West Virginia’s Week 3 checklist starts on the edge and ends in the backfield.
The first item is Nick Taylor. Through two games, the cornerback has mostly faded into the background, which is exactly the kind of quiet a defense wants from that spot.
There were no interceptions, no pass breakups, and, more importantly, none of the moments that make you wince. He was steady in the opener, then barely saw the field against UT Martin, logging just 15 snaps before leaving well before halftime and long before the game was out of hand and the Mountaineers went to their bench.
Against Virginia’s big, experienced receivers, WVU would love to have him available.
The bigger test, though, is whether the defense can keep the quarterback in front of it.
That’s where Beau Pribula comes in. He’s not some quarterback who scrambles now and then to pad the highlight reel.
He’s a runner who also plays quarterback, and Virginia will put that part of his game to work. In the opener against NC State, he had 15 carries, including one sack.
Last week against Norfolk State, he ran twice and took another sack. That adds up to 15 Pribula runs through two games.
West Virginia will live with the sacks if it has to. In fact, it will be looking for a few of its own.
What it cannot allow is Pribula turning broken plays into something bigger when he’s supposed to be throwing the ball. He has scrambled three times so far - meaning 12 of those runs were designed - and two of those scrambles came without a blitz.
He’s patient, he’s seasoned, and most of his damage comes from the pocket. But when he has to escape, he can still change the game.
WVU has to get him down.
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 🡒]