The Mountaineers will not have to travel far for their first road game of the season. They will be heading just across the border into the Buckeye State, though they will not be facing the defending national champion, the Ohio State Buckeyes.
On Saturday, September 6, WVU will face off with the Ohio Bobcats, defending champions of the MAC with an 11-3 overall record in 2024. Ohio caught the attention of Mountaineer coaches, players, and fans with their week 1 performance that came up just short of an upset win against Rutgers. The final score was 34-31. As the Mountaineers turn their attention to Ohio this weekend, we have 5 things to watch for in the matchup.
1. Zac Alley vs. Parker Navarro
Zac Alley is a young, bright defensive coordinator for West Virginia. Alley has earned a reputation for leading defenses that play aggressively within his creative defensive schemes featuring multiple blitz packages. Alley places an emphasis on foreign turnovers and disrupting plays in the offensive backfield. He is known for his ability to make in-game adjustments, adapting to the situation presenting itself on the field.
The Ohio Bobcats are quarterbacked by senior Parker Navarro. Navarro’s 2024 campaign was impressive en route to leading his team to a conference title. In 2024, he passed for over 2,400 yards and 13 touchdowns to go along with 1,054 yards on the ground and 18 touchdowns.
Last week, Navarro was 21-for-31 in the passing game, accumulating 239 yards and three touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing with 93 yards and one touchdown on nine carries. The Bobcats outgained Rutgers in the loss. If on Saturday evening the Bobcats come away with a win, it is likely because the performance of Parker Navarro played a huge role.
This will be a fun chess match to keep an eye on. Will Alley be able to disguise blitz packages that disrupt Navarro? How will Navarro’s ability to run the football impact the West Virginia defensive game plan heading into Saturday? How will Alley adjust when Navarro picks up a couple of first downs on the ground after scrambling when a play breaks down?
2. How Will The West Virginia Offensive Line Fare Against Stiffer Competition?
Aside from a few penalties, West Virginia’s offensive line had a solid performance in Week 1 – although an average PFF grade among the starting five of 61.96 certainly leaves a number of concerns. Unfortunately, the full capabilities of this offensive line remain a mystery. While the Bobcats are not an opponent from a power conference, the threat that they possess defensively is sure to be greater than that of Robert Morris in Week 1.
It’s no secret that Rich Rodriguez’s offense wants to play fast and run the football while taking shots through the air when they are presented. Much of what any offense is designed to do relies heavily on the offensive line doing its job. Keep an eye on the battle in the trenches in Athens this weekend.
3. Is The Battle For QB1 Really Over?
A quarterback battle certainly didn’t appear to be taking place in Morgantown during West Virginia’s win over Robert Morris. Sure, four quarterbacks saw game action, but there was only one to play through the first three quarters, and that was Nicco Marchiol.
Marchiol played exceptionally well against Robert Morris, completing 85% of his passes while throwing for 224 yards and a touchdown. He also got it done as part of the WVU rushing attack with 13 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown.
The biggest question at this point is whether or not another quarterback checks in to the game if it is a tight contest – or even if Rodriguez wants to draw up some special packages for Jaylen Henderson or Scotty Fox. In Week 1, the answer was no, but the game was only tight through halftime and never felt in danger. Keep an eye on whether or not that is again the case in Week 2.
4. Will Jahiem White get a little help from his friends?
Jahiem White is arguably the most important contributor in West Virginia’s offense. The talented junior is now the feature back with CJ Donaldson transferring to Ohio State in the offseason. White totaled 18 carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1. Both Cycnir Bowers and Clay Ash received carries as well, but these are not the only two running backs in the mix for carries this season. Both Tye Edwards and Diore Hubbard are hoping to be contributors as well.
The reality is that running backs get banged up over the course of a season. While Jahiem White is certainly the #1 running back for the Mountaineers, Rodriguez needs to be able to trust the players he puts in while White is getting a breather on the sideline. Time will tell how this breaks down over the course of the season, but for Week 2, keep your eyes on who gets carries other than Jahiem White.
5. Will The WVU Linebackers Stand Out On Defense Once Again?
The strong performance of the WVU linebackers in Week 1 stood out above the play of the rest of the position groups. Chase Wilson, Reid Carrico, Ben Cutter, Ashton Woods, and Ben Bogle all made strong contributions against Robert Morris while looking comfortable in Zac Alley’s defensive system. Keep an eye on how this position group fares against Parker Navarro and company.