West Virginia’s defense hasn’t exactly been a finished product through two weeks, and now Rich Rodriguez has offered a pretty direct explanation for why some of the rough edges showed up.
Rodriguez said on his radio show Monday night that the Mountaineers put some new defensive wrinkles on the field against UT Martin - including things the staff hadn’t had much time to rep.
“There were some things that we did that we didn't want to show, or things we didn't want to do in this game defensively,” head coach Rich Rodriguez said during his radio show on Monday night. “Some of the things that we put in our guys are probably still learning, as far as how we want to run it on defense.
We ran some stuff in that game for the first time that we knew we were going to need for the future, and we hadn't had a lot of practice time with it, but we've had some. You could tell it was the first time we were doing some of that.
This week and going forward, it won't be the first time we're doing it, so our guys will get better at it.”
That helps explain why the first half against UT Martin looked so disconnected at times. Guys seemed unsure of where to line up before the snap, where to drop in coverage, and the whole thing had a little too much confusion for comfort.
Rodriguez was asked whether the issues were tied to moving players around to get them reps or just trying to absorb too much of the scheme at once.
“First off, there's some new stuff that we're doing, and also probably it's a combination of all of the above with a lot of new players. There's not a lot of guys on either side of the ball, but I think defensively there's even more, where they are playing their first games in this system.
I wish I had a couple of preseason scrimmages against somebody else to kind of figure out exactly what our guys do well and how we want to go about doing it, so I don't want to say these were like scrimmage games, but in a sense we weren't as game-ready as maybe we'd like to have been on any phase in the first game. But I don't know that I've ever been as ready as I'd like to have been in the first game or two.
I think our defensive guys do a good job. They do a good job of adjusting; our coaches have a good plan for them, and every game they'll get better.
This will be the biggest challenge by far that we've had. Three-and-outs are such a big deal for me and for us defensively because it makes them come right back on the field and play against a tempo offense for three more plays in a hurry.”
The bigger picture, though, is that West Virginia’s defense has really been a tale of two halves in both games so far. The final numbers have plenty of eye-catching moments, including explosive plays allowed to Coastal Carolina and UT Martin, but the breakdown is more about one strong half and one shaky half in each outing.
Defensive coordinator Zac Alley already pointed to some “complacency” after the 24-0 lead against Coastal Carolina, especially when it came to keeping contain in the second half.
Rodriguez’s comments suggest the UT Martin hiccups weren’t just about execution, but about installing and testing things the staff expects to lean on later. He also said the week just passed was the right time to get some of those reps.
Even so, it still leaves some curiosity about exactly what those new looks were and how often they were used. With Virginia coming up, it makes sense to wonder whether the staff will keep feeding the defense the same way or trim it back and focus on the calls the players know best.
Maybe Alley will provide a little more detail when he speaks with the media later today. For now, the explanation for at least part of the first-half confusion against UT Martin is on the record: West Virginia was trying some things it hadn’t practiced a lot, and it showed.
In Other News...
Zac Alley Just Put West Virginias Biggest Defensive Concern On Blast
Communication is now the first thing West Virginias defense has to clean up, and defensive coordinator Zac Alley made that point clear after the recent game. For a unit that has spent the early part of the year trying to find consistency, Alley said the biggest issue was not a lack of effort so much as getting the call to travel cleanly from the sideline to the field and back among the players once the offense started shifting looks.
The challenge ahead is sharper than just lining up correctly. Alley pointed to formation changes and motion as the moments that exposed the problem, which means the Mountaineers will spend the coming stretch focused on anticipating what is coming instead of reacting late. If that communication improves, so does the chance for the defense to look like a unit playing with confidence rather than one constantly sorting out the details. [Read more 🡒]
Backyard Brawl Is Getting A Stage WVU Fans Will Love
West Virginias basketball presence in the Pittsburgh area is getting a bigger platform, with Mountaineers players, coach Ross Hodge and athletic director Wren Baker helping promote the inaugural Hope Gas Backyard Basketball Classic. Set for Dec. 9, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena, the event brings together four Division I programs in one building and gives the region a rare, full-day showcase of local college hoops.
For WVU fans, the centerpiece is exactly the kind of stage the Backyard Brawl can thrive on. The doubleheader will feature Pitt, West Virginia, Duquesne and Robert Morris, with the Pitt-WVU matchup serving as the headliner in a setting designed to make the rivalry feel even bigger. It is another reminder that this series can still command attention well beyond the usual calendar date, and this one already has the makings of a marquee trip for Mountaineer supporters. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Suddenly Has A D-Line Problem After Darius Wiley Blow
West Virginias defensive front took a major hit in the season opener when Darius Wiley suffered a lower-body injury against Coastal Carolina and later underwent successful surgery. Rich Rodriguez said Wiley is done for the season, and the recovery timetable stretches well beyond this fall, leaving the Mountaineers to adjust quickly on a unit that already had little room for error.
Emerson Joy, Wilnerson Telemaque and Brandon Caesar are among the players now being asked to absorb more of the workload, and the question is how much the line can hold up while the roster reshuffles around such a significant absence. For a defense trying to settle in early, losing a piece like Wiley so soon forces West Virginia to find answers on the fly, and the ripple effect could linger deep into the year. [Read more 🡒]