By: Justin Walker | WV Sports Chat
ORLANDO, FL. -This Saturday’s game between the West Virginia Mountaineers and UCF Knights could be labeled the “Nostalgia Bowl,” as both teams return former head coaches. Rich Rodriguez returns to coach the Mountaineers after a 17-year absence, while Scott Frost returns to UCF after a failed stint at Nebraska and a few years as an assistant in the NFL.
Both teams have largely rebuilt rosters and are both searching for their first Big 12 wins of the season. WVU is coming off a bye week, while the Knights are coming off a road loss to Cincinnati. The game will kickoff at 1:00pm Eastern/12:00pm Central and will air on TNT/HBO Max. It will be played inside FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
From WVU’s perspective, there are three key things to watch that could impact West Virginia’s ability to win the game.
Who Will Start at Quarterback
Three Mountaineer quarterbacks are expected to be out with injuries, including early season starter, Nicco Marchiol. On his weekly radio show Monday night, Rodriguez confirmed that either redshirt freshman Khalil Wilkins or true freshman Scotty Fox would likely be getting the start on Saturday. Wilkins got the start in WVU’s last time out against BYU. He completed 7 of 15 passes for 81 yards and two interceptions. He showed great toughness and had some success on the ground. He ran the ball 23 times for 89 yards and a touchdown.
Fox also saw action against the Cougars. He threw the ball three times and completed all three for 54 yards and a touchdown. He had two rushes for 22 yards.
Will New Faces Appear on the Offensive Line
West Virginia has had only limited success on offense this season, in large part because the offensive line has struggled. Despite the struggles, Rodriguez has started the same five players on the offensive line all season. Since the Mountaineers have had an extra week to prepare for UCF, could this be the week that Rodriguez and his staff decide to try some new bodies up front?
Can the Defense Stop the Pass
Defensive Coordinator Zac Alley had his defense playing will for the first three games of the season. However, since Big 12 play has begun, the unit has struggled. One of the biggest issues has come in defending the pass. The Mountaineer secondary gave up 351 yards passing to BYU true freshman quarterback, Bear Bachmeier. Several of those were explosive plays over 20 yards. While UCF’s offense has had some struggles of their own, they do like to take deep shots down the field. It will be critical for the WVU secondary to stay locked in on the UCF receivers. The Mountaineer defensive front can help by getting pressure on the UCF signal caller, something they have not done at a high level in the two previous contests. The Mountaineers have not sacked an opposing quarterback in two weeks. That needs to change Saturday in Orlando.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
