in midseason form.

Rodriguez didn’t hide the unknowns. “I think they’re working hard. I like the attitude of them. The guys have bought into what we’re trying to do. But August is going to be a really important month,” he admitted. This isn’t your standard fall camp prep; this is version 1.0 of an entirely new build. “All new coaches, new system, a bunch of new players. I mean, there’s a lot of work, a lot of things to figure out,” Rodriguez said. But he’s betting on one thing: competitive spirit. “I told the team the other day, I’m hoping that I have a whole bunch of guys that are ready to win with. If that’s the case, we’re going to be okay.”

Just like when the CFP chatter came up in the Media Day, Rod dismissed it the only way he knows how. “like 5-11, all that stuff, whatever. Let’s win the league,” he snapped. “We win all of our games. I guarantee we’re in the playoffs.”