By: Clark Johnson | WV Sports Chat
Morgantown, WV – After a disappointing loss to Iowa State, I had trouble coming up with words to describe my feelings towards the current state of the WVU Football program. So, I took the week off last week from my “overreaction” series. After the Mountaineers dropped their third-straight game, this time in a 52-31 rout by Arizona, I feel obligated to share my feelings.
In what will be a raw, and partly unfiltered, “overreaction” piece, I want everyone to keep one thing in mind. I do think there is a chance WVU can salvage their season. However, things must change in a hurry for them to do so.
Without further ado, here are my overreactions following WVU’s last two losses to Iowa State and Arizona.
- I believe change is coming – Do I really need to point out which position will witness change this offseason? No, but I believe the writing on the wall is clear as day. While the argument can be made about talent and NIL allocation, there is simply no excuse for WVU’s defense to be this bad. Zac Alley has made adjustments, changed his coaching perspective (in the booth), and has even changed the lineup. Nothing is working. At this point, it is hard for the finger to not be pointed at coaching. If I were a betting man, I would not put my money on Zac Alley being back in 2027. I do, however, believe he will finish the 2026 season.
- I ponder replacements – Okay, so let’s say Zac Alley and WVU part ways at the end of the season. Who will Rodriguez get to replace him? Though this is a difficult list to draft initially, Rodriguez has worked with many successful coaches throughout his career. There may not be a list of “who” at the moment, but I believe Rodriguez will lay it all on the line for his next defensive coordinator hire.
- Michael Hawkins and Cam Cook – Even with the program’s current struggles, everyone can agree that Michael Hawkins and Cam Cook have been special this season. Without these two on the roster, there’s a possibility the Mountaineers are sitting at 1-5 right now. In my opinion, these two are simply too good for this program to finish 3-9. They will both carry WVU to at least another win or two before the end of the year.
- The heat could be up on Rodriguez – Let’s say the unimaginable happens. The Mountaineers drop their remaining games and finish the season 3-9 after a promising start. I wouldn’t believe it to be unfathomable that Rodriguez’s job security gets called into question at that point. However, I do not believe this team finishes 3-9. At best, this is a 6-6 team, barely scraping into a bowl game. While that will be enough to keep Rodriguez around for year three, fans can expect the heat to be turned up on him immediately. If the program is suffering through the same setbacks in year three, I could see the athletic department looking to make the change before things get any worse.
- Fans deserve to be frustrated – It has been nearly a decade since WVU was ranked in the AP Top 25. Will Grier was the starting quarterback of the Mountaineers the last time the program had a coveted number next to their name. That is simply embarrassing. The WVU fanbase is too passionate to be given a product like they have experienced. Every ounce of frustration shared on social media is warranted. I trust those in charge to make the corrections necessary this offseason to finally give Mountaineer Nation something to look forward to.
(Photo by WVU Athletics)
