Rich Rodriguez Makes Brutal Admission After WVU’s 609-Yard Nightmare
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The West Virginia Mountaineers had a golden opportunity to improve to 4-0 Saturday night. Instead, Oklahoma State walked into Morgantown, piled up 609 yards and handed Rich Rodriguez’s team a devastating 41-24 loss. WVU even held a 24-21 lead in the third quarter before surrendering 20 unanswered points. What Rodriguez said afterward should concern every Mountaineers fan.
“We gave up 609 yards. We didn’t give our guys a chance,” Rodriguez said following Saturday’s loss.
The WVU head coach accepted responsibility for a defensive game plan that failed to contain Oklahoma State throughout the Big 12 opener. Although the Mountaineers had some encouraging offensive moments, Rodriguez acknowledged that the defensive performance was unacceptable. He offered a particularly revealing assessment of his own preparation.
“I didn’t do a good job,” Rodriguez admitted.
Rich Rodriguez Takes Responsibility for WVU’s Defensive Disaster
The numbers make Rodriguez’s frustration understandable. Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker completed 20 of 27 passes for 389 yards and three touchdowns, while receiver Wyatt Young torched WVU’s secondary for 192 yards on eight receptions. The Cowboys also rushed for 220 yards and repeatedly exploited a defense that struggled to generate pressure.
According to WVU’s official game recap, the 609 yards surrendered were the most West Virginia has allowed since its 2015 loss to TCU. Rodriguez didn’t attempt to disguise the severity of the performance. His assessment was painfully straightforward for Zac Alley’s group.
“Defensively, it was nothing,” Rodriguez said.
Perhaps the most frustrating part was that WVU actually ran the football effectively, finishing with 335 rushing yards. However, quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. completed only 10 of 22 passes for 132 yards and threw an interception.
The Mountaineers needed their defense to respond when Oklahoma State gained momentum, but that response never came. Everything was going perfectly for WVU until a costly tipped pass resulted in an interception. From that moment on, Oklahoma State completely took over the momentum. WVU had been putting together a flawless drive, but after Hawkins’ pass was deflected, it was all she wrote.
WVU’s Undefeated Dream Comes Crashing Down
Only one week ago, WVU fans were questioning their team’s absence from the AP Top 25 following an impressive victory over Virginia. By Saturday afternoon, ESPN’s entire College GameDay panel had picked the Mountaineers to defeat Oklahoma State. The chance to move to 4-0 was sitting right there.
Now, instead of celebrating an undefeated September, WVU faces legitimate questions about a defense that surrendered explosive plays throughout Saturday’s loss. Rodriguez deserves credit for accepting responsibility, but his admission won’t erase the frustration of watching a promising opportunity disappear at home.
West Virginia is still 3-1, and its season is far from over. However, Saturday exposed a problem that Rodriguez must address quickly before the Mountaineers travel to Iowa State on Oct. 3.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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