Sunday Morning Thoughts: The Horsepower May Not Be There for Hodge, But the Signs Are

How is your heart doing this morning, Mountaineer Nation? Whew. Another one down to the wire, and one that West Virginia made more difficult than it needed to be, thanks to some horrendous first half shooting.

Nevertheless, they erased a 14-point deficit for the second time in as many road games — also doing so against Cincinnati— to finish on top, earning their third true road victory of the season. Nothing in this league comes easy, and that includes Wednesday night's matchup against 9-15 (1-10) Utah.

The fact that WVU still has a chance to dance is incredible, given how many games they've handed away or just flat out didn't show up for. I've said it a hundred times, and I'll say it again: the signs are there with Ross Hodge, although the talent on this year's team may not be there.

Zero quit and responding to tough coaching

Feb 5, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Ross Hodge works the sideline against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Fifth Third Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Remember when Rich Rodriguez said he wants people to be able to turn on the TV or watch a game in person and know that the Mountaineers are playing, simply based on their effort? Well, he may have been talking about this year's basketball team because that's the one constant with this group. Regardless of the lead or deficit, they do a great job of not getting too high or too low. There is no panic when things go awry, just a heightened sense of urgency. Hodge, like most coaches, isn't afraid to lay into someone during a timeout in the huddle or as they're coming off the floor to be replaced by a sub. The encouraging thing about it is that his players respond to the strong messaging and are brushing him off. They understand he's doing it from a place of care and love, rather than just to make them feel worthless. It's one thing to yell and get angry, but if the message isn't hitting home, it's for nothing.

More athletes = more success

Hodge will never just come out and say it, but this group doesn't have the level of athleticism needed to do big things in this league. They have a decent amount of it with Brenen Lorient, Chance Moore, and, to some extent, Honor Huff and Harlan Obioha, but that's about it. Fans want to see 25+ wins and a high seed in the NCAA Tournament in year one. I get it. No one wants to wait around. Neither does Hodge. He wants to win now. The reality is that it takes time to get the necessary bodies in place to be able to achieve those types of goals, and what he's doing now, with not as much talent or depth, should be encouraging for fans who are still on the fence or extremely skeptical of Hodge.

A culture is being built

Whether we're talking about a game or the season as a whole, playing well at the end means something. As I previously mentioned, this group plays hard for a full 40 minutes, although they may not execute at a high level for the majority of that time on some nights. When you stay the course and keep chipping away, you build a reputation as a team you can't let up against. Grant McCasland knew this last week and told his team that ahead of their trip to Morgantown. It's easy to put your head down and have poor body language when things are slipping away. That's not in this team's DNA. They will fight to the finish, regardless of what the scoreboard reads, proving they are taking on the identity of their coach.

Zero quit and responding to tough coaching

More athletes = more success

A culture is being built

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