Mike Asti’s WVU Football Camp Takeaways: All Business Ahead of Scrimmage at Stadium

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – On Friday morning, the WVU football program offered the media another glimpse of practice ahead of their Saturday scrimmage.

And with the depth chart still something head coach Rich Rodriguez is keeping, both a secret and an ongoing work in progress, the team appeared to show a crispness indicative of the season being only a few weeks away.

At this point in camp, the Mountaineers are practicing in “shells” and “thudding” each other in order to make an early August practice as physical as possible.

With Rodriguez set to talk to the media after practice most days, I will regularly offer a bulleted synopsis of what he says or what I saw on the practice field, often times adding what it all means for the team.

Takeaways from the second fall camp practice open to the media: 

• Rodriguez could be heard screaming and yelling, both at players and coaches. (*This is normal though*)
• The speed and tempo was at an increased level compared to the first open practice of fall camp. However, the speed and tempo during the open fall camp practices has not been close to what we saw in the spring. This is very likely Rodriguez holding back with the media present.
• Rodriguez informed senior offensive assistant Travis Trickett of the plays and letting him relay what to run.
• The quarterbacks worked on handling different situations in yardage, even practicing pooch punts.
• Nicco Marchiol remains looking the best overall in the quarterback competition and the projected starter.
• As previously stated earlier in fall camp, Jaylen Henderson looks to be in better shape and more comfortable compared to the spring.
• The running backs worked on drills that focused on their explosiveness.
• Junior college transfer Cyncir Bowers made his fall camp debut.
• Wide receiver Jarod Bowie’s speed and athleticism will earn him opportunities to make plays.
• The coaches are not having to teach technique as much during drills.
• As has been the case from the spring, Rodriguez focused on the offense and left defensive coordinator Zac Alley in charge of what the defense was doing on the other side of the field.

Below is a WV Sports Now video from the open practice.

Find more coverage of WVU Football at WV Sports Now.

For related content, WV Sports Now’s Mike Asti and Luke Blain discussed WVU fall camp so far on the latest episode of Mountaineer Report.