Rich Rodriguez can talk all he wants about balance, but the real question for West Virginia this week is simple: will he actually let Mike Hawkins Jr. do it?
Rodriguez said earlier this week that the Mountaineers’ offense has looked more balanced during practice than it did in the first two games. That’s a nice sound bite. The problem is that plenty of coaches have promised one thing and leaned right back into something else once the game starts.
And Rodriguez is not about to abandon the run. He shouldn’t.
That’s the core of what he does, and it’s the foundation of this team. But if West Virginia gets too stubborn about it, that could be the thing that keeps it from having a real shot to upset Virginia.
That’s where Hawkins comes in. He gives this offense a ceiling it simply doesn’t have if the plan is to grind away and keep the ball tucked.
He’s not just a runner, and that’s been the case since spring. He can throw it, too, and he can make this offense a problem for anyone trying to prepare for it.
The proof isn’t limited to what he’s done in the first two weeks. He showed it against SEC competition two years ago as a true freshman, when he completed 63% of his passes with little help around him.
This season, he’s 7-for-10 on throws beyond the sticks, and he’s averaging just 2.36 seconds from the snap to release, which lines up with Rodriguez’s praise about how decisive he’s been. The third-down numbers stand out even more: Hawkins is 9-for-11 for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Four of those throws have come on third-and-7 or longer, and two were on third-and-10 or more.
That’s not a quarterback guessing his way through a system. That’s a player who knows where the ball is supposed to go and gets it there with conviction. It also reflects the work he’s putting in behind the scenes, with film study and meetings with the coaches.
West Virginia can still be run-first and run-heavy. That part doesn’t have to change.
But if the Mountaineers want to get to 3-0 on Saturday, they’re going to have to throw more than a little bit. Trusting Hawkins - not just on third down, but throughout the game - would help open up the middle of the field and create better chances for Cam Cook on the ground.
Simply put, 12 to 15 passes won’t be enough this week.
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 🡒]