West Virginia is aiming to move to 2-0 on the season Saturday, when UT Martin comes to Morgantown.
The Mountaineers opened the season with a 31-24 win over Coastal Carolina, but it was a game that got a little too close for comfort after WVU built a 24-0 lead.
Now, the Mountaineers get another home game and a chance to put together a more complete performance. Read more: Keys to the game: WVU aims to start 2-0 for the first time since 2018 when it battles UT Martin.
UT Martin preview
UT Martin comes into Morgantown with a 1-1 record.
The Skyhawks lost their opener to Central Arkansas, 36-24, before bouncing back last week with a 42-7 win over Chicago State.
The offense has been productive so far, especially in the win over Chicago State, when UT Martin finished with almost 500 yards.
That will give West Virginia’s defense another test after giving up some big plays through the air against Coastal Carolina.
Still, this is a game where WVU should be able to control things if it plays up to its potential. The biggest thing will be making sure the Mountaineers do not let UT Martin stay close for too long.
Here are three keys for WVU on Saturday.
Don’t slow down on offense
WVU got off to about as good of a start as it could have asked for last week.
On the first play of the game, Cam Cook broke off a run of more than 70 yards and put the Mountaineers right near the goal line. WVU scored shortly after and kept going from there, eventually taking a 24-0 lead.
Then things changed.
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The Mountaineers became more conservative and Coastal Carolina was able to make it a game in the second half.
There really is not a reason for WVU to do that again.
If the offense gets going early, keep going. There is no need to completely change the approach when leading.
WVU has already shown it can put points on the board quickly. Saturday should be about developing that instead of letting an opponent back into the game.
Force turnovers
Defensive coordinator Zac Alley has talked about turnovers quite a bit, and has made it clear three or more turnovers gives a defense a pretty good chance to win the game.
WVU was able to force a few fumbles against Coastal Carolina, but the defense needs to keep looking for those plays.
UT Martin’s offense put up almost 500 yards last week, so WVU cannot just sit back and let the Skyhawks move the ball all afternoon.
Getting pressure on the quarterback will be a big part of that.
The Mountaineers had five sacks against Coastal Carolina, but there were other chances to get to the quarterback. Turning some of those opportunities into sacks, bad throws, or fumbles would give WVU’s offense even more chances to score.
If Alley can get his defense to create three turnovers, it could make this a much easier afternoon for the Mountaineers.
Establish the run game early
The first play against Coastal Carolina pretty much showed what WVU wants its running game to look like.
Cook took the ball more than 70 yards and immediately put the Mountaineers in scoring position.
He ended up finishing with 119 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Michael Hawkins Jr. also made some plays with his legs.
The running game needs to be there from the start again.
Getting Cook and the rest of the backs going early can take some pressure off Hawkins and make the passing game easier. It also gives WVU a chance to control the game instead of having to rely on the quarterback to make every play.
The Mountaineers found success running the ball last week. There is no reason to move away from it now.
The bottom line
This is a game WVU should win.
But after what happened in the second half against Coastal Carolina, the Mountaineers have something to prove.
Start fast, keep attacking on offense, find a way to create turnovers, and get the run game going early.
Do that, and WVU should have a much easier time getting to 2-0.
Stay up to date with WV Sports Nation for more WVU Athletics coverage, and be sure to tune into The Mountaineer Tailgate pregame show. The fan-based program runs on 100.9 FM The Torch and its nine affiliate stations, and streaming anywhere you can access John Fredericks Media Network. Tune in at 11 a.m. Saturday before the game gets going!
