West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez has announced that he is prohibiting his football players from engaging in TikTok dancing as the team gears up for the upcoming season. Rodriguez emphasized that he is not restricting his players from using the platform entirely but rather discouraging them from creating dance videos. He expressed concern that excessive time spent on TikTok could detract from players’ focus on training and game preparation, potentially impacting their performance on the field.
“I’m not banning them from [TikTok], but I’m banning them from dancing on it,” Rodriguez stated in a Monday press conference, acknowledging the players’ social media habits. He underscored the importance of maintaining a competitive edge and emphasized that dancing on TikTok does not align with the image he seeks for the program.
TikTok, a popular social media app launched in 2016, allows users to produce and share short videos, often featuring viral dance trends. Despite the prevalence of football players like Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter sharing dance videos on the platform, Rodriguez urged his team to prioritize winning football games over gaining popularity on TikTok.
“We need to focus on winning football games. Let’s prioritize our performance on the field rather than our presence on TikTok,” Rodriguez reiterated, highlighting his commitment to the team’s success.
The 2025 college football season is set to kick off on Saturday, August 23, 2025, with a lineup of “Week Zero” games, including matchups like the Aer Lingus College Football Classic and various other contests. Week 1 will follow the next week, with most games scheduled for Saturday, August 30, coinciding with Labor Day weekend.
