The West Virginia Mountaineers football program has spent much of the past two weeks answering questions about its struggling defense. However, while Rich Rodriguez searches for solutions on that side of the football, quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. is quietly putting together a season that deserves considerably more attention.
West Virginia enters its matchup with Arizona at 3-2 following consecutive Big 12 losses to Oklahoma State and Iowa State. The defensive struggles have understandably dominated the conversation, but the Mountaineers’ offensive production tells a much more encouraging story.
Through five games, Hawkins has accounted for 18 of West Virginia’s 25 offensive touchdowns, including 11 rushing and seven passing. That means the sophomore quarterback has been directly responsible for an eye-opening 72% of the Mountaineers’ offensive touchdowns, a remarkable share of the production for a team averaging 37.4 points per game.
Those numbers offer an important reminder of what Rodriguez has already accomplished offensively, even as the Mountaineers continue searching for consistency elsewhere.
Michael Hawkins Jr. Is Giving WVU a Reason for Optimism
Hawkins has rushed for 574 yards while throwing for another 836, giving him 1,410 combined rushing and passing yards through five games. His 11 rushing touchdowns are particularly impressive considering he is operating alongside one of the Big 12’s most productive running backs.
Cam Cook has contributed another 652 rushing yards, meaning the two have combined for 1,226 yards on the ground. That is an average of 245.2 rushing yards per game from just two players.
The combination illustrates why Rodriguez’s offensive system remains so difficult to prepare for. Opposing defenses cannot simply focus on stopping Cook without accounting for Hawkins’ ability to keep the football and create explosive plays himself.
Perhaps the most frustrating example came against Iowa State, when Hawkins produced 376 combined yards and four touchdowns. West Virginia scored 42 points but still left Ames with a 45-42 defeat.
That performance highlights the larger issue facing the Mountaineers. The offense is not perfect, and its 24-point showing against Oklahoma State proved there is still room for improvement. However, Rodriguez has already established a productive rushing identity with Hawkins leading the attack.
There is something particularly frustrating about watching a quarterback generate this much offense without seeing those performances consistently rewarded in the win column.
West Virginia does not necessarily need an entirely different offensive approach to become competitive in the Big 12. It needs its defensive production to begin matching the progress already happening on offense.
For Mountaineers fans, Hawkins’ numbers should provide legitimate optimism. Rodriguez has found an offensive foundation worth building around, and the quarterback is giving WVU opportunities to win. The next challenge is making sure those opportunities stop slipping away.
WVU’s Michael Hawkins Jr. Has Eye-Opening Stat Getting Lost in Defensive Struggles