If you ask West Virginia Mountaineers’ Rich Rodriguez, every starting position is up for grabs. Yes, even RB. Last week, Rodriguez was asked about having so many ongoing position battles with the exception of the rusher (Jahiem White), and before getting through the entirety of the question, Rodriguez interrupted, saying, “What? He’s in a battle, too. Did you give him a spot? Something I didn’t know about?” That could also be a major concern. In true Rich Rod fashion, he didn’t just swat away the question—he turned it into a teachable moment about competition, roster mentality, and how no one, not even a star tailback, gets a free pass in his program.

When pressed on whether Jahiem White could handle being the workhorse, Rich Rodriguez fired back with his trademark wit. “Who said he does? If a frog had wings, you ever heard that? If a frog had wings, he wouldn’t bump his butt when he tried to fly, right?” It was a country-football-coach way of saying: stop worrying about hypotheticals. Still, he made it clear he believes in White’s durability. “I’m hoping Jahiem, who’s a good player, I hope he’s physically able to run 25, 30 times a game, which I think he will be. But again, I don’t overthink it.”

In any case, he has told his players that if they rip off a 30-yard run, they shouldn’t be looking to tap out and catch a breather. He wants them to go on, subbing or not. That’s part of his demand for toughness and conditioning—backs should be ready to carry the rock ten straight plays if needed. “I think they all have it anyways. Inevitably though, you better have at least three that you can win with, and that’s… I think we can, but right now we’re still working on that.”

The truth is, while Rich Rodriguez publicly keeps the leash tight, he knows exactly what he’s got in Jahiem White. The sophomore back is the type of player who forces DCs to burn film-room hours just trying to limit his damage. White’s vision, burst, and ability to turn a crease into a touchdown threat give this offense its heartbeat. In Rod’s tempo-heavy system—where the ground game doesn’t just set the table but serves the whole meal—White’s skill set is tailor-made for chunk plays and fourth-quarter daggers.

That doesn’t mean the rest of the room is just filler. Jaylan Knighton brings veteran savvy and pass-catching chops, Cyncir Bowers offers between-the-tackles power, Tye Edwards is a change-of-pace bruiser, while Diore Hubbard and Kannon Katzer give depth and special-teams value. Rodriguez refuses to crown anyone too early because, in his words, it’s unfair to the rest.

The approach might seem like coach-speak, but it’s a proven tactic—competition breeds readiness, and readiness prevents disaster when injuries hit. WVU’s 2025 schedule isn’t built for thin depth charts, especially at a position that takes as much punishment as running back.

Of course, barring something seismic, White is going to be the guy. The coaching staff’s offseason priority wasn’t just keeping him on the roster—it was keeping him engaged, motivated, and healthy. The belief internally is that he could be one of the best backs in program history. Check that—he will be, assuming his body holds up. In this offense, with his skill set, that’s not hype—it’s math. The touches will be there, the system will create space, and the highlight reels will follow. In Morgantown, the frog might never get wings, but if Jahiem White stays on this trajectory, he won’t need them to fly.

Rich Rodriguez’s secondary concern

Last year, the secondary was a sore spot for Rich Rodriguez’s squad — and he knows it. Now, heading into 2025, there’s a new cast of characters in the defensive backfield, and Rodriguez is cautiously optimistic. “Yeah, a lot of really good quarterbacks,” Rich Rod said when asked about the Big 12 gauntlet of passers. “Um, and we don’t have a lot of at least experience from here guys coming back, but I do… we do have some experience of guys that have played a lot of football somewhere else. And I do think that’s valuable, you know, whether whatever league it was.”

The trick, of course, is blending that outside experience into his “really unique and different” defensive system — a process that’s still ongoing. But Rodriguez sees progress. “Our guys have done a good job of that. But you’re right. I think our secondary play had to get better. And um we’ve got some veteran… we brought in quite a bit of veteran experience secondary guys and I like what I’ve seen from them so far.”

That physical edge isn’t just a defensive priority. On offense, fall camp is about pushing RBs to the limit — mentally and physically. The goal? Have them ready to tote the rock 10 times in a row without flinching. Even for proven talents like Jahiem White, Rodriguez wants the endurance to “run the ball 25 or 30 times a game if need be given the tempo.”