WVU Football: Today Is the Day West Virginia Turns Its Season Around

After three consecutive losses to begin Big 12 Conference play, West Virginia finds itself sitting at 3-3 overall and 0-3 in conference play. It’s certainly not where anyone expected the Mountaineers to be at this point in the season, and there’s no question that the frustration surrounding this program is completely justified. However, despite everything that has gone wrong over the last three weeks, I believe we’re going to see a completely different West Virginia team today when the Mountaineers take the field against the 4-1 Cincinnati Bearcats at noon on TNT.

And it all starts with Michael Hawkins Jr. and Cam Cook.

Let’s be clear about something: West Virginia has one of the most explosive offenses in college football, and when this unit is clicking, there aren’t many defenses in the country capable of stopping it. The Mountaineers enter today’s game averaging an incredible 295.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks fourth nationally. Cook has already rushed for 793 yards, while Hawkins has accumulated nearly 700 yards on the ground himself. Those are absolutely ridiculous numbers, especially considering we’re only halfway through the regular season.

When Rich Rodriguez was hired to return to Morgantown, this is exactly the type of offensive production I envisioned. A dynamic quarterback who can beat you with his arm and his legs, a dominant running back who can take over a football game, and an offense that keeps opposing defenses guessing on virtually every snap. That’s what made Rodriguez so successful during his first stint at West Virginia, and we’re beginning to see that same offensive identity take shape once again.

I expect Hawkins to have an absolutely monster performance today. Cincinnati is going to have to account for him on every single play, and that’s going to open up opportunities for Cook to absolutely feast against the Bearcats’ defense. If Cincinnati focuses too much attention on stopping Hawkins, Cook will make them pay. If the Bearcats load the box to stop Cook, Hawkins has the ability to break off a 50-yard touchdown run or find one of his receivers downfield.

And speaking of the passing game, West Virginia currently leads the entire country in yards per completion at 18.2. This isn’t an offense that has to methodically work its way down the field with 15-play drives. The Mountaineers can score from virtually anywhere, and I expect them to do exactly that today.

Now, I know what everyone is thinking. What about the defense?

Believe me, I get it. I’ve been as critical of Zac Alley and this defensive unit as anyone over the last several weeks. Giving up 52 points to Arizona was completely unacceptable, and the inability to consistently tackle, prevent explosive plays, and get off the field on third down has been absolutely maddening. There’s simply no defending what we’ve witnessed on that side of the football.

However, I also believe that we’re going to see a defensive unit today that finally plays with some pride and urgency.

Do I expect West Virginia to suddenly transform into the 1985 Chicago Bears? Absolutely not. Cincinnati has a very capable offense of its own, particularly on the ground, and the Bearcats are going to score some points. But I don’t believe West Virginia needs to completely shut Cincinnati down to win this football game.

They just need to make a handful of critical stops.

One or two third-down stops, a forced turnover, or a big defensive play in the red zone could be the difference between another heartbreaking loss and a much-needed victory. I believe the Mountaineers are going to make those plays today. I expect the defensive line to play with more aggression, the linebackers to tackle with greater consistency, and the secondary to finally eliminate some of the catastrophic mistakes that have plagued this team throughout conference play.

This defense has been embarrassed for three consecutive weeks. They’ve heard the criticism. They’ve seen the headlines. They know that people are questioning their toughness, their coaching, and their ability to compete in the Big 12.

At some point, enough has to be enough.

And I believe today is that day.

There’s also something to be said about playing this game in Morgantown. Cincinnati might be 4-1, but the Bearcats are coming off an embarrassing 34-7 loss to the same Arizona team that just dismantled West Virginia. They’re certainly a good football team, but they’re not unbeatable. In fact, I believe this is a very favorable matchup for the Mountaineers, particularly if Rodriguez establishes the running game early and forces Cincinnati to play from behind.

It’s Homecoming in Morgantown, the Mountaineers are desperate for their first conference victory, and Rodriguez understands just how important this game is for the direction of the season. A win today gets West Virginia back above .500, restores some confidence inside the locker room, and gives this team an opportunity to build momentum heading into the second half of the schedule.

More importantly, it gives the fanbase something to believe in again.

I’ve maintained throughout this difficult stretch that Rodriguez is still the right man to lead West Virginia back to national prominence. That belief hasn’t changed, and I don’t expect it to. But at some point, that belief has to be rewarded with results on the football field. Today presents the perfect opportunity to begin doing exactly that.

I expect West Virginia to come out aggressive offensively, establish Cook early, and allow Hawkins to take complete control of this football game. I expect explosive plays, long touchdown runs, and an offense that looks nearly unstoppable for much of the afternoon.

And when Cincinnati inevitably makes a run of its own, I expect the West Virginia defense to finally step up and deliver the stops necessary to put this game away.

This season is far from over. There is still plenty of football left to be played, and while the Mountaineers have certainly dug themselves a hole, there’s absolutely no reason they can’t begin climbing out of it today.

I believe they will.

Michael Hawkins Jr. and Cam Cook combine for more than 300 rushing yards, the Mountaineers’ offense puts on an absolute show, and the defense comes up with two critical second-half stops to seal the victory.

West Virginia gets its first Big 12 Conference win of the season, and the Mountaineers finally give their fans something to celebrate.

Today is the day this team starts turning things around.

Let’s Go Mountaineers!