Sunday Morning Thoughts: WVU Has Given Fans Every Reason to Believe

It's been a while since West Virginia won the first two games of a season. Eight years, to be exact.

I know the first thing you will bring up is that it was against Group of Six and FCS teams, but the reality is that by the end of November, no one will care. It's all about the final number in the left-hand column. Whether you win nine games, six, or somewhere in between, they all count the same.

It's been a bit of a mixed bag in the first two weeks for the Mountaineers, leaving us with a lot of "I don't have a damn clue how good this team is" type of thoughts. There are some things we do know, but let's start with the unknown first.

Can Zac Alley iron out the issues?

West Virginia University defensive coordinator Zac Alley | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Having some concerns with this team is 100% valid, though. They have a BUNCH to work on, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. Last week it was containment issues; this week it was guys out of position and misfitting the run game. And while they played extremely poorly in one half of each game, they've also played pretty well in the other half of both games.

I think we can all admit that if the defense we saw in the second half versus Coastal was also on display in the first half of that game, AND if the defense in the first half versus UT Martin was what we saw in the second half, it would be full-on panic mode.

You may not believe in the defense figuring things out, and that's okay. I have my doubts, too. But at least they've shown they are capable of playing well enough to be competitive. Now the question is, can they do it for more than two quarters? Because moving forward, one half of good defense isn't going to be good enough.

That offense is EXPLOSIVE, though

West Virginia University quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Rich Rodriguez is hoping that his offense doesn't have to put up 35+ points just to have a chance to win every single week. The good news is, if those are the types of games West Virginia has to get into, they are equipped to do so.

Mike Hawkins Jr. has been fantastic in his first two starts in limited action, and now that it's Power Four opponents from here on out, Rodriguez is going to peel back the curtain, fully unleashing Hawkins' dual-threat ability.

The offensive line has been good, not great. That will come with more reps and game experience together. The good thing is they are FAR and away better than last year's line at any point in the season and have the best in the industry coaching them up. They will, without question, improve as we move along.

Cam Cook and Amari Latimer have been as good as advertised, and the same goes with slot receiver DJ Epps. They will potentially get Prince Strachan back this week, and if so, that's just another playmaker for Hawkins to get the ball to.

The real litmus test...

Sep 11, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott is interviewed after the game against the Norfolk State Spartans at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We all think we have an idea of how good (or not) this West Virginia team is, but we won't know until this time next week, after they play their first Power Four opponent, Virginia.

You may have heard "playing up/down to the level of your opponent" before. I do buy into that theory to some degree, particularly at the college level.

These guys know when they are playing a game they will win by 40+ and when they will be in a dogfight. Ideally, you'd have the same mentality going into every game, but it's just human nature to be more dialed in and amped up for a game like the one the Mountaineers are about to play.

Does this uncork a version of this team we haven't seen yet? Possibly. Could it expose all of the issues this team has? Absolutely.

The important thing to keep in mind is that it, too, is not the be-all, end-all evaluation of this team. They or Virginia could show up and just have a really poor outing, which can mislead you in one direction or the other. And the same can be said if WVU plays its game of the year. It's one data point.

The encouraging sign is that, right now, the Mountaineers have played very well in two phases of the game: offense and special teams. Punter Bryan Hansen has been terrific. Jack Cassidy has handled kickoffs well, booting 14 kicks through the end zone for touchbacks, while also being a perfect 2/2 on field goals and 10/10 on PATs. Oh, and Andrew Powdrell blocked a punt on Saturday and very nearly had another.

If that success continues on offense and special teams, the Mountaineers will have a chance in every game it plays. If the defense cleans things up, it could position West Virginia to be a surprise team in the Big 12.

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