There are a lot of things that go into recruiting, but at the end of the day, it comes down to finding the right fit and going to a place that will maximize your skill set.
That wasn't happening for quarterback Mike Hawkins Jr. at Oklahoma, but it certainly is at his new home in Morgantown, orchestrating one of the top offensive attacks in college football.
"I just loved his mindset," Hawkins said about head coach Rich Rodriguez during his appearance on the Heisman Hopefuls podcast. "Developing the offense as a whole and not just the quarterback. Getting guys involved and getting a lot of guys on the field, rotating guys. So that was probably the biggest thing, and just building relationships. Even the defensive side of the ball and having relationships with those guys."
At Oklahoma, Hawkins' development was not the first priority once they hired offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who brought QB John Mateer with him from Washington State. Head coach Brent Venables was heavily involved in the defense and not nearly as much with the offense. So here at WVU, it's a much different setup for Hawkins.
"Rich Rod is very hands-on; he knows what he wants. That's a great feeling just having a head coach that's on the offensive side and can tell you things that you probably haven't known, teaching you things every week. It's great having him in our rooms and being able to help us."
Not only is it super beneficial to have the head coach meet with you all throughout the week and game plan, but also to have a special talent like Pat White, who knows the offense like the back of his hand, helping you along the way.
"Just always staying down and keep my feet right," Hawkins said when asked what White's main advice to him is. "He's a great mentor. Just technique, keep my eyes right and in the right place. I probably watch him once a week just on my own time, seeing the things he did and watching his highlights. He's a great player to watch."
It's pretty obvious that the Mountaineers not only solved the quarterback spot, but have a legitimate star to build around in the future. Rich Rod and his staff just have to put a package together to keep him in Morgantown for the rest of his collegiate career.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/westvirginia as Mike Hawkins Jr. Explains Why Rich Rodriguez and WVU Were the Right Fit .
