In the classic 1984 movie *Footloose*, Kevin Bacon’s character, Ren, fervently insists that the town should embrace dancing. Conversely, if you happen to be West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez, the notion of dancing is *never* acceptable.

In one of the more entertaining displays of “football guys being football guys,” Rodriguez has barred his players from dancing on TikTok. This restriction doesn’t extend to using the app or sharing content—just the act of *dancing*.

“They’re going to be on it, so I’m not prohibiting them from it,” Rodriguez stated on Monday, as reported by [ESPN](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/44209533/west-virginia-coach-rich-rodriguez-bans-tiktok-dancing). “I’m merely forbidding them from dancing on it. It’s like, look, we aim to maintain a tough image or whatever, and you’re in there in your tights dancing on TikTok—doesn’t quite represent our program the way I envision.”

Let’s pause to consider the ridiculousness of this. (Very.) This policy clearly stems from Rodriguez’s own beliefs about strength and masculinity. Moreover, it could potentially harm the team in an age when [college athletes can earn money from their name, image, and likeness](https://mashable.com/article/ncaa-college-football-2025-ea-sports-return-reviews) and transfer freely between schools.

Why is this significant? Because some of the top players in college football *do* engage in TikTok dancing. Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Travis Hunter, frequently shares dance videos. The same goes for runner-up Ashton Jeanty. Would elite athletes choose to join a program that prohibits something as innocuous as TikTok dancing? Likely not. While it may not be a *major* consideration, it could be sufficient to sway top recruits who have numerous alternatives.

Rodriguez is entirely justified in implementing team regulations, a fact he reiterated to journalists. However, as he makes his return to West Virginia almost [20 years after](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/42920015/sources-rich-rodriguez-set-return-west-virginia-coach) guiding the Mountaineers to some of their finest seasons, banning TikTok dancing feels like an outdated notion—much like the coach himself may also be.