West Virginia recently offered a 13-year-old kid a football scholarship – but this recruit is no “normal” 13-year-old. The recruit has strong connections to the current coaching staff, the program, and head coach Rich Rodriguez.
WVU football has officially offered 13-year-old Noel Devine Jr., the offer being announced back on September 10. Yes, that is Noel Devine Sr.’s son, the current running backs coach for the West Virginia Mountaineers and WVU football legend. Devine Jr. is one of the youngest recruits that coach Rodriguez has ever offered – he is currently an eighth grader but has already received two football offers, including from his dad’s alma mater.
Surreal moment my son Noel received his 2nd offer. From my alma mater, where I now coach and from the same coach who offered me coming out of high school Coach Rich Rod! Proud is a understatement. First 8th grader coach ever offered! https://t.co/FbujkCwdGG
— Noel Devine (@noel_devine7) September 8, 2025
As the youngest player to ever be offered by coach Rodriguez and one of the youngest players to ever receive an offer from WVU football, Devine Jr. could be special in Morgantown – though it is way too early to know for sure. So why does it make sense to offer a 13-year-old kid who has not played a down of high school football?
It makes sense to offer Devine Jr. for several reasons. For one, should he turn out to be a stud, offering at such a young age should prove to hold an edge in other offers. Showing confidence and trust in both Devine Jr. and Devine Sr. by submitting an official offer in a really early part of the recruiting process proves that Rodriguez and his staff believe in Devine Jr. and his future.
Secondly, extending the offer to the 13-year-old demonstrates the value that the program places on the running backs coach. Giving his son, who has to play in high school, a Power 4 conference scholarship offer showcases the value they have on Devine, and that the program is likely hoping to keep him in Morgantown. And it's a great strategy to attempt to bring in his son and offer the both of them something special that not a lot of college coaches and athletes have an opportunity to experience. If other college programs were to become interested in Devine as a coach, WVU could pitch the idea of him being able to coach his son, and remind him how much they believed in him and his son at such an early point in the recruiting process.
Lastly, keeping a legacy in the old-gold-and-blue is just good for optics. Not getting Devine Jr. to WVU would be a bit of worry for how it would make the WVU program look, especially considering that his dad is the coach. Not landing a legacy player brings a lot of question marks and criticism to a program, and the Mountaineers have already added Devne's oldest son Andre to the roster after he played for Rodriguez at Jacksonville State.
There are several reasons why it is a good idea to offer Devine Jr. at such a young age. Maybe he turns out to be an exceptional player, maybe he doesn't – but it doesn’t hurt to be the second program to offer the young man.