The West Virginia Mountaineers squandered an opportunity to begin the season 4-0, surrendering 609 yards in a 41-24 home loss to Oklahoma State. Now, less than 48 hours after that defensive disaster, head coach Rich Rodriguez is apparently growing tired of answering questions about it. That is unlikely to sit well with a fan base still searching for answers of its own.
According to Spencer Ripchik, who covers West Virginia athletics for The Dominion Post, Rodriguez expressed frustration while discussing the Oklahoma State game.
“I’m tolerating questions right now, but hey, I won’t tolerate for more than another minute. You know what I’m saying? We’re about to give you a sh**** answer,” Rodriguez said.
Rich Rodriguez’s Frustration Comes at a Difficult Time for WVU
There is nothing wrong with Rodriguez being angry about Saturday’s performance. In fact, Mountaineer fans have every reason to expect their head coach to be furious after watching Oklahoma State dismantle his defense in Morgantown. However, growing impatient with questions about a game that exposed such significant problems sends the wrong message when accountability is exactly what fans want to see.
Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker completed 20 of 27 passes for 389 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Caleb Hawkins added 180 rushing yards, while receiver Wyatt Young torched West Virginia’s secondary for 192 receiving yards. The Cowboys averaged nine yards per play and scored 20 unanswered points to close the game.
Those numbers demand explanations, especially considering West Virginia led 24-21 late in the third quarter. The Mountaineers had an opportunity to protect their home field and establish momentum entering Big 12 play.
Instead, they suffered their first loss of the season against a program that entered Saturday riding an 18-game conference losing streak. Though in the modern era of college football. That stat is very misleading considering that wasn’t the same Oklahoma State team that had the losing streak.
WVU Fans Deserve Answers After Another Missed Opportunity
Rodriguez deserves credit for accepting responsibility immediately after the loss and acknowledging that his defensive plan failed. Nevertheless, the responsibility does not end when the postgame press conference concludes. Fans want to know what changes are coming, how the defense will improve and why Oklahoma State repeatedly found enormous openings throughout Saturday’s game.
West Virginia supporters have endured enough disappointing performances to recognize when an opportunity has been wasted. Nobody expects Rodriguez to enjoy discussing an embarrassing defeat, but difficult questions come with the responsibility of leading the Mountaineers. Getting tired of talking about Oklahoma State is understandable; expecting everyone else to move on before the problems are fixed is another matter.
The Mountaineers now face a road trip to Iowa State, where Rodriguez will have an opportunity to provide the answers that matter most on the football field.
Rich Rodriguez Loses Patience After WVU’s 609-Yard Nightmare, and Fans Want Answers