Week 2 of the college football season was not too kind to West Virginia. Read more: Buyers and Sellers After WVU’s Week 2 Letdown Performance Against Ohio
Unless you missed the game on Saturday and haven’t been on the internet since, you already know that the Mountaineers suffered an embarrassing loss to Ohio University.
While the Bobcats are an under-the-radar, solid team in the Mid-American Conference, it is still a heartbreaking loss for WVU.
After the Robert Morris game, I started this buyers and sellers series. Let’s just say that this week won’t have as many buyers as its predecessor.
Buyers
Fred Perry
If there was one bright spot in West Virginia’s defeat, it was the emergence of Jacksonville State transfer Fred Perry.
Going into the season, there was a lot of buzz around the addition of Perry to WVU’s defense. And for good reason, considering he was a Conference USA All-First Team selection as a safety last year.
While he showed flashes of that in week one, Perry showed Mountaineer fans everything he has to offer against the Bobcats.
Perry was all over the field from start to finish. Not only did his 10 total tackles lead the team, but he also added a sack and two tackles for loss.
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While Perry is known for his tackling prowess, his two pass deflections showcased his ability to be effective in all facets of defensive coordinator Zac Alley’s scheme.
For the most part, the defense struggled to defend the run, particularly when Ohio’s quarterback Parker Navarro opted to scramble. While that is a big concern, you can’t put the blame on Perry.
Even with the loss, this game proved that Perry has what it takes to lead the Mountaineer defense and be one of the best in the Big 12.
Chase Wilson
Another new face to the defense this season, Chase Wilson, also proved why he was such a key addition for the Mountaineers.
Wilson, who is in his sixth year of college football, showed why that experience is so vital to WVU’s defense. This is especially true since he commands the middle of the field at the linebacker position when he is on the field.
In a game where there weren’t many bright spots, Wilson stood out as someone who looks to be a steady, consistent contributor to the defense.
He had seven total tackles to go along with two sacks and two TFLs. Just like Perry, he was also effective in pass coverage by adding a pass deflection to his stat sheet.
With the scheme Alley wants to run, it’s up to players like Wilson to make sure everyone is on the same page on the field. And in week two, he not only proved he could do that, but also be quite effective in his own right.
Sellers
The Duo of Marchiol and Henderson?
I know it’s early, and there is still plenty of time for these two to improve. But the showing that Nicco Marchiol and Jaylen Henderson gave against Ohio wasn’t nearly good enough.
Shocker, right?
While it may seem obvious, both Marchiol and Henderson had an abysmal showing in their own right.
Marchiol, who played most of the game, was inconsistent the entire time. While he made some good throws, like the 31-yard strike to Cam Vaughn that later set up WVU’s only touchdown, he also made a lot of errors. This was reflected in his 27.4 quarterback rating.
Sellers, Continued
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There were times Marchiol looked comfortable and decisive in the pocket… and there were times he looked like a deer in headlights in the pocket.
There’s no doubt that Marchiol has the arm talent and rushing ability to be successful in Rich Rodriguez’s scheme and lead the Mountaineers to great heights. However, the inconsistency he showed against Ohio could be his and WVU’s downfall this year if he can’t get it fixed.
In terms of Henderson, he was brought in as an effort to bring a spark to the offense. Let’s just say there were no sparks to be seen.
Henderson went 0-2 through the air while conjuring up just four rushing yards in three attempts. That is certainly not what Rodriguez had in mind when he opted to put Henderson in the game.
Like I said, it’s still early. Both players are in a brand new system, throwing to mostly new receivers.
Let’s just hope both Marchiol and Henderson can learn from this defeat and improve from it.
Stopping the Run
Another one that should come as no shock is WVU’s inability to stop the run against Ohio.
It’s early, but if this issue doesn’t get fixed, it will spell trouble as the Mountaineers go through conference play.
The Bobcats rushed for 182 yards as a team. While WVU didn’t do terribly against their running backs – 66 yards for Sieh Bangura and 29 for Duncan Brune – they struggled mightily against the scrambles of Navarro.
In 18 carries, Navarro ran for 87 yards. It wasn’t just the sheer amount of yards that was the issue. It was the fact that West Virginia struggled not only to contain him in the pocket, but also to bring him down when he did start to scramble.
Related: Major Takeaways From WVU’s Loss to Ohio
Time and time again, Navarro was able to scamper for a key first down. His legs were one of the main reasons why Ohio was able to upset WVU.
There’s no doubt that Zac Alley will take an extensive look at the film in hopes of getting it fixed. Let’s just hope that the fix comes sooner rather than later.
Time to Move On
I could go on and on about what I could put on the auction house when it comes to WVU’s Week 2 letdown against Ohio.
Instead, I think it is more productive to just move on.
The team played badly at all levels. Period, end of story.
Rodriguez and his coaching staff will get the players ready to go for the Backyard Brawl. And let’s hope that with a win in a bitter rivalry game, the sting of this embarrassing loss goes away.
While it may be time to start getting that panic button ready, let’s not pull the trigger just yet.
