Arizona State wasn’t on anyone’s radar as Big 12 champs last year, so why couldn’t WVU be this year’s dark horse? Following a tough 6-7 season, the Mountaineers brought back Rich Rodriguez, hoping the 62-year-old can reignite the program. The key is balance: fans are excited about his return, but their AD isn’t creating unrealistic expectations, allowing Rich Rodriguez to rebuild without the weight of “champ or bust” in year one.

With Rich Rod back, WVU fans are dreaming of a return to the glory days. He won four Big East titles in seven years, had three straight seasons with double-digit wins, and was only one heartbreaking loss away from playing for a national title. And that kind of resume automatically puts the weight of expectations on Rich Rodriguez’s shoulders.

But West Virginia’s AD Wren Baker isn’t letting that happen. As he talked about his program’s outlook in 2025, he made one thing clear: there’s no pressure. That’s right. “When asked for his standards for WVU football in 2025, WVU AD Wren Baker mostly talked about not wanting to place a win bar requirement on Rich Rodriguez in year one,” WVU’s editor Mike J. Asti noted on X. It’s fair to have expectations from Rich Rodriguez’s return. But let’s be real, it’s not going to be the same turnaround. As the Mountaineers haven’t captured a conference title since joining the Big 12 in 2012, nor have they been ranked since 2018, which was also the last time they had consecutive winning seasons.

And Rodriguez isn’t just relying on past glories. He’s already actively revamping the roster, significantly strengthening WVU’s wide receiver corps by bringing in Jordan McCants, Cam Vaughn, and Jarod Bowie from Jacksonville State. Furthermore, he’s added quarterback Jaylen Henderson from Texas A&M, running back Jaylan Knighton from SMU, tight end Grayson Barnes from Northern Illinois, and offensive lineman Wyatt Minor from Youngstown State, quickly making his mark on the team.

But then comes in the concerning part. Their tricky schedule. West Virginia starts with Robert Morris, an FCS opponent they should easily defeat. Then they face a difficult road game at Ohio and the Backyard Brawl against Pitt on Sept. 13. Big 12 play offers no respite, with road games at Kansas, UCF, and Houston, as well as home contests against Utah, Colorado, and TCU. These games will determine their conference relevance. The schedule becomes especially tough late in the season.

WVU plays defending Big 12 champion Arizona State in Tempe. A November game that could define their season. The finale against Texas Tech should be a good indicator of Rodriguez’s progress. The positive aspect? His defensive skills are already evident, providing a base while the offense develops. The road ahead is tough, but Rich Rod’s track record indicates he can quickly improve a program. Now, with that, the program is also focusing on keeping their rivalries alive.

Rich Rodriguez AD’s firm stance on Backyard Brawl

West Virginia Athletic Director Wren Baker reacted to the SEC’s decision to switch to a nine-game conference schedule starting in 2026. This change has a direct impact on WVU, as that season kicks off a home-and-home series with Alabama. According to the agreement, the Crimson Tide will play in Morgantown on September 5, 2026, and the Mountaineers will travel to Tuscaloosa for the return game on September 4, 2027.

Well, this wasn’t something new for Baker. He mentioned he spent the spring and summer talking with potential opponents to plan future schedules. Now, he’ll re-evaluate the Alabama series in light of the SEC’s change. “We don’t want any instability in our non-conference schedule, so I think it would be really important for us to try to solidify that sooner rather than later,” he said.

Throughout his tenure, he’s emphasized that nine conference games against Power Four teams limit the possibility of a packed non-conference schedule. That’s what’s happening here. As the Backyard Brawl is hitting breaks after this year’s game in Morgantown on September 13th, with the next one scheduled for September 8, 2029, in Pittsburgh. However, that three-year wait could be shortened if both schools are open to renegotiating their existing contracts. Currently, the ACC plays eight conference games, but many anticipate they’ll eventually move to nine, like the SEC. This would make fitting in the Brawl even more challenging.

Now, if Alabama chooses to cancel their series, which is going to start next year, it could free up their 2026 and 2027 schedule. And then even the Brawl could happen every year. As Pittsburgh’s head coach, Pat Narduzzi, recently suggested the teams should play every year, and Baker disclosed that he’d already taken steps to extend the series. “I actually had reached out to the athletic director at Pitt to extend the series so they knew fully well we were trying to extend the series, and that didn’t come up until they decided to make that comment,” he said.

It’s yet to be seen if that happens or not, but for now, after six underwhelming years under Neal Brown, Mountaineer fans are counting on Rich Rodriguez to bring back that spark, and everyone is looking forward to Sept. 13, when Pitt visits. A rematch of the painful loss that still lingers from his final game before leaving for Michigan.