Rich Rodriguez, in 2024, stands as the man, the myth, and the coach who consistently proves he’s not just a relic of the early 2000s spread offense era. Instead, he showcases his talent for transforming underdog programs into powerhouses. After an impressive stint at Jacksonville State, where he achieved a 27-10 record, earned the title of 2024 Conference USA Coach of the Year, and clinched the New Orleans Bowl, Rodriguez returned to Morgantown with a vengeance and a substantial paycheck to match. The spring game? Let’s just put it this way: it was more like a teaser trailer for what’s to be, with Rodriguez’s trademark no-huddle, zone-read spread offense already having the offense resembling a well-oiled machine in the process. The spring game hype was real—players scrambling, fans abuzzing, and a coach who’s giving every last bit of energy towards revitalizing WVU’s heyday.

Rodriguez’s 2024 spring portal scramble at WVU was a crazed episode of college football’s equivalent of “The Bachelor”-except roses were replaced by players getting cut or scooped up from the transfer portal mania. More than 30 players defected after Rodriguez’s spring assessments, which sounded like pandemonium but were part of his grand plan to overhaul the roster quickly and dirty. The portal recruiting brought some quality pickups, such as tight end Grayson Barnes of Northern Illinois, defensive back Nick Taylor of Appalachian State, and offensive lineman Mickel Clay of North Alabama. 

Another 300lb offensive tackle knocked WVU’s portal gate from Texas. “Beyond blessed and excited to have this opportunity. Let’s get to work!!!” Texas OL transfer Malik Agbo, on 27th April, spoke on X about his signing with the WVU. Former Longhorn Agbo transferred after committing to the portal in April 2025, and he chose WVU over other institutions, such as California. Rodriguez is focusing on constructing a hard, physical offensive line.

Agbo isn’t your typical lineman, either—he even snapped as a jumbo tight end to support the run game in 2023. In 2024, he appeared in 16 games, primarily serving on special teams, but his versatility playing multiple positions makes him an invaluable asset to the Mountaineers. Emerging from high school as a four-star prospect, Agbo had big-time programs such as Alabama, Michigan, and Oregon offering him, so WVU poached him and made it official on X: “BREAKING – #WVU has landed a commitment from Texas OL transfer Malik Agbo, which is a nice win.”

Landing Agbo, a former four-star with blue-blood offers from Alabama and Michigan, was a team effort. His recruitment to WVU is a textbook case of Rich Rodriguez’s “all hands on deck” strategy to construct a roster. Rodriguez has stated that in modern college football, particularly with the transfer portal in effect, all hands in the program must recruit. 

WVU’s New All-Hands Approach

The lowdown on Rich Rodriguez’s recruiting philosophy at WVU is nice and refreshing. The man isn’t sitting around and letting the coaches do all the recruiting hustle-nope, he wants everyone in the program to get in on it. Consider this: from the head coach to the support staff, even players are supposed to be scouting for talent. Rodriguez understands that in the present college football era, with the transfer portal disrupting the landscape, recruiting cannot be a solitary affair. 

This all-hands-on-deck mindset is part of why WVU’s been able to pull in some solid transfers and recruits lately, like OT Malik Agbo. Rodriguez’s philosophy is simple: if you’re part of the Mountaineer family, you’re part of recruiting. It’s about creating a tight-knit community that’s constantly pushing to get better, and that means everyone is pitching in.

Bottom line: Rich Rodriguez is not only teaching football at WVU-he’s constructing an entire recruiting machine where everybody’s got skin in the game. It’s not only X’s and O’s these days; it’s about establishing a culture in which players, coaches, and staff all hustle to recruit the best talent. That sort of team effort makes the program better and more unified.