The West Virginia Mountaineers suffered a heartbreaking 53-48 loss to Texas Tech on Saturday night, despite another remarkable performance from quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. However, the frustration surrounding the defeat has extended beyond the football field, with Hawkins’ family publicly questioning what went wrong.
Hawkins’ mother, Annabelle Hawkins, took to X following the loss and delivered pointed criticism of the Mountaineers’ play-calling under head coach Rich Rodriguez. Her post has since been deleted, but the message raises questions about the growing frustration surrounding West Virginia’s star quarterback.
The criticism came after Hawkins accounted for 391 total yards and four touchdowns, helping WVU erase a 14-point halftime deficit before the Red Raiders rallied for the victory.
Michael Hawkins Jr.’s Mother Criticizes WVU Play-Calling
Annabelle Hawkins made it clear that she believed the Mountaineers’ offense deserved better following Saturday’s defeat.
“You are delusional if you think it’s the offense’s fault,” she wrote on X. “I am so proud of my son’s accomplishments but to sit and watch play calling that cost a game we should have won is beyond frustrating! My boys deserve better!”
Her frustration extended beyond the coaching decisions. Hawkins also criticized the environment at Texas Tech, alleging that she and her young daughter experienced disrespectful treatment from fans.
“To add- the environment at tech was the worse the most disrespectful, disgusting environment and behavior I’ve ever witnessed!” she wrote.
Those allegations have not been independently verified, but they illustrate the emotions surrounding a difficult evening for the Hawkins family.
Interestingly, Hawkins’ father, Michael Hawkins Sr., also weighed in on X, questioning how much responsibility the offense should shoulder.
“So the offense has to be perfect or score on every position to win a game. Imagine having zero turnovers on offense, score 48 and still lose……. 😳” he wrote.
Rich Rodriguez Faces Difficult Questions After Texas Tech Loss
There is an important distinction between the family’s two reactions. Hawkins’ mother specifically criticized offensive play-calling, while his father appeared more concerned with the defense’s inability to protect a productive offensive performance. Both arguments deserve consideration.
West Virginia produced 562 total yards without committing a turnover. However, the Mountaineers also failed to score in the fourth quarter after building a 48-41 lead. Rodriguez acknowledged his own frustration afterward, describing the defense’s first-half performance as “gross.”
The Mountaineers surrendered 638 yards, continuing a troubling defensive trend that has complicated an otherwise productive season for Hawkins. Still, the larger concern extends beyond one disappointing result.
Hawkins has established himself as one of West Virginia’s most important players, making his long-term future in Morgantown a significant storyline. His parents’ comments do not establish that he intends to transfer, and neither publicly announced such a decision.
Nevertheless, Rodriguez faces an important challenge: improving the team’s results while maintaining confidence among the players and families invested in the program. West Virginia has a quarterback capable of producing memorable performances. Saturday demonstrated that talent alone cannot guarantee victories.
WVU QB Michael Hawkins Jr.’s Mother Calls Out Rich Rodriguez in Now-Deleted Post