MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — Despite the four fumbles in the first half of West Virginia’s season debut, the Mountaineers pulled away and covered the spread, beating Robert Morris 45-3. Here are the grades for each position in West Virginia’s blowout win.
Quarterbacks: A+
Starter Nicco Marchiol was nearly flawless. He completed 17 of 20 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 56 yards and another score. His accuracy, decision-making, and composure made him the clear offensive leader.
Freshman Scotty Fox impressed in relief, showing a calm presence in his debut.
Running Backs: B+
Jahiem White carried the load with 18 carries for 93 yards, providing consistency even when WVU’s offense sputtered in the first half. Freshman Cyncir Bowers added juice off the bench with 9 carries for 58 yards, flashing speed and explosiveness.
The only drawback was ball security—two of WVU’s four fumbles came from this unit.
Wide Receivers: A
Cam Vaughn stole the show, hauling in 7 catches for 126 yards and proving to be Marchiol’s go-to target. Jaden Bray looked the part, and Preston Fox and Rodney Gallagher weren’t even targeted. This group has depth and explosiveness and Vaughn has emerged as a potential star already.
Tight Ends: B
I was hoping to see more from Grayson Barnes, who finished the game with 3 receptions for 37 yards.
Offensive Line: C-
The line held up well in pass protection, allowing Marchiol to stay comfortable for most of the game and hit downfield throws. However, the unit was responsible for part of the sloppy first half, as communication issues and pressure led to two of the early fumbles. Improvement is needed before Big 12 play, but the second half was a bit better.
Defensive Line: A-
Hammond Russell IV and company bottled up Robert Morris’ run game, holding them to few yards between the tackles. The pass rush generated consistent pressure, forcing hurried throws. The only real problem here is that WVU didn’t quite finish as many sacks as they could have.
Linebackers: B+
Ben Cutter and Reid Carrico played fast and physical, leading the team in tackles. This unit did well against the run and in underneath coverage. However, a few missed tackles in the first half kept Robert Morris on the field longer than necessary.
Secondary: A
The secondary was outstanding, limiting Robert Morris to fewer than 150 passing yards and a forced fumble from a tremendous hit by Jordan Scruggs.
Special Teams: A
Kicking and punting were solid, but nothing spectacular. Preston Fox was spectacular on punt returns and may be the best punt returner in the nation.
Coaching: B+
Rich Rodriguez’s debut had a little bit of everything—sloppy turnovers early, adjustments at halftime, and a dominant finish. Zac Alley was superb in his debut as the defensive coordinator, allowing less than 150 yards of total offense. The decision to keep rotating players in the second half, including freshmen like Fox and Bowers, gave fans a look at the future. Clean up the turnovers, and this grade easily jumps to an A.
Final Report Card
-
Quarterbacks: A+
-
Running Backs: B+
-
Wide Receivers: A
-
Tight Ends: B
-
Offensive Line: C-
-
Defensive Line: A-
-
Linebackers: B+
-
Secondary: A
-
Special Teams: A
-
Coaching: B+
Overall Team Grade: B+
West Virginia wasn’t perfect, but in Rich Rodriguez’s first game back, the Mountaineers showed firepower and depth on both sides of the ball. If the turnovers get cleaned up, this team has the potential to exceed expectations quickly.
