West Virginia’s defense is under the microscope again, and coordinator Zac Alley didn’t bother dressing it up on Wednesday.
Ahead of Saturday’s matchup with Arizona, Alley took a blunt approach to his unit’s early-season struggles, calling it “the worst defense in college football.” The Mountaineers have already taken on plenty of water through five weeks, sitting last in the Big 12 in yards allowed at 456.6 per game. After back-to-back games giving up 40 or more points, Alley said the answer is to simplify.
“I think we’re the worst defense in college football,” Alley said. “It’s pretty simple to say that it ain’t worked, so I don’t plan to - you know, keep doing the same thing over and over again seems like insanity… We’ll cut it down and make sure they can execute.”
West Virginia is coming off a 45-42 loss at Iowa State, a game that exposed the same problems that have been hanging over this defense since the opener. The Mountaineers have been last in the Big 12 against both the pass and the run, and the Cyclones piled on last week with Jaylen Raynor throwing for 312 yards, three touchdowns and one interception while Aiden Flora added 212 yards and three scores on the ground. Iowa State finished with 265 rushing yards.
The challenge doesn’t get easier with Noah Fifita and Arizona coming to town. The Wildcats’ defense has been excellent against the run, allowing just 79 rushing yards through Week 5, and that strength will be tested by a West Virginia offense that has leaned heavily on the ground game.
That side of the ball has been the bright spot for the Mountaineers. Michael Hawkins Jr. has completed 56% of his passes, but he’s also giving West Virginia a real edge as a runner, piling up 100-plus rushing yards per game while throwing seven touchdowns against just one interception in his first season with the program. Cam Cook has been just as important, rushing for 652 yards and five touchdowns through five games.
Rich Rodriguez said earlier this week that the staff is planning to simplify and straighten out the defensive game plan as the season moves forward. That’s the task now: get the defense cleaner, get the execution sharper, and hope the pieces hold up against another demanding test.
West Virginia enters the game at home as a 3-point underdog, with the over/under set at 61.5 points. If the Mountaineers can’t find some room in the run game, it’s hard to see them keeping pace with Arizona on Saturday.
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WVU Faces A Brutal Home Test In First Big 12 Win Bid
West Virginia heads into a difficult home matchup with Arizona still searching for its first Big 12 win, and the timing could hardly be trickier. The Mountaineers are trying to navigate the league grind while dealing with a trimmed offensive group, which only raises the pressure on a team that needs cleaner execution and more balance to keep pace.
Arizona brings a lot more than just a capable passing game into Morgantown. With Noah Fifita directing an offense that has shown it can move in multiple ways, the Wildcats arrive with a clear edge in firepower, even if there are paths for West Virginia to make it interesting at home. The bigger question is whether the Mountaineers can turn a tough spot into a breakout league moment before the schedule starts to really tighten. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs Defense Gets A Break But Still Faces A Real Test
West Virginias defense could use a little relief after a rough stretch, and Arizonas injury report offers some of it. The Wildcats are set to come in without leading receiver Tre Spivey, along with Giovanni Richardson, Chris Hunter III, Cole Rusk and running back Ismail Mahdi, a depleted group that changes the shape of their offense and trims some of the pressure on the Mountaineers secondary and front.
Noah Fifita, though, still gives Arizona a dangerous focal point. Even with the missing weapons, the quarterback is expected to keep steering the passing game, which means West Virginia cannot treat this like a soft landing spot after its recent defensive struggles. The Mountaineers may get a break in terms of personnel, but they still have to prove they can handle a competent passing attack and avoid another night of chasing plays. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Suddenly Faces A Lineup Shuffle Before Arizona
West Virginia got its first availability report of the week, and it immediately put some uncertainty around the Mountaineers setup heading into Arizona. Several players were listed with uncertain status, including Neider, Holloman, Taylor and Cam Ball, which gives the coaching staff an early reminder that the lineup may need some adjusting before the next kickoff.
The timing matters because the second report is due later tonight, and that should provide a clearer picture of who is actually trending toward availability. For a team trying to settle on its best rotation, this kind of midweek uncertainty can affect everything from personnel plans to how aggressively West Virginia can script its approach for Arizona. [Read more 🡒]