West Virginia Hosts Annual Spring Football Festival

Head coach Rich Rodriguez discusses the event's competitive scrimmage and fan activities.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 5:07pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a West Virginia football practice or game, with players and the field broken down into overlapping angular shapes in the team's gold and blue colors.A cubist interpretation of the competitive energy and team dynamics on display at West Virginia's annual spring football festival.Morgantown Today

West Virginia University will host its annual spring football festival this Saturday, featuring a competitive scrimmage between two teams as well as various fan activities and a concert by country music artist Jake Owen. Head coach Rich Rodriguez discussed the value of the spring event for evaluating new players and providing an exciting experience for Mountaineer fans.

Why it matters

The spring festival allows WVU to showcase its football program to fans and gives the coaching staff an opportunity to assess the team's roster ahead of the upcoming season. It's an important annual tradition that generates excitement for the program and community.

The details

The spring festival will include a live scrimmage with the team split into two groups, which Rodriguez said will be more competitive than usual due to the number of new faces on the roster. In addition to the football action, the event will feature a jersey sale and other fan activities. Country star Jake Owen is scheduled to perform a concert at the conclusion of the festival.

  • The spring festival will take place this Saturday, April 17, 2026.
  • Kickoff for the scrimmage is set for 12 p.m.

The players

Rich Rodriguez

The head football coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers.

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What they’re saying

“'Because I'm still evaluating. We're still trying to figure out who's what and where, it will be a little more competitive than we've traditionally done in the past.'”

— Rich Rodriguez, Head Coach

“'I think there's always a place for that and for fans to come and enjoy it and see some football a little bit.'”

— Rich Rodriguez, Head Coach

“'I know our players are really looking forward to it, our blue/white deal. I've talked to a lot of fans that are excited about coming up and seeing some of the new guys.'”

— Rich Rodriguez, Head Coach

What’s next

Fans are encouraged to attend the spring festival this Saturday to see the Mountaineers in action and enjoy the various activities and entertainment.

The takeaway

West Virginia's annual spring football festival provides an exciting opportunity for the team to showcase its talent to fans and for the coaching staff to evaluate the roster ahead of the upcoming season. The event's mix of competitive football and fan-friendly activities makes it a must-attend tradition for Mountaineer supporters.