West Virginia’s rise this season hasn’t just been about the fireworks on offense, even if that’s the easiest place to start. The Mountaineers have become dangerous because they’re sharper in multiple areas, and the biggest leap has come in the run game.
Rich Rodriguez has, in the words of the source, recreated Pat White and Steve Slaton with Mike Hawkins Jr. and Cam Cook. That pairing has grabbed the headlines, but it’s not the whole story. The offense around them has clearly taken a major step, and the improvement shows up everywhere you look.
The offensive line is one of the biggest reasons why. It’s a completely remade group, except for Nick Krahe, and Rick Trickett has turned it into a much better unit than it was a year ago. It may not rank among the nation’s elite lines, but it has helped power West Virginia to the third-best rushing attack in the country, trailing only two of the three service academies that lean on the triple option.
That success isn’t coming from the line alone. The receivers have done their part, too.
They’ve made explosive plays in the passing game, won contested catches, and - just as importantly - handled the dirty work on the perimeter that helps Hawkins and Cook turn routine runs into chunk gains. That has been a big deal for a program that has struggled in that area for much of the past decade.
Hawkins has fit the offense beautifully. He isn’t asked to throw it 30 times a game, but when he does, he protects the ball, knows when to tuck it and run, and throws his receivers open.
The staff believed he had star potential coming out of high school, and the fit has been even better than it looked on paper. As the source puts it, Hawkins “wasn’t this established dual-threat star when he transferred to WVU.”
The talent was there, and the coaches deserve credit for spotting it and putting him in position to thrive.
Special teams has been another quietly major upgrade. Jack Cassidy has been perfect on field goals and has done a near-perfect job kicking the ball out of the back of the end zone on kickoffs.
Bryan Hansen has also delivered, averaging almost 43 yards per punt with eight of his kicks downed inside the 20. Coverage has been solid as well, with WVU staying in its lanes and getting downfield quickly to limit return chances.
The unit has even produced a blocked punt already this season.
The defense still has work to do, and both Rich Rodriguez and Zac Alley have acknowledged that. But the bigger picture is hard to miss: West Virginia is playing championship-caliber football in two of the three phases right now, and that’s a major jump from a year ago. Before the first half against Iowa State, the Mountaineers had also been one of the least penalized teams in college football.
In Other News...
WVU Has One Lingering Concern In A Very Winnable Arizona Game
West Virginia gets a favorable setup against Arizona this weekend, and that is exactly why the matchup feels like one the Mountaineers should be able to manage if they play to their strengths. Phil Steele pointed to West Virginias offensive upside, while also noting Arizonas injury situation and the burden of a long road trip, both of which add to the sense that this is a game the Mountaineers can control from early on. The noon ET kickoff on TNT gives the meeting a little extra visibility, too, for a WVU team trying to turn a promising spot into a clean result.
Still, Steeles read comes with a catch, because West Virginia has not exactly erased concerns on the defensive side. Even in a game that looks winnable on paper, that remains the lingering issue, and it is the sort of thing that can keep a staff and fan base uneasy until the opening series and beyond. Steeles cautious lean toward the Mountaineers reflects the overall shape of the matchup, but it also underscores how much WVU may need its offense to carry the day if the defense does not firm up. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Faces A Tough Road Test With Noah Fifita Rolling
West Virginia gets Arizona in a Week 6 matchup that arrives at a tricky moment for the Mountaineers, who have dropped their last two after opening 3-0. The home side still has plenty to play for, but the recent slide has made this one feel more like a measuring stick than a routine conference-style tune-up, especially with a Wildcats team coming in on a three-game surge.
Arizona has steadied itself after an early loss, and much of that turnaround has come with Noah Fifita running the offense confidently as a senior. He has paired strong passing production with enough threat on the ground to keep defenses honest, which makes him a difficult matchup on the road and a big reason this trip to Morgantown has real bite. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Needs This Week 6 Test To Show Real Big 12 Progress
Week 6 brings a full slate of Big 12 games with real weight behind them, and the race is already starting to sort itself out. Iowa State heads to BYU, UCF visits Oklahoma State, Houston travels to Kansas State, and Hawaii makes the trip to Arizona State, but for West Virginia fans the spotlight is on Arizona coming into Morgantown. It is the kind of October test that can tell you a lot about where a team stands once the league grind starts to separate contenders from the rest.
West Virginia gets a chance to measure itself against a conference opponent that arrives with its own ambitions, while Kansas has a different proving ground out in Utah. The Big 12 has enough matchups this week to shape the standings in more than one direction, and the Mountaineers are right in the middle of a weekend that could clarify who is making real progress and who still has ground to cover. [Read more 🡒]