Rodriguez Open About WVU’s Offensive Struggles and What Needs to Change
Through the first four games of the 2025 season, West Virginia’s offense is struggling to find its rhythm.
Currently, the Mountaineers are ranked 62nd in total offense (408.2 yards per game), 87th in passing (203 yards per game), 33rd in rushing (205.2 yards per game), 130th in third-down conversion rate (26.8%), and 91st in scoring (24 points per game). These numbers fall short of expectations for a Rich Rodriguez-led offense, even considering the absence of key players like running back Jahiem White and wide receiver Jaden Bray.
Rodriguez offered his perspective on the issues during his Monday night radio show.
“It can be any number of things,” he explained. “It could be that the play call doesn’t match the defense, or one guy makes a mistake in protection. Or someone makes the wrong read or runs the wrong route. When you’re not dominant, everything has to align properly. It’s not about perfection, but it does need to be right. We’re not there yet, and we won’t be all year, so we need to execute better than we did on Saturday.”
Rodriguez also pointed out that while missed assignments aren’t as prevalent as some might think, the issue lies more in the execution and physicality of the plays.
So, if the problem isn’t missed assignments, could it be that the Mountaineers are simply not talented enough on offense? It certainly seems that way, as evidenced by their play over the first month of the season.
While injuries have certainly played a role, the offensive line has remained unchanged throughout the season, and yet, they’ve continued to struggle. The line is being pushed around, and the combination of poor protection and a pocket-passing quarterback is making matters worse. WVU is constantly finding itself in second-and-long and third-and-long situations, limiting its ability to establish tempo and forcing predictable play calls.
Rodriguez’s most concerning comment was his admission that the offense will need everything to go right for them to succeed. In essence, he acknowledged that there’s little margin for error with this group. Asking for the perfect play call, flawless protection, accurate quarterback reads, and sharp routes from the receivers on every play is a tall order, especially for a team that’s still working to gel.
WVU isn’t likely to suddenly transform into a top-50 offense. Their best chance for success will come from relying on a strong running game, protecting the football, and making games physical by controlling the clock and limiting opponents’ opportunities. It’s clear that this will be a grind-it-out kind of season.
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