Rich Rodriguez on recruiting: evaluation matters more than money

Rich Rodriguez didn’t hold back when the conversation on The Pat McAfee Show turned to the impact of NIL and revenue sharing on recruiting.

“You have to ask hard questions,” Rodriguez said. “Any coach will tell you that. I think Coach Saban said this, and I’ve been saying this the last few years. If you’re gonna buy guys, you gotta buy the right players. Right? Some schools have been buying them for years.”

Evaluation still the key

Rodriguez acknowledged that money is part of the equation now, but insisted that evaluation, both of talent and mentality, remains the most important factor.

“The truth is, evaluation is always the biggest piece,” he said. “A five-star is probably a five-star, but everything else is a crapshoot if you don’t really evaluate. Not just size and speed, but does he really love football?”

He drew a sharp line between players who like the game and those who love it. “I want dudes that love it and need it. If you take it away from them, it bothers them. I don’t want the guy who cares more about how many likes he’s getting on TikTok than making a play”.

WVU’s roster reset

Rodriguez’s first class back at WVU ranked 48th nationally, ninth in the Big 12. But he leaned heavily on the transfer portal to help turn the roster over, with more than 50 new transfers as part of nearly 80 total newcomers.

That overhaul gets its first test Saturday when West Virginia opens the season against Robert Morris.

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