MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia’s second practice wasn’t the best. Rich Rodriguez wasn’t happy because the team didn’t take any steps forward, and more importantly, the team was soft.

A position he pointed out was the running backs. Rodriguez said only two of his four running backs made it to the end of the second practice without “tapping out,” or going to trainers for injuries.

“I told those two, that’s pretty good,” Rodriguez said. “Not going to tell you who they are. But you know, there are still 4,000 kids in the portal… I can play a game without running backs. I got running backs here. I got a good group. We finished with two, so you think I’m not going to talk to my recruiting staff this afternoon? We’re running a business.”

The running back position might be the most important in Rodriguez’s offense. Rodriguez loves to run the football. Last year at Jacksonville State, the Gamecocks rushed the ball 646 times, ranking third in the NCAA, behind military academies, Army and Air Force.

Having just two backs won’t get West Virginia through the season, and Rodriguez thinks they might need to add some more. There are more backs listed on the roster, seven to be exact and transfer back Tye Edwards is still dealing with NCAA waiver issues. Right now, Rodriguez named four backs who are practicing after practice No. 4

“Jahiem, Hubbard, Clay Ash, Kannon, right?” Rodriguez said. “I think those are just the four. Numbers are a little bit less. We may add a guy or two there. Because we got to have more guys at running back. But they’ve done a good job. Larry’s an experienced coach, picked up our system really well… It’s a pretty good group.”

Since Rodriguez called the backs out in practice No. 2, they’ve improved, which is a good sign because of how important they are to Rodriguez’s offense. They’re still learnin, though.

Luckily, Rodriguez’s running backs have one of the best running backs coaches in the nation to learn from, Larry Porter. Porter came over from North Carolina and recently produced first-round running back talent Omarion Hampton, who was the second running back selected in the 2025 NFL Draft behind Ashton Jeanty with the 22nd overall pick.

Through the first four practices, Porter is doing a lot of installing and teaching the backs their role in Rodriguez’s offense.

“I feel like it’s my job to teach them what to do and how to do it, and also the expectations that we have as a team as we try to build this culture,” Porter said. “But overall, that’s kind of where it is, building a foundation of the standard that we need to be successful throughout the course of a season.”

Porter does have some experience in the room. WVU leading rusher Jahiem White highlights the room after being named to the first team preseason All-Big 12 in early July. Porter said White has a “good” skill set, but still has some to learn.

“I think he’s an elite processor from the standpoint of being able just to navigate space in front of him,” Porter said. “But I think that he has a lot of room to grow in every area, and he’s learning how to push himself, and we’re trying to get him to that point. But he has a lot of room to grow. I think he’s just scratching the surface of what he can ultimately become. But again, it’s that standard, and it’s our job or my job to take him where he can’t take himself, and that’s kind of what we were working through right now.”

It seemed like White had the starting job secured, but Rodriguez made it known that every position is up for grabs, even White’s job. Right now, the other three fighting for the spot are Ferris State transfer redshirt junior Kannon Katzer, sophomore Clay Ash and redshirt freshman Diore Hubbard. Then, there are players, like Edwards, who have to work by themselves because the waivers haven’t been accepted yet. Rodriguez said that’s out of his hands.

“We have Kannon, who has come in and is really working hard,” Porter said. “Hubbard, who was here last year that we think that has a tremendous amount of talent, but he’s still working there, trying to find himself as we work into fall camp. Then you have Clay Ash, who’s a steady hand, always worked hard that we’re very happy to have.”

It might’ve been a rough second practice, but they are slowly improving each day, and are all fighting for a starting spot in Rodriguez’s offense. Like the quarterbacks, Rodriguez will play as many running backs as there are players he “can win with.” He’s still trying to find who those players are.

“Get to that point where we got to play you because you’re good enough to win with,” Rodriguez said. “I’m hoping there’s more than two at every position. I don’t know if we’ll be that. Right now, for the next couple of weeks everyone is getting reps, and it’ll be quality reps, and they are going to get a really good chance to show if they’ve learned, and if they can help us win or not.”