WOW: Rich Rodriguez is PERFECT for West Virginia, Goes On VIRAL RANT On Fixing College Football
WOW: Rich Rodriguez is PERFECT for West Virginia, Goes On VIRAL RANT On Fixing College Football  
Podcast: Locked On Big 12 | Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast
Published On: Thu Jul 31 2025
Description: West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez delivered a passionate and candid press conference on Thursday, July 31, 2025, following the team's second day of fall camp. His comments, which quickly went viral, touched on a variety of topics, from his team's performance to the broader state of college athletics and society at large. Here are the key takeaways from his "rant": "Softness" in Society and Athletes: The central theme of Rodriguez's comments was a belief that "we're softer as a society" and, by extension, "we're softer as athletes." He argued that modern players are constantly surrounded by a culture that tries to "make it easier for them" instead of challenging them to get through adversity. He said his job is to teach them to be "uncomfortable." A Practice to Forget: Rodriguez's frustration stemmed from a disappointing Day Two of practice, where he felt the team "didn't take great steps." He noted that only two of the team's running backs finished practice without having to tap out, a fact that seemed to particularly irk the head coach. The "Fantasy World" of College Athletics: In a moment of unfiltered honesty, Rodriguez described the lavish facilities and amenities available to today's college athletes and coaches. He pointed out the access to state-of-the-art buildings, free food, medical care, and even an "ice cream machine with sprinkles," concluding that they "live in a fantasy world." He contrasted this with the hard work and "weed pulling" that were once necessary to succeed. Threat to Use the Transfer Portal: Rodriguez delivered a thinly veiled threat to any players not meeting his standards. He noted that there were "still 4,000 kids in the portal" and that he had "a spot or two open," making it clear that he would not hesitate to make roster changes if a lack of toughness or effort persists. A Pattern of Tough Love: While the comments may have seemed out of the blue, reports from sources close to the program indicated that Rodriguez's wife, Rita, mentioned that he's "always like this the second day of practice," suggesting that this "tough love" approach is a deliberate part of his coaching style. In summary, Rich Rodriguez's press conference was a fiery call to action for his team, challenging them to reject the comforts of the modern era and embrace the mental and physical toughness required to win. Sources Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOBig12?sid=YouTube Locked On College Conferences, HBCU, Basketball & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnCollege Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drakectoll Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LOBig12 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.