As spring practice continues in Morgantown, West Virginia’s coaching staff is focused on one key area: building a wide receiver unit that thrives on versatility, effort, and understanding every role in the offense.
With a fast-paced system that sometimes uses two, three, four, or even five receivers on the field, the Mountaineers are working to identify the right fits for each of the four key receiver spots—two inside and two outside.
“Right now, our job as coaches is figuring out where everyone fits,” said receivers coach Ryan Garrett. “We’re looking at who can play where, and how they can help the team when we’re in different sets.”
New Faces, Familiar System
Helping that process is the addition of two familiar faces—Cam Vaughn and Jarod Bowie—who transferred from Jacksonville State. Both players are already comfortable with the system and have been key in helping their new teammates catch up.
“They’ve helped the other receivers learn what they’re doing,” Garrett noted, adding that leadership and familiarity have been crucial early in spring.
The coaching staff is pleased with the group as a whole, and while expectations are high, the players have responded well so far.
Learning Every Spot
But the mission this spring isn’t just about slotting players into fixed positions. Instead, Garrett and the coaching staff want each receiver to learn every spot on the field.
“That’s going to be the quickest way to get on the field,” Garrett said. “And the guys are learning more every week—it’s been great to see the improvement.”
This flexibility is vital to how WVU wants to operate. With a high-tempo offense and frequent hash mark changes, a receiver may be lined up wide on one play and move inside on the next.
Effort and Blocking Matter Most
One thing that remains non-negotiable for West Virginia wide receivers is effort—especially in blocking.
“You won’t see our receivers standing around,” Garrett emphasized. “When we play, everybody is working, especially in the run game.”
Competition Still Heating Up
While head coach Rich Rodriguez is confident in the players working the inside receiver positions, the outside roles are still open for competition. That makes spring practice—and especially the upcoming evaluations—critical for sorting out the depth chart.
“We’ve got to keep building depth and create more competition outside,” Rodriguez said. “That’s going to be key for us moving forward.”
With a system that values speed, smarts, and toughness, the path to playing time is clear: know every position, work hard, and never take a play off. As the Mountaineers continue spring camp, that mindset is shaping a group that could be one of the most dynamic in the Big 12 this fall.
