Morgantown, West Virginia — West Virginia University football is looking to rebound after two straight defeats, including a 45‑42 loss to Iowa State that saw the defense surrender over 500 yards for the second week in a row. The Mountaineers sit at 3‑2 overall and 0‑2 in the Big 12, but coach Pat Rodriguez remains optimistic about the program’s direction.
Second year, new challenges
Rodriguez, now in his second season, says the “Year 1” excuse no longer applies. While last season felt like a true Year 0, this year marks his first full campaign with a roster heavily reshaped by transfers and incoming freshmen. “We got ten new starters,” he explained. “They may be 20 years old, but they’ve only been in our system for less than a year, so we have to coach accordingly.”
Roster churn a league‑wide issue
Rodriguez notes that the modern transfer portal has amplified turnover across college football. Before the portal, programs could rely on players developing over multiple seasons. Now, coaches must adapt quickly, often treating seasoned transfers as “almost like a coach” while still teaching many newcomers the playbook.
He highlighted Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, a five‑year veteran of the Wildcats, as an example of the stability that can elevate a team – Arizona is currently 4‑1. “When a player has been in a program three or four years, he knows the system inside out,” Rodriguez said. “Now we’re often teaching freshmen, even though they’re not true freshmen.”
Building a developmental program
To counter the churn, Rodriguez has recruited a large junior‑college and high‑school class and added younger transfers, aiming to create a pipeline of talent that can stay and grow within the system. He acknowledges the challenge of retaining players, especially as other schools, like Indiana, achieve rapid success.
Despite the recent setbacks, Rodriguez believes the Mountaineers are making progress. “We’ve taken steps forward, though there are still areas that need work,” he said. “I’m not panicking five games into the second year, even after a total reboot two years in a row.”
Looking ahead
The Mountaineers face Arizona next weekend, a test that will showcase how well the new starters have integrated. Rodriguez’s focus remains on developing players who can stay the course, adapt quickly, and ultimately bring WVU back to consistent winning form.
Original reporting: Herald-Standard – latest news for Uniontown, Pennsylvania — read the source article.
