West Virginia got a much better injury report from Rich Rodriguez heading into Saturday’s home game against Oklahoma State.
The biggest concern from last weekend’s game against Virginia came when starting left guard Nick Krahe, wide receiver Jaden Bray and reserve tight end Cam Ball all left the field at different points. Krahe needed a heavy tape job, missed a few series and still managed to return and finish the game. Rodriguez said he should be available again, even if practice is a little lighter for him this week.
“Nick Krahe will be a little limited in practice this week, but he should be okay to go. Cam Ball got knocked out, but we think he should be able to play Saturday.
(Jaden) Bray got a little bit of a hip bruise. He’ll be a little limited today, but he should be good to go by tomorrow.
Nate (Gabriel) is fine too.”
Bray’s injury came on a hard landing after he went up for a 50/50 ball late in the fourth quarter, a play that turned into one of the biggest moments of the game. Virginia was flagged on the play, but Bray’s catch still added extra yardage and gave WVU another important completion in a game full of tense moments.
Rodriguez also gave updates on a few other pieces of the offense. Running backs Martavious Boswell and Talley are both expected to be ready this weekend, with Boswell dealing with a shoulder issue and Talley continuing to come back from the hamstring tweak he suffered in the opener.
“Both of those guys should be good to go this weekend, which will be good. Lawrence Autry is there and healthy as well.”
At receiver, USC transfer Prince Strachan is also trending up. Rodriguez said Strachan was limited last week as WVU eased him back in, but the expectation is for a bigger workload against Oklahoma State after a full week of practice.
“Last week was kind of the first week back fully, and he played a little bit, but he’ll have a full week of practice this week, and I expect him to be in there a little bit more. He’s a big, physical guy and a good football player, so that was kind of a first game for him. His role is going to increase, of course, starting this weekend.”
In Other News...
WVU's Biggest Home Night In Years Comes With Real Stakes
West Virginia is getting one of those home nights that can define a season, and there is more riding on it than atmosphere alone. Milan Puskar Stadium is set for a major prime-time setting, and the Mountaineers are trying to turn a strong start into something bigger by staying perfect through the opening stretch and putting themselves back into the AP Top 25 conversation.
Rich Rodriguez has pointed to the energy around the program and the value of protecting home field, which makes this one feel less like just another September game and more like a measuring stick. For a team still trying to prove its early momentum is real, a night game in front of that crowd offers a chance to keep building and a reminder that the next step has to happen where West Virginia is supposed to be toughest to beat. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Knows Exactly What Awaits West Virginia Under The Lights
Oklahoma State is heading into one of the more charged environments in the Big 12, with Eric Morris already framing the trip to Morgantown as the kind of test that can turn a game on its head after dark. Morris had plenty of respect for what Rich Rodriguez is building at West Virginia, and he singled out quarterback Mike Hawkins as a dynamic presence in an offense that has grown noticeably since last season. For the Mountaineers, that is the sort of public praise that usually comes with a warning label.
The challenge for the Cowboys, Morris said, is not just the crowd or the setting, but staying clean with communication and tackling against a run game that can punish any lapse. West Virginia has shown enough improvement to make opponents prepare differently, and under the lights at home the margin for error gets even thinner. It is the kind of matchup where the details matter from the first snap, and Oklahoma State clearly knows it is walking into a place that rewards precision more than bravado. [Read more 🡒]
Rich Rodriguez Is Finally Seeing The WVU Offense He Wanted
West Virginias offense has come out of the gate looking far more like the unit Rich Rodriguez envisioned, with the Mountaineers setting the pace in the Big 12 on the ground and sitting near the top of the national rushing charts. The early results have given the head coach reason to feel better about where the group is headed, especially with quarterback Mike Hawkins Jr., running back Cam Cook and a supporting cast that has helped the attack find a rhythm.
Rodriguez still sees room for the offense to grow, and that is part of what makes the early success interesting for West Virginia. The Mountaineers have already shown they can lean on a dynamic running game, but the expectation is that more players will continue getting involved as the season moves along, which could make an already troublesome offense even harder to handle. [Read more 🡒]