There is an area where head coach Rich Rodriguez might already have plans to attack when the West Virginia Mountaineers take on the Ohio Bobcats in Athens, Ohio. In what should be the first true test of the year for WVU football, there might be an area of concern for the Ohio Bobcats that WVU could take advantage of.
The Ohio Bobcats replaced four starters on the offensive line from 2024 to this season. Six-year veteran Parker Tittsworth, four-year veteran Christophe Atkinson, along with Jacob Dennis and Carson Heidecker, are all gone from last season. That is a lot of talent to replace in the front of the trenches for the Bobcats.
The one returning offensive lineman, Davion Witherspoon, made 14 starts last season and is by far their most experienced player up front for head coach Brian Smith’s team. In his first season as head coach, taking over for Tim Albins, who accepted the head coach position at Charlotte, Smith has previously been the offensive coordinator, associate head coach, passing game coordinator, and running back coach for Ohio since 2022.
This WVU defensive line could be in a great position to have great games both rushing the quarterback and stopping the run. Players like Brandon Siers, Hammond Russell IV, Comeback Player of the Year candidate Edward Vesterinen, Eddie Kelly Jr., and others all have a great chance to really make their mark during the game on Saturday.
WVU football fans must believe that the above-mentioned players have to be ready to tee off a group that is very inexperienced for Ohio. Containing quarterback Parker Navarro will be a challenge for the Mountaineer defense, but one way to combat Navarro’s explosiveness on offense is to dominate the line scrimmage and contain the run game.
Hopefully, we see the defensive line (and maybe some linebackers) make a lot of plays at or behind the line of scrimmage on Saturday. That might be the key for WVU to avoid getting beaten on the road and falling for the “trap game”.