‘We’re Losing the Soul of the Game’: Rich Rodriguez Calls Out NIL Abuse and Portal Tampering at WVU
Under the golden lights of Milan Puskar Stadium, where legends like Pat White and Steve Slaton once carved their names into West Virginia football lore, Head Coach Rich Rodriguez didn’t mince words. As the 2025 offseason raged with whispers of million-dollar NIL deals and portal poaching, Rodriguez took to the microphone—not for damage control, but for truth.
“We’re losing the soul of the game,” Rodriguez declared, his tone solemn but unwavering. “This sport used to be about grit, loyalty, and team. Now it’s about agents, brokers, and buyouts.”
Rodriguez, no stranger to the highs and lows of college football, has seen the sport evolve dramatically since his first stint in Morgantown. But this new era—defined by Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and a transfer portal with minimal restrictions—has him concerned not just for West Virginia, but for the integrity of the game itself.
He recounted how, just weeks earlier, his sophomore quarterback—fresh off a breakout season—was approached by two NIL collectives tied to SEC schools. The offers? A luxury vehicle, $1.1 million in cash, and a guaranteed endorsement with a national apparel brand. The kicker? The player hadn’t even entered the transfer portal.
“That’s tampering, plain and simple,” Rodriguez said. “It’s illegal, but no one’s enforcing anything. It’s the wild west, and the sheriffs are asleep.”
Rodriguez emphasized he wasn’t anti-player. In fact, he fully supports NIL rights, calling them “long overdue.” But he criticized the lack of structure, transparency, and consequences.
“I want our players to earn what they’re worth,” he said. “But right now, it’s a loophole-riddled system where kids are pressured to chase cash instead of championships. And it’s killing culture.”
He pointed to the case of star linebacker Dorian West, who turned down a $750,000 NIL package to stay at WVU.
“Dorian said, ‘Coach, I came here to leave a legacy, not cash out early.’ That’s rare now. That’s what we’re fighting to protect.”
Rodriguez proposed solutions: enforceable tampering penalties, a standardized NIL registry, a two-year commitment rule post-transfer, and mandatory educational programming for high school recruits on financial literacy and long-term career planning.
“This isn’t about control—it’s about stability,” he said. “We’re losing kids to promises that evaporate once the ink dries. Meanwhile, programs like ours spend more time protecting rosters than developing them.”
As Rodriguez walked off the podium, the silence in the room spoke volumes. His words weren’t just criticism—they were a call to action. A warning. A plea for balance.
“If we keep going down this road,” he said before leaving, “there won’t be programs left—just paychecks and portals.”
In Morgantown, where blue and gold still mean something deeper, Rich Rodriguez is trying to hold the line.