College football’s landscape never sits still, and the Big 12 Conference might just be the wildest of the bunch. There aren’t any long-term, untouchable powerhouses here—just a bunch of teams flipping their luck every couple of years.
West Virginia’s senior offensive assistant, Travis Trickett, has plenty to say about this so-called “flip league.” The Mountaineers are itching to turn things around for 2025, working under head coach Rich Rodriguez to build a roster that can keep up with all the chaos. They’re leaning hard on the transfer portal and, honestly, just trying to piece together a team that can handle the Big 12’s unpredictability.
The Big 12: A Flip League
The Big 12’s reputation as a “flip league” is well-earned. Since Texas and Oklahoma took off, it’s been a revolving door at the top—nobody stays king for long.
Examples of Successful Flips
Plenty of programs have pulled off wild turnarounds in just a season or two:
- TCU: Sonny Dykes took them from five wins in 2021 to sniffing a national title. That’s not something you see every day.
- Arizona State: Kenny Dillingham somehow got them from three wins in 2023 to 11 wins and a Playoff spot in 2024.
- Texas Tech: With Cody Campbell’s backing, they went from afterthought to serious Playoff contender.
- Arizona: Brent Brennan turned a 4-8 slog in 2024 into a 9-4 season and a Holiday Bowl invite. Not too shabby.
- Baylor: Dave Arranda flipped a 2-7 mess in 2020 into a 12-2 run the next year. Talk about a turnaround.
West Virginia’s Strategy
Now, West Virginia wants in on the action. Coach Rich Rodriguez isn’t shy about using the transfer portal to beef up the roster. Sure, they’ve signed a strong high school and JUCO class, but Rodriguez keeps stressing how valuable it is to bring in seasoned veterans through transfers.
Roster Composition
Heading into spring, here’s how the roster shakes out:
- 37 transfer portal additions
- 36 high school recruits
- 12 junior college additions
- 34 players sticking around from last year
Mixing that much experience with raw talent… well, it’s got to help, right?
Focus on Experience
Rodriguez and his staff are zeroing in on guys who’ve actually played real snaps. Trickett points out that teams pulling off quick flips almost always have a bunch of players who’ve been through the grind. It’s one thing to have talent, but experience? That’s the difference-maker.
Spring and Summer Preparations
Rodriguez seemed upbeat after spring ball, even if last season only ended with four wins. Now, it’s all about the offseason grind: about 40 workouts and close to 20 skill sessions, per NCAA rules.
He keeps telling his players—don’t just memorize plays, understand the reasons behind them. That kind of thinking could really set them apart when August camp rolls around.
Rodriguez’s Track Record
Rodriguez isn’t new to this. Back in 2001, his first year at West Virginia, they only won three games. By year two? Nine wins and a bowl trip. Three years after that, they nearly topped the national rankings after beating Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
Building a Winning Culture
He’ll tell you—the first year is always the toughest for building culture. Even with so many new faces, the returners are helping set the tone in Morgantown. Rodriguez sounds genuinely excited about this group. Maybe they’ll be fun to watch, maybe not, but they’re definitely not going to be boring.
Season Outlook
West Virginia kicks off its season on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Milan Puskar Stadium. The opener is against Coastal Carolina.
The conference schedule starts a few weeks later. On Saturday, Sept. 26, Oklahoma State comes to Morgantown.
The Mountaineers have a fresh roster this year. There’s a lot of talk about experience and new strategies, so maybe they’ll surprise a few folks in the Big 12.
If you’re curious about how West Virginia is shaping up and what they’re cooking behind the scenes, check out Mountaineers Working to Flip the Script for 2025.
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