The West Virginia Mountaineers football head coach Rich Rodriguez understands that his defense has not performed anywhere near the level it needs to. However, the encouraging news for WVU fans is that Rodriguez appears just as frustrated with the results as anybody watching from the stands.
Speaking with reporters Wednesday, Rodriguez acknowledged the Mountaineers’ defensive struggles and made it clear that finding solutions has become an urgent priority. The veteran coach believes his players are competing, but their effort has not translated into the results West Virginia needs.
“We didn’t play well enough defensively, and we are trying to fix some things up there, obviously,” Rodriguez said. “The guys are competing, and I didn’t see anything defensively that we can’t fix. We just have to have the urgency to fix it right away.”
That final sentence might be the most important takeaway for Mountaineers fans who have grown increasingly frustrated watching the defense struggle.
Rich Rodriguez Knows WVU’s Defense Must Improve Quickly
Rodriguez was also asked about the specific adjustments West Virginia needs to make. His response suggested that the coaching staff must do a better job identifying individual strengths and putting players in positions where they can succeed.
“Coaching-wise, obviously, we have to try and find the right position to put our guys in more consistently,” Rodriguez said. “By now, we should have a pretty good idea of what our players’ strengths and weaknesses are so we can plan accordingly as far as what their responsibilities are on the field.”
That is an important admission from Rodriguez because defensive improvement cannot simply come down to asking players to work harder. The coaching staff also has a responsibility to create situations that allow those players to perform at their best.
“It’s frustrating because all our guys and players are working hard,” Rodriguez continued. “We just haven’t had the results like we need to and played the way we should be playing on defense.”
For WVU fans, hearing that level of urgency is encouraging, even if it does not immediately solve anything.
There is reason to hope West Virginia can improve defensively, particularly if the coaching staff can make meaningful adjustments to player responsibilities. However, those changes ultimately need to become visible on the field.
Rodriguez clearly understands that reality. Nobody appears more dissatisfied with the current defensive results than the man responsible for turning the program around.
Mountaineers fans will soon get their opportunity to see whether that frustration produces meaningful improvement. For now, Rodriguez is saying the right things, but the next challenge is making sure his defense starts delivering the right results.
Rodriguez and the Mountaineers will have their next opportunity to show defensive improvement when West Virginia hosts Arizona at noon EDT Saturday at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, W.Va.
WVU’s Rich Rodriguez Demands Immediate Changes Amid Defensive Struggles