West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez has banned his team from posting dancing videos on TikTok.
“We try to have a hard edge, whatever. And you’re in there in your tights, dancing on TikTok. It ain’t quite the image of our program I want,” Rodriguez told reporters on Monday.
Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter often posts dance videos on TikTok. The former Colorado football star received over 1 million ‘likes’ on a video that showed him dancing with his Heisman trophy.
But Rodriguez says dancing on TikTok is far from the masculine image he wants for his players.
“I told the team today, everything today is about trying to make people individual,” Rodriguez said. “It’s all about the individual. Football is one of the last things that’s more about the team than the individual. I banned dancing on TikTok, I guess I did that. Anything that doesn’t look like what our program should look like.”
The TikTok video streaming app is popular among adolescents, teens and young adults. TikTok videos set trends and can make or break songs.
Rodriguez says he’s not banning TikTok, he’s just asking his players to focus on winning football games – not dancing.
“In 20 years if they want to be in the basement in their pajamas eating Cheetos and watching TikTok then go at it,” Rodriguez said. “Smoking cannabis? Whatever. Knock yourself out. But I hope your focus can be on winning football games. How about let’s win the football games and not worry about winning the TikTok.”
