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Travis Trickett adapting to new coaching challenges, excited about tight end prospects

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Over the past month and a half, working remotely has become a new business practice for millions across the world. WVU tight ends and inside receivers coach Travis Trickett has his mobile office in his basement.

“I’ve got a good little setup,” Trickett said. “We have the film hooked up to the TV. And we’ve got a recruiting station over there next to my daughter’s princess tent. We’re making it work.”

Saturday was originally scheduled to bring the conclusion of spring practice with the annual Gold-Blue Game. Instead, Trickett’s players are scattered, meeting virtually as they did Friday with 2000 NFL first-round selection and former Mountaineer tight end Anthony Becht.

“It has really challenged us on our end as coaches with our teaching methods. It is not the typical classroom setting where you can kind of control the environment and you can keep the attention. All these guys are in their houses all over the United States in their own environments trying to log in. So you have to create a teaching environment virtually without controlling the environment they are in where they can be engaged.

“I try to make my meetings 50-50. Half the time I am talking, half the time they are talking. It gives them a lot more ownership. We do a daily motivational. I will pick someone out, give them a day or two notice and they lead off and talk to the guys. It has brought us a lot closer because everyone has a platform to talk and be engaged. You really get to dive in on some details to guys that not everyone in the room might have known.”

Online meetings have become common occurrences especially now that the Big 12 Conference is allowing up to eight hours per week. That includes film study.

“Coaches have kind of been dinosaurs technology-wise. Instead of having to be in the office to do my work, we have realized that is not the case. There’s a lot of technology we have not been using over the years. We are pretty savvy with it. We are kind of patting ourselves on the back right now as coaches because you can get creative.”

Travis Trickett during the 2019 spring game.

In-person recruiting is also shut down but the Mountaineers were able to get several prospective athletes on campus early in the winter. Seven verbal commitments are already in place for the Class of 2021.

“The great thing about this 2021 recruiting class that we are on right now is that we got a head start on it in December. Coach Brown made a priority of getting guys to campus in December and January and maximizing those windows. That has paid dividends for us.”

Prior to the shutdown of activities, the Mountaineers were only able to get two spring practices in. Regardless, Trickett has been impressed with the early returns from redshirt sophomores Mike O’Laughlin and T.J. Banks.

“I was really excited with where those guys are headed. With Mike, last year he was coming off a knee (injury) from the year before. He didn’t get much of a spring ball so all he had was fall camp. This was going to be his first true offseason to just go and get good at the little things.

“T.J. was growing up and doing some things that had us excited. Towards the end of the year he got us excited and got reliable on some aspects. He was able to contribute and help us in some short yardage situations.”

December signee Charles Finley could also get into the mix this fall.

“When he gets over here and can feed him a good three meals a day and start pumping that food in him, I think he will be a lot like Anthony Becht. Becht was a 190-pound receiver out of high school and developed into a first round pick. I’m not saying Charles is that but in terms of development, West Virginia has always been a developmental program.”

Five of West Virginia’s six leading receivers are back, including sophomore Winston Wright. He reeled in 19 passes on the year and had a kickoff return for a touchdown against Baylor.

“Winston is a guy that is obsessed with being great and does a lot of little things on his own. I am impressed with his improvement in a short amount of time.”

WVU receiver Winston Wright

Catching up with Rick Trickett

Travis’ father Rick just finished his first season back at his alma mater of Glenville State, serving as assistant to the head coach, run game coordinator and offensive line coach. The former WVU O-Line coach is in Florida this spring.

“He is trying to build the economy back up so he has been on a spending spree of weight room equipment. He has a makeshift all-star weight room in his garage. He’s got a bench that he put together. He’s got weights. He’s got a bike, he has all that.

“He has been doing five hundred pushups a day. Quarantine does a body good for the Trickett family. He is proud to be a 72-year-old pumping weights right now.”