The West Virginia Mountaineers got their 2025 season off to a strong start on Saturday as they racked up 600+ yards en route to a 45-3 win over FCS opponent Robert Morris. As WVU football got their season off on the right foot, here are some initial takeaways from the team's season opening victory.
There Are Still Mistakes To Clean Up
The Mountaineers pulled off the win, but the action on the gridiron wasn't perfect. WVU gave up four turnovers, including three in the first half -- all coming off fumbles. They also racked up nine penalties totaling 69 yards.
This played into the Mountaineers having a slow start, only getting out to a 10-3 lead at halftime. Head coach Rich Rodriguez wasn't exactly happy about the turnovers, but he also understands a bit of struggle during Week 1 isn't necessarily a bad thing when you still come out on top.
"We need that, we're going to face adversity," Rodriguez said after the game.
There's Still Evaluation To Take Place
Rodriguez has been open about the fact that there needed to be some player evaluation in the first game or two of the season, but the slow start to the game prevented Rodriguez from working in quite as many players as he'd like before the game got into it's final stages. With a road game against the defending MAC champions coming up next week in Ohio -- a team that nearly upset Rutgers on the road in Week 1 -- the Mountaineers probably would have liked more in-game evaluation against RMU.
"That was disappointing, I didn't get to play as many people as I'd like to play," Rodriguez said.
Early Offensive Standouts
Over 600 yards in a game -- even against an FCS foe -- is a good sign the classic, high-octane Rich Rodriguez offense is back in Morgantown. Aside from the early fumbles, there was a lot to like about what we saw on offense on Saturday.
Standouts of the offensive side of the ball included quarterback Nicco Marchiol, running back Jahiem White, and wide receiver Cam Vaughn. Marchiol went 17-for-20 passing with 224 yards through the air and one passing touchdown, while also using his legs to add 56 yards and one rushing touchdown.
White added 93 yards on 18 carries and two rushing touchdowns, while Vaughn hauled in seven receptions for 127 yards and one touchdown. With this trio of Mountaineers leading the offense, the future could be bright for WVU's offense in 2025.