Rodriguez Discusses Injuries, Opportunity Against No. 5 Texas Tech

The West Virginia Mountaineers (4-7, 2-6) welcome the fifth-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders (10-1, 7-1) to Mountaineer Field Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for noon EST and the action will be televised on ESPN.

West Virginia University head coach Rich Rodriguez met with the media on Tuesday for his weekly press conference and gave his thoughts on the upcoming matchup against the Red Raiders.

WVU sophomore running back Diore Hubbard is out for the season and Rodriguez’s plan against Tech with an injury riddled backfield

It’s like, ‘well, OK, the bad luck was over with, Diore’s coming along,’ and next thing you know he’s out for the season. So, probably going to have to play (sophomore Bandit) Curtis (Jones Jr.) more – at running back. He was going to do a little bit, he was doing a little bit, he’s probably going to do a little bit more. Obviously, Cyncir Bowers is going to get a crack to do some stuff.

The quarterback and running back situation is funny because I know a lot of teams are like, ‘boy, we’ve battled some injuries,’ when they lost one guy. How about losing three or four at that position. So, we’ll get it all out of the way this year and then, go from there.

(Sophomore running back) Clay Ash is going to be able to practice this week – should be available to help as well. (Redshirt sophomore running back) Tyler Jacklich, who has been hurt, he would have been playing the last couple weeks, he’s a bigger guy, he’s got a chance to play this weekend.

Lining up against the Texas Tech defensive line (33 team sacks)

There was a lot made of it before the season and rightfully so. A lot of guys, when they get a Power Four transfer, maybe he was doing OK at the Power Four level, these guys were dominant at the Power Four level and they’re dominant still at the Power Four level. They picked the right guys, evaluated very well, and they’re coached well too. It’s not just great players – they’re coached really well, and I’ve been really impressed on how hard they play… I think those guys, not just up front on the defensive line, those guys have all proven themselves again, against everybody.

Playing as a massive underdog and the potential to derail Texas Tech’s season

It’s our last home game, it’s our senior’s last game, so we should have that in mind and play really hard for them. So, that’s been a theme for it, but also, it’s a great opportunity for our program to be on display on national TV against one of the best teams in the country and if you’re not excited for the challenge then you’re not who I thought you were and I think our guys in the way they’ve approached has been good.

WVU sophomore running back Diore Hubbard is out for the season and Rodriguez’s plan against Tech with an injury riddled backfield

Lining up against the Texas Tech defensive line (33 team sacks)

Playing as a massive underdog and the potential to derail Texas Tech’s season

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