The West Virginia Mountaineers have reached a troubling point in their season where simply playing good offensive football is no longer enough. Head coach Rich Rodriguez acknowledged that reality following Saturday’s 52-31 loss to Arizona, admitting that his offense is feeling additional pressure because of the team’s inability to get defensive stops.
It’s a completely fair assessment from Rodriguez, especially considering how much West Virginia’s offense has been asked to overcome throughout its three-game losing streak. The Mountaineers have continued producing yards and points, but their defensive struggles have made virtually every offensive possession feel like a must-score situation.
Against Arizona, West Virginia generated 522 total yards, including 303 on the ground. Those numbers should put a team in position to compete, but the Mountaineers instead suffered another frustrating defeat as Arizona scored 52 points.
“We can’t get a stop on defense, and then offensively there’s a little bit of, like, pressure,” Rodriguez said. “You can’t have a turnover. You gotta score on every possession. It’s just extremely frustrating.”
WVU’s Michael Hawkins Jr. and Cam Cook Are Carrying Enormous Pressure
What makes Rodriguez’s admission particularly important is how it changes the way West Virginia’s offensive mistakes should be evaluated.
Quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. and running back Cam Cook have helped keep the Mountaineers competitive despite a defense that continues putting them in difficult situations. Both players are being asked to produce consistently while knowing that even one empty possession could prove devastating.
Yes, West Virginia committed costly turnovers against Arizona, and those mistakes deserve scrutiny. However, it’s also reasonable to wonder whether the pressure of constantly needing touchdowns is contributing to some of those decisions.
When an offense believes it must score every time it touches the football, players can begin pressing rather than allowing the game to develop naturally. Rodriguez understands that problem.
“I told the team I think you’re playing hard, but there’s just stuff as coaches we gotta figure out in a hurry and fix in a hurry,” Rodriguez said.
The Mountaineers have surrendered 138 points over their last three games, an average of 46 per contest. At that rate, West Virginia’s offense essentially needs to approach 50 points just to give the team a realistic opportunity to win. That is an unreasonable standard for Hawkins, Cook or any offense in college football.
Rodriguez is right to acknowledge the pressure, and his offensive players deserve credit for continuing to produce under difficult circumstances. But until West Virginia’s defense improves, the Mountaineers will remain trapped in a situation where their offense is expected to be nearly perfect simply to keep games competitive.
Rodriguez admitted that he is not certain if the players feel the pressure, but he feels as if every call he makes is so critical. He’s right and it’s not fair for Hawkins, Cook and the rest of that offense.
WVU’s Rich Rodriguez Gets Honest About Unfair Pressure Facing The Mountaineers