Breaking Down West Virginia's Strengths, Weaknesses, & 1 Thing That Could Beat Oklahoma State
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Rich Rodriguez coaches exciting football teams, especially on the offensive end. That's just one reason why the West Virginia Mountaineers wanted him back as head coach.
The West Virginia native turned the Mountaineers into a championship outfit 20 years ago. He returned last season in a full-circle moment and WVU only won four games. He's intent on changing that.
The same goes for new Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris, who wants to flip the script on last year's 1-11 season by the Cowboys.
Here, we break down the Mountaineers’ strengths, weaknesses and the one thing that could upset the Cowboys in Morgantown on Sept. 26.
What They Do Well
Play With Speed
Rodriguez plays a brand of football that requires his players are fleet of foot. They're fast to the line of scrimmage and they're fast off it. It's how Rodriguez built his reputation as an offensive guru and parlayed his immense success in his first stint with West Virginia into one of the most coveted jobs in college football, the Michigan Wolverines. That didn't work out the way Rodriguez would have hoped for.
But he continues to apply his version of speed kills at every stop. It's what quickly turned his last stop, Jacksonville State, into a rising Group of 6 power before he returned home to take over the Mountaineers a second time.
If you play his teams, you better be as well-conditioned as possible. Because his Mountaineers will be.
Run The Ball
Rodriguez likes to run a fun offense. But he's always been committed to running the football, even at times when it doesn't seem that way. His best teams at West Virginia, Arizona and Jacksonville State were teams that could run the football effectively even as they spread teams out and force defenders to make critical decisions or mistakes.
Rodriguez wants an improved run game in 2026. He’s brought in experienced transfers to rebuild his offensive line and lured a running back from his former job, Cam Cook, who rushed for 1,659 yards and 16 touchdowns at Jacksonville State last year. You can bet Rodriguez and his Mountaineers will be much better at running the ball in 2026.
What They Don’t Do Well
Pass the Football
The Mountaineers were one of the worst passing teams in college football last season. That must have stuck in Rodriguez's jaw like a cavity.
The Mountaineers passed for 2,267 yards and averaged 188.9 yards through the air. That was good for No. 101 in FBS. His quarterbacks threw more interceptions (11) than touchdowns (10). It seems almost anti-thetical to think that a Rodriguez-led offense would throw the ball that poorly.
He has a holdover in Scotty Fox Jr. and lured Oklahoma transfer Michael Jenkins Jr. The question is whether either one of these guys is up to the task of running Rodriguez's offense? If neither is, then it could be another long year in Morgantown.
Stopping Touchdowns
Well, it wasn't just limited to touchdowns. But West Virginia had one of the worst scoring defenses in college football last year. The Mountaineers were tied for No. 112 in the country with Colorado State as both schools allowed 30.83 points per game. Each allowed 370 total points. Not surprisingly, neither went to a bowl game.
Several things contributed to that, but the bottom line for West Virginia is that there isn't a single starter returning from a season ago and most of the two-deep is made up of transfers. That should say everything about what Rodriguez hopes to get out of this year's edition of his defense.
What Could Upset Oklahoma State?
A Resurgent Pass Rush
Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker is going to be one of the Cowboys’ biggest strengths in 2026. That's not big news to teams that will face Oklahoma State. Each defense will have to find ways to neutralize him. Universally, the best way to do that is to get pressure on the quarterback.
That was something West Virginia struggled with last season. But they've tapped into the portal and put their trust in two players that can help generate more pressure on quarterbacks. Zeke Durham-Campbell transferred in from Coastal Carolina and had 5.5 sacks last year. Harper Holloman, another edge rusher, transferred in from Western Kentucky after he had two sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss.
Rodriguez and his defensive coordinator, Zac Alley, hope to tap into their potential and make their pass rush more imposing in 2026.
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Matthew Postins is the publisher of Oklahoma State on SI. He is an award-winning sports journalist who was formerly the editor of the College Football America Yearbook and covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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