WVU Football Head Coach Rich Rodriguez did not shy away from taking responsibility after the Mountaineers (3-1, 0-1) struggled defensively against Oklahoma State (3-1, 1-0).
WVU allowed 609 yards in the loss, with the Cowboys finding success throughout the game and especially as they pulled away in the second half. Read more: Rodriguez takes responsibility after WVU’s defensive struggles against Oklahoma State.
Rodriguez said the defensive plan simply did not work.
“We didn’t play well at all,” Rodriguez said. “And then we gave up 600 and didn’t give our guys a chance. It was the head coach’s responsibility to make sure we had a plan that could succeed, and it didn’t succeed. So I didn’t do a good job of making sure our plan would help us succeed.”
WVU could not get pressure
One of the biggest problems for the Mountaineers was the lack of pressure on Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker.
Rodriguez said WVU struggled to make Mestemaker uncomfortable, allowing him to sit in the pocket and make plays down the field.
“We never touched him,” Rodriguez said. “He’s a good passer. He’s got great vision. He can make some great deep throws.”
WVU only managed to get pressure a couple of times, including a tipped pass, but Rodriguez said the Mountaineers never consistently affected the quarterback.
Related: Hawkins, Mountaineers’ hot start fades as Oklahoma State rallies in Morgantown
The lack of pressure became a major issue as Oklahoma State moved the ball well and eventually built a two-score lead.
“We didn’t, you know, one or two times we got pressure. We got a tip pass. We never got any pressure,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez also admitted the Mountaineers did not play with the same speed they showed in their previous game.
“We definitely did not play as fast,” Rodriguez said. “Playing as hard, I’ll have to watch the film. But the plan we had failed. Pretty obvious.”
Still figuring out what WVU does well
Rodriguez said the Mountaineers are still trying to figure out what they do best on both sides of the ball.
With a lot of new players learning a new system, WVU is still searching for consistency.
“We’re still figuring out what we do well on offensive defense,” Rodriguez said. “I think that’s still part of it.”
At the same time, Rodriguez acknowledged that WVU should have a better understanding of its strengths by this point in the season.
“I think we should have it down by now, in my opinion,” he said. “That’s poor coaching if we don’t.”
The offense also had its struggles, particularly after WVU fell behind. Rodriguez said the Mountaineers started pressing instead of executing what had worked when they had the lead.
“When we had the lead, everything was fine. There was no panic,” Rodriguez said. “But I think we probably pressed a little bit when we got behind.”
The veteran coach also said the team needs to be prepared to adjust when the original game plan is not working.
“We’ve got to have a better plan,” he said. “And then you’ve got to have the ability to, if that plan ain’t working, go to Plan B.”
Rodriguez wants to move on quickly
Rodriguez also discussed quarterback Michael Hawkins, who he said keeps learning while playing in a new system.
Hawkins is still getting his first experiences in Rodriguez’s offense, and the head coach said the quarterback’s competitiveness has stood out.
“He’s a great competitor. He’ll keep getting better,” Rodriguez said. “Every game is a learning experience in our system for him because it’s the first time.”
Rodriguez said he remains confident Hawkins will keep improving.
“He’ll be fine,” Rodriguez said. “I’ll watch the film and figure out where the problems are.”
Following the game, Rodriguez’s message to the team was centered on his own responsibility and moving forward.
“I said I’ve got to have a better plan as the head coach,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve got to make sure we have a better plan.”
Despite the loss, Rodriguez does not want the result to linger.
“One game’s not going to define us,” he said. “We’ve got a lot to learn.”
Normally, Rodriguez said the team takes about 24 hours before moving on to the next game.
This time, he wants that process to happen even faster.
“About 12 hours and then start getting ready for that,” Rodriguez said.
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