West Virginia’s 52-31 loss to Arizona left plenty to chew on, and the Mountaineers’ weekly stock report starts with one clear bright spot: the passing game finally found a reliable target in Cam Strachan.
Strachan, who had already flashed a little last week, turned Saturday into his breakout performance. He hauled in five of the eight passes thrown his way and finished with 121 yards.
For a WVU wide receiver group that has struggled to produce, that matters. DJ Epps has been the team’s best receiver so far, but even he has been inconsistent since Big 12 play began.
Getting Strachan fully healthy and making him a bigger part of the offense could go a long way toward stabilizing the aerial attack.
There was better news in the backfield, too. Jahiem Latimer went from not getting a carry last week at Iowa State to handling 13 rushing attempts against Arizona, and he turned that work into 55 yards and a touchdown.
He added three catches for 44 yards as well. With NaQuari Rogers still yet to play after joining the program, Latimer’s usage stood out.
He’s looked effective every time he’s gotten chances this season, and Saturday hinted at a possible expanded role.
The defense, though, is where the alarm bells are loudest. Zac Alley is taking most of the heat, and that’s understandable since he’s the one directing things, but the problems run deeper than one coach.
The whole defensive staff has to do more to clean up technique and put players in better positions. There were calls that made little sense, including a Cover 0 look on 3rd and 7 that ended with Fifita finding Mizzell on a quick slant for a touchdown.
But there were also snaps where the call was acceptable and the execution just cratered. That side of the ball needs a change, and it needs one soon.
That matters because the postseason path is still there, but it’s narrowing fast. West Virginia can still reach a bowl, but not if the defense keeps playing at this level.
The remaining schedule is already difficult, and it’s hard to imagine beating anyone while giving up that kind of production in one phase of the game. A win over Cincinnati this week would keep bowl hopes firmly alive.
A loss to the Bearcats, and those hopes likely disappear.
Another name worth mentioning is Eddie Kelly Durham-Campbell. The Coastal Carolina transfer had his roughest outing as a Mountaineer, though it was in the same neighborhood as his game against Virginia in Charlotte.
Coming in, he was supposed to be a dependable piece on the defensive line and an upgrade over Jimmori Robinson from a year ago. He has been better, but that’s a low threshold, and through six games it’s fair to say he has underdelivered.
Then again, that’s true of a lot of WVU defenders right now.
In Other News...
West Virginia Just Got A Brutal Early 2026 Forecast
West Virginias outlook for 2026 is already drawing a cool reception from ESPNs Football Power Index, which sees a long climb ahead for the Mountaineers. The model pegs them at roughly 4.4 wins and 7.6 losses, a forecast that suggests a season spent fighting uphill rather than contending near the top of the Big 12.
The projection is even less encouraging when it comes to the bigger goals. ESPN gives West Virginia only a 14.6% shot at reaching six wins, while the chances of taking the conference or reaching the College Football Playoff are essentially nonexistent. The game-by-game forecast also paints a matchup-by-matchup picture of where the obstacles are likely to come, with historical context adding to the sense that the schedule is not likely to offer much relief. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs Offense Did Enough But One Problem Is Getting Hard To Ignore
West Virginia moved the ball well enough against Arizona to pile up more than 500 yards of offense, yet still walked away with a 52-31 loss in a game that exposed how little margin there is when the other side keeps answering. It was only the fourth time in program history the Mountaineers lost despite reaching that yardage mark, a reminder that big numbers on one side of the ball can still get swallowed up by breakdowns elsewhere.
The Pro Football Focus grades from the game pointed straight at the problem areas, with the defensive line and cornerback play drawing especially rough reviews. There were also some shaky showings among the wide receivers, which only added to a night when West Virginias offense did enough to stay in it but the defense never found a way to slow Arizona down. [Read more 🡒]
Rich Rodriguez Sounds Off As WVUs Biggest Problem Keeps Growing
West Virginias season has reached a familiar and frustrating point in Big 12 play, with the offense doing enough to keep games competitive while the defense keeps surrendering too many big plays and too much yardage. The imbalance has left Rich Rodriguez with a team that can move the ball but has not been able to put together the kind of complete performance needed to break through in league play.
Rodriguez has made clear his frustration with how little progress the defense has shown, even as the staff continues to work at fixing it. For a team still searching for its first Big 12 win, the issue has gone from a weekly concern to the defining problem of the season, and there is no easy answer until the Mountaineers start getting more stops. [Read more 🡒]