West Virginia football faces scrutiny after Big 12 losses

West Virginia University football is facing scrutiny following back-to-back losses to first-year head coaches in the Big 12. After a promising 3-0 start to the season, including a victory over Virginia, the Mountaineers have fallen to 0-2 in conference play.

The losses to Oklahoma State, led by Eric Morris, and Iowa State, led by Jimmy Rogers, have raised concerns regarding the program's rebuilding progress under head coach Rich Rodriguez in his second year. Critics have pointed to a struggling defense, which Rodriguez described as ‘atrocious,’ as a primary factor in the team's recent decline.

Despite significant investments in the roster through the transfer portal, the team's inability to secure wins against programs with first-year coaches has led to growing doubt among the fan base regarding the trajectory of the program.