The return of Rich Rodriguez to West Virginia gave fans hope on the football team returning to the good old days of the early 2000s. Rodriguez had success with the program before taking the Michigan job, leaving the football team in a spiral for the last decade, with the exception of a couple of seasons.

Athletic director Wren Baker, who hired Rodriguez, is fully bought in. It wasn’t a surprise since Baker’s taking a big risk bringing back a villain of WVU to hopefully rejuvenate the team. He doesn’t have a choice, and it’s shown.

Baker’s listening to fans, fully committed to the good old days, and filled the quiet offseason with a throwback jersey reveal and the return of the glossy helmets to hype fans even more for Rodriguez’s return.

WVU announced the 1965 throwback uniforms will appear sometime in 2025. These are similar to the uniforms worn when WVU played in the Southern Conference 60 years ago, which included during the highest scoring Backyard Brawl, resulting in a 63-48 win over Pitt.

“The inspiration really came shortly after Wren got here,” WVU deputy director of athletics Matt Wells said in a press release. “He was familiarizing himself with the history of Mountaineer football, and he saw the 1965 helmet on display over at the Hall of Traditions. That started a conversation of, ‘Hey, what can we do with that?'”

Continuing to listen to fans requests, weeks later, the highly requested glossy helmets, which were a staple during Rodriguez’s first tenure, were announced to return. Rodriguez was featured in the social media video announcing them, too. The glossy helmets were replaced with the matte ones in 2013, years after Rodriguez left.

Prior to Big 12 Media Days, the WVU player representatives, wide receiver Jaden Bray, defensive lineman Edward Vesterinen and center Landen Livingston, were shown on social media holding the glossy helmets.

The trio were all on the team last season when the matte helmets were used, so the gloss is new to them.

“I absolutely love them,” Livingston said. “I feel like the glossy helmet is a great addition. Obviously, kind of seeing clips of what they looked like back then, and seeing it now is insane. Adding some of the gold sparkle on it. I really like that.”

During the media days, the players didn’t sport the throwback uniforms. The all-navy uniforms and yellow lettering were displayed on the manikin and on the players before getting into suits to talk to the media.

However, the players saw the throwbacks and gave their opinions on them.

“I like those throwback ones,” Bray said. “I wonder when we’re gonna wear them, but I think they’re super nice. I like them.”

The glossy helmets will be back, but there’s no date for when the throwback uniforms will be used. WVU’s theme games were announced, and there’s a possibility they are worn for the Backyard Brawl, against Utah for Hall of Fame Weekend or TCU for homecoming. The Backyard Brawl could be the favorite to land the throwbacks as a homage to the 63-48 win over Pitt when the uniforms were worn.

No matter the date, the players are excited to rock the uniforms.

“Obviously we revealed the new throwback uniforms, which I think very cool,” Livingston said. “Obviously, to show respect to our to our school years ago, would be very cool.”