West Virginia is heading into its matchup with TCU with Rich Rodriguez leaning hard into two themes from his weekly press conference: the Mountaineers have to find a defensive identity, and the Horned Frogs present a serious challenge on that side of the ball.
Rodriguez didn’t hold back when describing what TCU is bringing to the table. He called it “Best defense in the league.
I think statistically, they are No. 1 in most of the categories. Very athletic.
They know what they’re doing; they play hard. Andy (Avalos) does a great job with their defense.
He’s been there for a few years. Don’t give up anything easy.
Baylor’s got a really good football team, and TCU controlled that thing from start to finish. It’ll be probably to this date, the best defense we’ve played so far.”
That evaluation came with a broader message about West Virginia’s own struggles. Rodriguez said the team needs something it can count on, especially when things start going sideways.
“Typically, you find your identity in the first couple weeks of the season or even during camp. I don’t know if that’s the core problem, but it is something.
You have to have something you can hang your hat on. Like, if nothing else, we’ll go to this.
Or they may score, but it’s not going to be all those chunk plays or something. As I told the staff this morning, we’ve got good enough players.
We may not be overloaded at certain positions, but we got better guys than what we’re showing, and we got better coaches than what we’re showing. Zac Alley and those guys have been in some big games and made big calls and done well.
It’s a little perplexing how poorly we’ve struggled, but we can’t stick our heads in the sand. Everything’s got to be on the table.”
He also pointed to one of the clearest bright spots from the latest game: the play of a first-year guy in the system. Rodriguez was direct about how that player performed and how much he meant to the result.
“For a first-year guy in the system, I think he’s playing really good football. He was really decisive in that game and made some big plays on some scramble stuff.
He’s going to keep getting better. I thought he was the difference in the game, frankly.”
Rodriguez was asked about the broader changes around college football, and he made it clear he’s not losing sleep over the playoff structure itself. Still, he said he hates the idea of conference championship games fading away.
“I didn’t really have strong feelings with it one way or another. I knew it was going to head that way because of money.
I don’t think it’s a terrible thing. Does it diminish the regular season?
I don’t know about that. The sad part about it is I think some of the leagues are going away with conference championship games, and I liked- I always thought your first goal every year was to win your conference and have a conference championship game.
I hate to see that go away. I think conference championship games are fun and exciting.
I think the fans love it.”
On the offensive line, Rodriguez said the right tackle spot may be getting a boost. “Carsten wasn’t 100%, and I thought Malik played okay, but I think Carsten should be healthier this week, and if he is, he’ll be back in there starting.”
In Other News...
Rich Rodriguez May Be Closing In On Big Defensive Changes
West Virginias defensive problems have been impossible to ignore, and Rich Rodriguez has spent the past stretch digging into them with his staff. The Mountaineers have lacked a clear defensive identity, which has pushed Rodriguez to stress the basics and demand more urgency from his players as the unit tries to find some stability.
Zac Alley already trimmed the call sheet to just 12 defensive plays for the most recent game, a sign that simplification was part of the answer, at least on paper. Even with that adjustment, the inconsistency has continued, and the upcoming bye week could give Rodriguez another window to make bigger changes if the staff decides the current approach is not enough. [Read more 🡒]
Rich Rodriguez Mourns A Loss That Hits Far Beyond WVU
The loss of West Virginia businessman Ike Morris is being felt well beyond the boardroom. Morris, who built a wide-ranging business portfolio that included Waco Oil & Gas Co., Inc. and Waco Foods LLC, was also known in the state for his philanthropy and for the personal ties he formed along the way, including a close relationship with West Virginia head football coach Rich Rodriguez.
Rodriguez released a statement mourning Morris death, a reminder that some figures matter to the Mountaineers community for reasons that reach past the sidelines. For WVU, this is the kind of news that lands as much in the heart as it does in the headlines, because Morris influence in West Virginia ran through business, charity and the people who knew him best. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Hawkins Jr. Just Gave West Virginia Fans More Offensive Hope
Michael Hawkins Jr. gave West Virginia plenty to feel good about in Saturdays 45-42 win over Cincinnati, and the recognition followed quickly. The Mountaineers quarterback was named Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week after putting together one of the most complete outings in recent program memory, throwing for 464 yards and three touchdowns while also adding 77 rushing yards and two more scores.
For a West Virginia offense that has been looking for a dependable spark, Hawkins delivered one in a way the program has never seen before. He became the first quarterback in school history to pile up at least 450 passing yards and 75 rushing yards in the same game, and the honor marked his second Walter Camp Player of the Week award this season, a reminder that his ceiling is starting to look as real as his production. [Read more 🡒]