EDITORIAL: Reality Strikes the ‘Eers (Again!)

The West Virginia Mountaineers (2-3, 0-2) were on top of the world two weeks ago. Reality struck for the second time in as many weeks, as WVU was blown out at home by Utah (4-1, 1-1). Read more: EDITORIAL: Reality Strikes the ‘Eers (Again!)

Preface

WVU football was an anomaly through the first three weeks. All the hype in the world that led up to the season set up differing expectations. 

The shaky first half against Robert Morris posed some red flags before the Mountaineers were shocked by the Ohio Bobcats. Hope was already slipping away… and then the Backyard Brawl happened.

Unfortunately, reality kicked in when the Mountaineers walked into Lawrence, Kansas, and got stomped by the Jayhawks. The suffering continued against Utah.

Assessing the Damage

The 48-14 loss to the Utes set WVU at 0-2 in conference play. The Mountaineers have been outscored 89-24 in the two Big 12 outings thus far. 

Saturday’s drubbing was the third-biggest home loss that WVU has suffered under head coach Rich Rodriguez. In the grander scheme of things, the 34-point Mountaineer loss is the worst at Milan Puskar Stadium since October 20, 2012, when Kansas State rolled by 41.

Zac Alley’s defense was gashed yet again after thriving in the first three games. WVU allowed 532 yards of offense and was unable to force a single Utah punt. Other than the Mountaineers picking off Devon Dampier once, nothing went according to plan.

Related: Short and (Not so) Sweet: Rich Rodriguez Postgame Comments Following 48-14 Loss

Accepting the Inevitable 

I’ll admit, my thoughts on the 2025 Mountaineers have shifted almost every week. As injuries pile up, personnel fail to execute, and competition ramps up, reality sets in. 

Whether fans like it or not, the team that took the field against Pitt was a picture of what could be. Unfortunately, that team may not return until Rodriguez has time to build a proper team.

Take that with a grain of salt, especially in the NIL era. Can you even build a culture when your personnel are ripped away in droves every single season?

Potential Solutions

At this point, WVU needs a break. Luckily, it gets one after playing BYU on Friday. The Mountaineers will have 15 days to press the reset button and try to salvage the season. 

The quarterback carousel has to end at some point, too. Scotty Fox Jr. needs to stay off the field so he can take a redshirt year. With the future unclear regarding Nicco Marchiol, it’s Jaylen Henderson’s offense for now. 

Redshirt freshman QB Khalil Wilkins showed flashes of potential, nearly tripling Henderson’s production through the air. That said, it was a low bar to clear. 

My only suggestions, besides praying to the football gods, are throwing more balls to Cam Vaughn and emphasizing discipline again. Vaughn has serious skills in the open field, and it showed on the Mountaineers’ first touchdown. 

Discipline needs to be more of a priority again, as the team racked up 70 penalty yards against Utah. 

The injuries and lack of Power Four talent are hard obstacles to overcome. These potential solutions could at least keep the team competitive in games.

What’s Next?

The last thing the team needs is a fanbase that gives up on them. I hope the masses don’t turn on the team, despite the poor performance(s). 

Let’s face it, it’s a rebuilding year. It’s a long season, folks… stick it out. 

WVU has a cross-country trip to BYU on a short week, as the game is on Friday night. It will be another tough test to deal with before a much-needed bye week.

Kickoff is slated for 10:30 P.M. EST on October 3. The game will be streamed on 100.9 FM The Torch and its nine affiliate stations. ESPN will be carrying the game as well. 

Reality reared its ugly head in the face of the Mountaineers for a second consecutive week, but the season rolls on regardless. WVU still has seven games remaining on the 2025 schedule, with several opportunities to redeem itself.

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