Another week in the books, and yet again, another disappointing result for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Read more: Buyers and Sellers After WVU’s Landslide Defeat Against Utah
For the Mountaineers (2-3, 0-2), the Utah loss marks the second week in a row that they have lost by more than 30 points. To make things worse, both were Big 12 opponents.
With all that being said, it’s time for another edition of buyers and sellers, where let’s just say it’ll be another week that the sellers dominate.
Buyers
Cam Vaughn
This should come as no shock to anyone. Cam Vaughn is the clear-cut best player on this football team right now.
In a game where the Mountaineers threw the ball just 13 times, Vaughn was able to come down with three catches. That may sound low, but considering there were only six completions all day, it certainly proves how valuable he is to the offense.
To go along with his three receptions, Vaughn compiled a team-high 62 receiving yards and one touchdown. The next closest was Rodney Gallagher III with 19 yards.
Vaughn also showcased once again his ability to stress the defense as a vertical threat. One of the few times they threw the ball up to him deep down the field, Utah’s cornerback was forced to hold Vaughn. This gave WVU a free 15 yards, something that has happened previously this season when Vaughn is given opportunities deep.
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In the first quarter, Vaughn also demonstrated his ability to run after the catch. He took a simple slant route and ran 18 yards to allow the Mountaineers to convert on a third-and-16. His acceleration and vision were on full display there.
It’s no secret that the WVU offense is struggling. Injuries, newcomers, and inconsistent play have all played a factor in that.
However, one player that you can’t put any of the blame on is Cam Vaughn. Even with his limited targets, he has proven to be a threat at the Power 4 level.
West Virginia has to figure out a way to get him the ball more, plain and simple.
Khalil Wilkins
Did West Virginia find their starting quarterback?
If Nicco Marchiol continues to stay sidelined due to his foot injury, head coach Rich Rodriguez might have found his replacement in Khalil Wilkins.
The former three-star recruit entered the game when it was already far from over. However, that didn’t stop him from putting together a couple of promising drives.
One of those he capped off with a 39-yard pass to Vaughn for WVU’s first touchdown of the game. Vaughn made a great catch, but Wilkins showed nice touch on the pass.
Wilkins didn’t do anything that would cause him to be the surefire starter against BYU, but he did show that he deserves the nod over Jaylen Henderson.
Not only did Wilkins match Henderson in completions with three, but he did it in far less time. He also compiled 63 passing yards compared to Henderson’s 22.
The biggest difference is that Wilkins’ burst is far greater than Henderson’s. You could see this in Wilkin’s ability to get to the second level far more often in the QB-designed runs.
After his small sample size against Utah, there is no reason why Wilkins shouldn’t get the opportunity on Friday against BYU. Henderson was given a whole half to show what he can do, and we saw how that turned out.
Losers
Jaylen Henderson
Time to be brutally honest: Jaylen Henderson is currently not the guy for WVU.
In the first half, when he was the lone QB playing, the offense had three punts and two turnovers on downs. Notice how I didn’t mention any scoring drives — because there weren’t any.
Henderson could never get the offense going. He wasn’t a threat with his legs, and when he was forced to drop back and pass, it left much to be desired.
Maybe it’s the scheme.
Maybe it’s the new environment.
Whatever it is, Henderson is simply not producing for the Mountaineers. And you can’t chalk it up to being thrown in randomly since he got the starting nod and had the whole first half to prove he deserved the starting job.
Related: WVSportsNation Big 12 Power Metric: Mountaineers Face Steep Climb in New Rankings
Even if Marchiol continues to be sidelined, there is just no logical reason the Mountaineers continue to turn to Henderson for the answers.
And who knows, maybe the next opportunity he gets, he will turn it around and play to the caliber he did in 2023 with Texas A&M. But as of right now, he has not shown that side of himself.
It’s time to take a long look in the mirror and realize that right now, Henderson is just not the quarterback that will save the Mountaineers’ season.
WVU’s Run Defense
What once looked like a strength has now become a glaring problem in West Virginia’s defense.
Against Utah, the Mountaineers gave up 242 rushing yards. This comes after they let up the same amount to Kansas the week prior.
What’s most alarming is that it isn’t just one player on either team who is hurting the Mountaineers on the ground.
For Utah, four different players rushed for over 30 yards. That includes 66 yards on just nine carries from Utah’s Wayshawn Parker.
The Mountaineers’ run defense looked stout when they held Pittsburgh running back Desmond Reid to just 30 yards.
However, more often than not, they have not done a good enough job of stopping the run.
Whether it’s a personnel issue or a scheme issue, something needs to be fixed.
And preferably sooner rather than later, considering they are about to play a BYU team that averages 179 rushing yards per game.
WVU’s Run Game Without Tye Edwards
On the flip side, the Mounatineers have shown since losing star running back Jahiem White that they can’t have an effective run game without Tye Edwards.
After White went down with his injury against Ohio, Edwards has played just one game. In that lone game, he rushed for 141 yards and three touchdowns.
Now, let’s take a look at the Kansas and Utah game, where Edwards was not healthy to play. Against Kansas, the leading rusher for WVU that wasn’t a quarterback was Tyler Jacklich with 27 yards. In the Utah game, it was Diore Hubbard with 61 yards.
Related: EDITORIAL: Reality Strikes the ‘Eers (Again!)
While Hubbard’s performance was very good in his own right, a lot of it came when the game was already out of hand. In the first half, when it mattered the most, the Mountaineers could never get the run game going.
This is especially alarming considering how vital the run game is to Rodriguez’s offense.
Edwards proved against Pittsburgh that he has what it takes to succeed against quality defenses. With White out for the season, he has the highest potential in that running back room.
West Virginia absolutely needs to get Edwards back if it wants to get a consistent run game going. That will also help the tricky quarterback situation they currently find themselves in.
A Look Ahead
With all this being said, it’s important to remember this is a rebuilding year for the Mountaineers.
Going into the season, most knew that it was going to be a challenging year for Rodriguez and his newly formed roster. Tack on unfortunate injuries, and it has created the current situation they are in.
While injuries can’t be fixed, things like the run defense can certainly be fixed. Make sure to stay updated with all things WVU athletics right here on wvsportsnation.com.
