We’re officially in football purgatory season.
The NFL Draft is over, college football is months away and we’re all pretending to care about the NBA playoffs and random baseball games in May. (Go Cubbies.)
West Virginia college football is an interesting dynamic. There’s one Power Five team, one group of five team and a plethora of premier Division II programs ready to make a splash. As we get ready for the summer, here are the questions lingering around the college football programs in the Mountain State.
West Virginia
Question: Will Rich Rodriguez find his magic in his second season back in Morgantown?
Rodriguez is WVU’s second all-time winningest coach with 64 victories, and his return in 2025 sparked excitement among the Mountaineer faithful.
However, Rodriguez’s return hit a few potholes as WVU finished 4-8 and 2-7 in the Big 12.
Mountaineer fans should avoid hitting the panic button too quickly.
During his first tenure in Morgantown, Rodriguez went 3-8 and 1-7 in the Big East during his debut season before leading WVU to five straight winning seasons, three conference championships, three top-10 finishes and five bowl appearances.
The Mountaineers should be significantly improved entering 2026 after landing one of the best recruiting classes in modern program history, ranking inside the national top 20.
The foundation of that class includes three four-star recruits — offensive tackle Kevin Brown (6-foot-5, 270 pounds), safety Matt Seig (5-11, 190) and running back Amari Latimer (5-11, 230), a playmaker who flipped his commitment from Wisconsin to WVU.
WVU also addressed major needs in the transfer portal, adding wide receiver Prince Stachman from USC and edge rusher Tobi Hastrup from Oregon.
Quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. returns after a promising freshman season in 2025 in which he completed 59% of his passes and threw for more than 1,200 yards.
The offense averaged just 21.7 points per game last season, hardly the explosive brand typically associated with Rodriguez. But with another year of development, a strong recruiting class and transfer additions, a return to postseason contention feels realistic for the Mountaineers.
Marshall
Question: Can the Herd field a defense good enough to complement its explosive offense?
Marshall proved in 2025 it could score with almost anyone in the Sun Belt Conference.
The Herd averaged 30.8 points and nearly 405 yards per game behind quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and a dynamic group of playmakers that included Adrian Norton and De’Andre Tamarez.
The problem was Marshall often had to win shootouts because the defense struggled to consistently get stops against elite passing attacks.
Marshall allowed 3,140 passing yards and 24 passing touchdowns in 2025, surrendering 261.7 passing yards per game. Opponents eclipsed 400 yards of offense multiple times, including Texas State’s 558-yard performance and Louisiana’s 54-point outburst.
That makes the defensive rebuild the defining storyline entering 2026.
Marshall aggressively attacked the transfer portal and added experience across all three levels with players such as linebacker Javae Gilmore (Mississippi State), safety Terrente Hinton (N.C. State), cornerback Eddie Pleasant III (Buffalo), defensive back Philipp Davis (Michigan State) and edge rusher Kelvon McBride (N.C. State).
The returning core still has talent, particularly Cannon Lewis, Caleb Clark-Glover and Braydin Ward, but improvement in the secondary is non-negotiable if Marshall hopes to climb back into the Sun Belt title race.
Shepherd
Question: Can the Rams carry their 2025 momentum into 2026?
Few teams in the region had a stranger season than Shepherd in 2025.
The Rams opened the year with four straight losses, including a 49-10 blowout against Kutztown, before completely flipping the script and ripping off seven consecutive victories to finish 7-4 overall and 6-1 in PSAC play.
That turnaround did not feel fluky.
Shepherd quietly developed into one of the more balanced Division II teams in the region, averaging more than 30 points per game while allowing just 27.1.
Running back Jordan Barnett emerged as one of the top playmakers in the Atlantic Region after rushing for 1,209 yards and 17 touchdowns, while quarterback Michael Hardyway threw for more than 2,300 yards with only five interceptions.
The bigger reason for optimism entering 2026 may be continuity.
Shepherd returns several key contributors on both sides of the ball, including Hardyway, receivers Kordell Batten and Jaden Ashby, defensive back Will Johnson and linebacker Makai Young.
The Rams also continue to pull heavily from the Eastern Panhandle pipeline with contributors from Martinsburg, Hedgesville and Musselman throughout the roster.
Now comes the real question: Was the second half of 2025 the beginning of Shepherd’s return as a regional power, or simply a team that got hot after a brutal start?
If the Rams carry that late-season momentum into 2026, they could become one of the more dangerous Division II teams in the Atlantic Region.
Fairmont State
Question: Can Fairmont State turn explosive offense into consistent winning?
Few Division II teams in the region were more entertaining than Fairmont State in 2025.
The Falcons averaged more than 33 points and 471 yards of offense per game behind one of the MEC’s top rushing attacks.
Running back Leonard Farrow emerged as one of the most dynamic players in the conference after rushing for 1,438 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging more than eight yards per carry. Quarterback Nino Marzullo added another dimension with 2,444 passing yards, 23 touchdown passes and eight rushing scores.
The problem was consistency.
Fairmont State finished just 6-5 overall and 3-5 in MEC play despite possessing one of the league’s most explosive offenses. The Falcons lost four conference games by double digits and surrendered nearly 34 points per game, including 60 points against West Virginia State and 45 against Charleston.
Still, there’s real reason for optimism entering 2026.
Assuming most of the underclassmen and juniors return, Fairmont State should bring back a large portion of its offensive core, including Marzullo, Farrow, tight end Davin Driskell and several key defensive contributors such as Tyrees Smith, Montel Sims and Karron Watties.
The question now becomes whether the Falcons can take the next step from dangerous spoiler to legitimate contender.
The offense already looks championship caliber. If the defense improves even marginally, Fairmont State could become one of the more intriguing teams in the Mountain East Conference.
Charleston
Question: Can the Golden Eagles take the next step from conference contender to regional power?
Charleston quietly put together one of the best seasons in Division II football in 2025.
The Golden Eagles finished 8-3 overall and 7-1 in MEC play while averaging more than 36 points per game and allowing just 23.4.
Charleston dominated on the ground, rushing for nearly 2,500 yards and 29 touchdowns behind a deep stable of running backs led by Jaylen Butera, Joshua Donald and quarterback Ean Hamric.
That balance made Charleston one of the most complete teams in the conference.
The Golden Eagles could beat opponents with physicality, explosive special teams or defensive pressure. Charleston held opponents to just 117 rushing yards per game while forcing 10 interceptions and recording 23 sacks.
The offense also returns several important pieces assuming the bulk of the underclassmen and juniors are back in 2026, including Hamric, Butera, Caleb Barringer, Demarco Fleming and Nesta Owens.
Now the challenge becomes elevating from good to elite.
Charleston has clearly established itself as one of the MEC’s premier programs under head coach Mike Tesch, but the next step is becoming a consistent playoff contender in the Atlantic Region.
The pieces appear to be there, especially offensively. The question entering 2026 is whether the Golden Eagles can turn conference success into something bigger nationally.
Glenville State
Question: Are the Pioneers a legitimate MEC championship threat?
Glenville State quietly fielded one of the more explosive offenses in Division II football last season, averaging nearly 32 points and 452 yards per game while finishing 6-5 overall and 5-3 in MEC play.
The biggest reason for optimism entering 2026 is simple — most of the core returns.
Quarterback Anthony Garrett accounted for more than 3,300 yards of total offense and 31 touchdowns in 2025, throwing for 3,003 yards and 29 scores while adding another 306 rushing yards.
The Pioneers also return one of the MEC’s top playmakers in running back Jeremiah King, who rushed for 1,067 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 243 receiving yards.
Even with several departures at receiver, Glenville State attacked the transfer portal and reloaded its skill positions with transfers and veterans, including former UTEP wide receiver Caden Harris, UVA Wise transfer Rico Thomas and veteran running backs Zavione Wood and Graylan Holland.
Defensively, the Pioneers return several key contributors from a unit that improved throughout conference play, including Brandon Penn, Tank Gant, Sean Scott and Henry Lyes.
The real question for Glenville State is whether it can finally put together consistency against the league’s top teams.
The Pioneers showed flashes last season with wins over Fairmont State, Concord and West Liberty, but costly losses to Charleston, West Virginia State and Wheeling kept them from making a serious MEC title push.
The offense is already championship caliber. If the defense takes another step forward, Glenville State could emerge as one of the biggest challengers to Charleston and Fairmont State in the MEC race.
Wheeling
Question: Are the Cardinals ready to go from spoiler to legitimate MEC contender?
Wheeling may have been one of the most dangerous teams in the MEC last season, even if the final record did not fully reflect it.
The Cardinals finished 6-5 overall and 5-3 in conference play, knocking off Fairmont State, West Virginia State and Glenville State while nearly upsetting Charleston and losing a wild 68-67 shootout to West Liberty in the season finale.
The offense showed plenty of balance, averaging nearly 28 points per game with more than 3,900 total yards.
Running back Steven Mitchell rushed for 639 yards and 10 touchdowns, while quarterbacks Ade Olanegan and Landon Lutz combined for 2,445 passing yards and 20 touchdowns.
The encouraging news for Wheeling is much of that offensive core returns in 2026.
Lutz is back at quarterback, along with leading receivers Colin Oberdick and Jordan Kaiser, who combined for more than 1,000 receiving yards and nine touchdowns last season.
The Cardinals also return explosive all-purpose threat Solo Love, who piled up nearly 800 all-purpose yards and two return touchdowns in 2025.
Defensively, Wheeling quietly fielded one of the league’s more disruptive units with 12 interceptions and 70 tackles for loss. Leonard Sherrod III led the secondary with five interceptions, while Bretanys-Desca Jefferson piled up a team-high 114 tackles.
The biggest question entering 2026 is consistency.
Wheeling proved it could compete with nearly anyone in the MEC, but the Cardinals also opened the year 0-2 and struggled defensively at times against elite offenses, allowing more than 30 points in six games.
If Wheeling can clean up the defensive lapses and find more week-to-week consistency, the Cardinals have enough returning talent to become a legitimate dark horse in the MEC race.
West Virginia State
Question: Can the Yellow Jackets replace their explosive playmakers and still contend in the MEC?
West Virginia State quietly fielded one of the MEC’s most explosive offenses in 2025, averaging more than 30 points and 410 yards per game.
The problem entering 2026 is replacing several of the players responsible for that production.
The Yellow Jackets lose dynamic receivers Amare Ary and Malik Baker, who combined for nearly 1,600 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, along with veteran running back Justin Pessoa and defensive leaders Marshawn Mankins and Daryl Fletcher.
Those are not easy pieces to replace for a program that finished 5-6 overall and 4-4 in MEC play.
Still, there is enough returning talent for optimism.
Quarterback Kaleb Jackson returns after throwing for 2,287 yards and 17 touchdowns while also rushing for 254 yards and three scores.
The rushing attack should remain a strength with Jojo Restall, Devin Cox and Nasean Hill all back after combining for nearly 1,700 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.
Defensively, the Yellow Jackets return several intriguing pieces in the secondary, including Jacob Camacho, Shawn Russ Jr. and Keenan Libecca, who combined for five interceptions in 2025.
Young front-seven players such as Kyeran Garcia, Daesean Jackson and Demary Toney could take on expanded roles after flashing playmaking ability last season.
The biggest issue for West Virginia State last season was consistency.
The Yellow Jackets scored 52 or more points three times, but they also allowed 38 or more points in five games and struggled against the upper tier of the schedule, including losses to Charleston, West Liberty and West Florida.
If Jackson takes another step forward and the new skill players develop quickly, West Virginia State has enough offensive firepower to remain dangerous in the MEC.
The question is whether the Yellow Jackets can replace their departed stars while tightening up a defense that surrendered more than 32 points per game last season.