Welcome to The Shotgun/Throwdown, your daily West Virginia sports roundup (that we didn’t already talk about in another article) with some sophomoric humor and daily distractions thrown in for good measure. And if there’s something we missed, be sure to talk about it in the comments.
NO PATIENCE
Rich Rodriguez didn’t spend the bye week preaching patience. He’s not wired that way, and he said as much during his Tuesday press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to UCF. The Mountaineers and Knights will kick off
at 1:00PM in the Bounce House, with coverage on TNT, truTV, and Max.
Rodriguez admitted that waiting isn’t part of his nature, which shouldn’t be a shock to anyone. “I wish I had more patience. In fact, I have no patience,” he said. “You want to win yesterday. But we’ve got a plan, and we’re working through it every day.”
That plan, he says, is about more than execution. It’s about competing in a college football landscape where rosters are built with checkbooks as much as recruiting boards. “You can get healthy in a year now,” Rodriguez said. “You just have to buy the right players.”
Across the field, UCF head coach Scott Frost praised Rodriguez’s impact on the sport, calling him one of the guys who changed what college football looks like. Frost said his offense expects plenty of pressure from WVU’s defense, which blitzes on more than 60 percent of snaps. “They’re not easy to dial in,” Frost said. “It’ll be an interesting chess match.”
The matchup pits two programs trying to climb out of the same hole. UCF and WVU are both winless in conference play, both leaning on youth, and both trying to prove that early stumbles don’t define a season.
MOUNTAINEER ROUNDUP
- Tim Flynn says the WVU wrestling team is hungry and healthy heading into the 2025–26 season after last year’s top-20 national finish. The Mountaineers return All-Big 12 champ Jett Strickenberger, plus a now-healthy Ty Watters and NCAA qualifier Ian Bush, among others. Flynn said the next step is breaking into the top 10 nationally and keeping that upward momentum rolling.
- Mary Delaney was named the Big 12 Women’s Runner of the Week after finishing fourth at the Carnegie Mellon Invitational with a time of 17:22.30 in the 5k. The redshirt sophomore leads a Mountaineer squad that returns to action Friday at the Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational in Madison.
MOUNTAINEER PROS
- Wyatt Milum was active for the first time in his rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, seeing limited action on special teams in Sunday’s loss to Seattle. Head coach Liam Coen said Milum has looked more comfortable in recent practices and expects him to get increased reps this week as he continues to work back from a preseason knee injury.
- Jevon Carter stayed hot Tuesday night, finishing with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting (3-of-6 from deep) in just under 22 minutes off the bench. He added three assists and three rebounds, helping the Bulls close the gap late against Denver before falling 124–117. Carter gave Chicago a spark when the starters struggled, and he continues to make a strong case for more minutes heading into the regular season.
- Deuce McBride remains the one young Knick drawing steady trade interest as New York finalizes its 2025–26 roster. League sources told ClutchPoints that rival teams have made “worthwhile” offers for McBride, but the Knicks aren’t eager to move him. Coming off a breakout year in which he averaged 9.5 points and shot nearly 39% from three, McBride has solidified himself as a key part of New York’s rotation — and would only be moved if long-term contract talks stall.
- Former WVU goalkeeper Rylee Foster continues to make her mark in her first season with Dallas Trinity FC, as the club prepares for its “State Fair Clásico” on Oct. 18 — the first women’s sporting event ever held at the Cotton Bowl during the State Fair of Texas. Foster, who has partial hearing loss, has been open about her experience and found a supportive environment in Dallas, where several team members — including founder and COO Trip Neil — also live with hearing loss. Foster said the inclusive atmosphere has made her more comfortable sharing her story as both an athlete and advocate. After overcoming a devastating car accident that nearly ended her career, she’s now helping lead a franchise built on representation, accessibility, and resilience — something she proudly calls her “superpower.”
AROUND THE LEAGUE (AND BEYOND)
- Michigan and USC trustees are reportedly pushing back on the Big Ten’s proposed $2 billion private equity deal. During a joint meeting Tuesday, both schools raised concerns that the plan would only provide short-term relief for cash-strapped athletic departments without addressing rising costs or the uncertain future of college sports. They also questioned the wisdom of selling equity in the league’s media rights, preferring to explore other funding options.
- John Calipari isn’t ready to walk away from coaching. The Arkansas coach said he still has the drive to build relationships and develop players despite the challenges of NIL and the transfer portal. He also said he plans to stay in the college game long enough to help shape it for the next generation — including his son, Brad, now on his Razorbacks staff.
- Matt Rhule didn’t shut down rumors linking him to the open Penn State job, but he made sure to remind everyone how much he enjoys his current one. The Nebraska coach, who played at PSU and has deep ties to athletic director Pat Kraft, called Nebraska “elite” and said he’s focused on building the program — even as his name tops every list of potential Franklin replacements.
VIDEOS OF INTEREST
Have any tips, suggestions or requests for what you want to see in The Shotgun/Throwdown? Drop it in the comments or holler at us on social media.
We’ll be back for more tomorrow.
FOLLOW US
Twitter: @smokingmusket
Bluesky: @smokingmusket.bsky.social
Facebook: The Smoking Musket
.redcircle-link:link { color: #ea404d; text-decoration: none; } .redcircle-link:hover { color: #ea404d; } .redcircle-link:active { color: #ea404d; } .redcircle-link:visited { color: #ea404d; }
Powered by RedCircle Subscribe Now! Spotify Apple Podcasts Amazon Music RSS
.redcircle-link:link { color: #ea404d; text-decoration: none; } .redcircle-link:hover { color: #ea404d; } .redcircle-link:active { color: #ea404d; } .redcircle-link:visited { color: #ea404d; }Powered by RedCircle Subscribe Now! Spotify Apple Podcasts Amazon Music RSS
