By: Clark Johnson | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – To say that 2025 was a tumultuous season for WVU’s running back room would be an understatement. Weekly, this position group littered the injury report. Diore Hubbard, Cyncir Bowers, Clay Ash, Tyler Jacklich, and Tye Edwards all missed time due to various injuries. Jahiem White, who was expected to lead the offense, even missed ten games after sustaining a leg injury on September 6th against Ohio.
Heading into 2026, things were expected to improve amongst the running backs given the experience returning. However, that quickly changed when White, Hubbard, Jacklich, and Ash decided to enter their names into the NCAA Transfer Portal. The Mountaineers will now be heading into the offseason void of experience, albeit with a plethora of talent via the early signing period.
True freshmen SirPaul Cheeks and Amari Latimer are expected to be huge additions to the running backs unit, with some even expecting Latimer to be starter day one. But with the transfer portal window approaching, the Mountaineers will likely add experience to the unit to help aid the development of the talented youngsters.
When Rodriguez inevitably looks to the portal for help, it should be expected that he will be heavily involved in the recruitment of Cam Cook from Jacksonville State. While it will likely require a massive NIL commitment, Cook possesses the skill set to be dominant in a Rich Rodriguez offense. After transferring from TCU, Cook led the Gamecocks and the nation in rushing with 1,659 yards and 16 touchdowns. Though the step-up in competition is always a concern with Group of Five transfers, Cook already has experience in the Big 12 with the Horned Frogs. He could instantly become a game-changer for the Mountaineers.
At the tail end of the 2025 season, Rodriguez gave defensive end Curtis Jones Jr. significant snaps at running back. This was largely due to the injuries that decimated the room, but also the lack of bruising bodies that can be used in short yardage situations. This could be solved with Gavin Sawchuk from Florida State. The Colorado native has spent time with both the Seminoles and Oklahoma Sooners during his career. To this point, he has accumulated 1,463 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground. His numbers alone should be enough to peak the interest of the Mountaineers.
Another bruiser that could get a look from Rodriguez and staff is Turbo Richard out of Boston College. With arguably one of the best names in college football, Richard had a solid season for the Eagles. Netting 749 yards and 9 touchdowns on 145 carries, his addition would also give West Virginia a short yardage back. This time with enough of a burst to be a home run threat, as well.
It’s anyone guess as to how Rodriguez will construct his running back room in 2026. However, given the nature of the offense and how heavily it relies on the running game, more bodies are needed. When the portal opens this weekend, expect the Mountaineers to be extremely aggressive when recruiting the next stars in their running backs room.
(Photo by WVU Athletics)
