Ryan Garrett, the new wide receivers coach at West Virginia, has an interesting backstory about his journey to this role. He shared a moment from his time at Ole Miss when he worked alongside Rich Rodriguez. Garrett’s story reminded me of a famous moment involving John Lennon, who once jumped into a helicopter ride with the Maharishi to get answers. Similarly, Garrett jumped at the chance to spend one-on-one time with Rodriguez when an unexpected situation left them alone for a long car ride.

Garrett, originally from Hendersonville, North Carolina, didn’t play much college football, so he switched gears and started coaching. After some time at Ole Miss, he met Rodriguez, and the two hit it off. Garrett made sure to stay close to Rodriguez, showing he was eager to learn and willing to put in the work. His commitment paid off, as Rodriguez gave him opportunities that led him to roles at Louisiana-Monroe and Jacksonville State before landing at WVU.

Garrett has learned a lot from Rodriguez’s tough coaching style, which emphasizes the importance of every day being purposeful. He applies this philosophy to his own coaching, focusing on toughness and a hard-edge approach when recruiting players.

Garrett’s goal is to help the Mountaineers win by working hard and staying focused, just like he did during his early days with Rodriguez