Rich Rodriguez provides overview of “banged up,” running back room

Running back depth continues to be a concern for West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez in fall camp due to injuries and eligibility issues.

Junior running back Jahiem White and redshirt freshman Diore Hubbard were the only two practicing Thursday as the unit has dealt with overcoming some issues.

Redshirt junior running back Kannon Katzer and sophomore Clay Ash are both currently banged up according to Rodriguez. On top of that both redshirt senior Tye Edwards and redshirt senior Jaylan Knighton haven’t practiced yet due to eligibility issues.

Edwards is currently part of a lawsuit challenging the NCAA eligibility rules that is set to be heard Aug. 19, while it isn’t clear the holdup on Knighton but he too hasn’t practiced yet.

“We’re still waiting on that,” Rodriguez said.

One player that Rodriguez said that might be joining the roster is Andre Devine, the son of current assistant running backs coach and former Mountaineer running back Noel Devine.

“Andre Devine is a late addition off the waiver wire. Might be joining us,” Rodriguez said.

Devine didn’t see action at Jacksonville State last season but signed with the program over offers from South Florida, Florida Atlantic and others. 

“We hope,” Rodriguez added on Devine.

The head coach also made it clear that West Virginia is still actively looking in the transfer portal at the position. And with late additions you will have to force feed them a little bit in order to determine what they can or can’t do. That makes it harder to catch up, but it can be done.

The current situation in the backfield is one that Rodriguez said hindered the Mountaineers from doing more scrimmaging on Thursday because they were down to just a few running backs.

“That just makes it hard. I even put slot receivers back there a little bit so that has something to do with it,” Rodriguez said.

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