Shanna Rose I WV Sports Chat
Morgantown, W.Va. — Patience is often preached but rarely practiced in college football. For West Virginia running back Diore Hubbard, it wasn’t something he had to learn — it came naturally.
“I wouldn’t say it was hard to be patient,” Hubbard said. “Honestly, I was just waiting for an opportunity. And when the opportunity arose, I took it and went to my best ability.”
When the Mountaineers’ running backs room suffered multiple injuries, Hubbard received the opportunity to showcase his explosiveness and versatility. Still, the redshirt freshman believes there’s another level to reach for both himself and WVU.
“I wouldn’t feel like I’m performing to my maximum potential,” Hubbard admitted. “But we just have to get better as a team. Once we get better as a team, everything will start clicking.”
Known for his quickness and ability to make defenders miss, the 5-foot-10, 189-pound running back credits both natural instincts and preparation for his growth. He spends extra time in the film room and weight room, focusing on knowing assignments, identifying defensive fronts, and breaking tackles.
Preparation is what it takes to separate good backs from great ones.
“If you’re not prepared, then you won’t. You’re not going to play well,” he said. “Honestly, point of attack production, explosive plays, breaking tackles, stuff like that —just create more for my team.
While the jump to a Power Four conference can overwhelm some players, the Gahanna, Ohio native believes the game has actually slowed down for him. Confident in his understanding of the scheme and tempo, he’s been able to play fast without overthinking.
“Some people would say the higher the conference, the faster the game is,” he said. “I feel like the game is pretty slowed down for me. I don’t really do too much thinking out there. I know what we’re doing and the game plan, so I wouldn’t say the speed of the game is too fast for somebody to catch on to.”
One of Hubbard’s biggest assets is his versatility. Comfortable lining up as a receiver, he sees himself as a dependable option in the passing game.
“I feel like I’m very reliable as a route runner and receiver,” he said. “I can catch the ball, make people miss in space, create space.”
His ability to turn broken plays into positive yards is something he takes pride in.
“Honestly, you just got to be a player,” Hubbard said. “Some people are just average and not going to make a play, get tackled. Sometimes you got to be a better player than the player across from you because everybody’s on scholarship out there. It’s not like you’re just not. Not playing good players. You’re going to play good players. You’re going to make good plays. It’s just a matter of who makes the better play at the better time.”
As his workload has increased, Hubbard has embraced the challenge through recovery and preparation.
“My body feels good,” he said. “I’ve been doing a lot of recovery. The increased workload, honestly, it’s really nothing. I’m prepared to go out there and do what I got to do for my team to win.”
Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez believes Hubbard has taken advantage of every chance he’s earned.
“It’s given an opportunity for Diore,” he said. “He’s done a good job with his chance.”
With a steady mix of confidence, work ethic, and humility, Hubbard has proven that patience isn’t about waiting — it’s about being ready when the moment comes.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
