The past few weeks have seen some very rough numbers in the passing game for WVU football.
During the past three games, the West Virginia Mountaineers' passing game has been nonexistent, and it's starting to seem like it might not look better in the coming games.
In the game against Kansas, the Nicco Marchiol and Jaylen Henderson combined to go 17-of-31 for 142 yards. The next week against Utah, Henderson and Khalil Wilkins combined to go for 6-of-13 for 85 total passing yards. Then last Friday, WVU’s passing attack saw Wilkins and Scotty Fox Jr. combined for 10-18 and 135 passing yards. Fox Jr. looked like the better passer, although he only had three passing attempts (3-3 with 54 yards and one touchdown). Wilkins, meanwhile, earned a quarterback rating of 35.8, and earned a Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of 63.7 for his passing performance. Fox Jr., in his limited attempts, earned an 87.5 passing grade.
Throwing the ball has been a struggle for the Mountaineers all season, averaging 172 passing yards per game, which ranks them 115th in the nation at the FBS level. They also have a passing efficiency rating of 121.3 as a team (110th in FBS) and a completion percentage of .607 (95th in FBS). But the stats over the last three games have been particularly bad, as WVU has averaged just 120.6 passing yards per game and a .532 completion percentage – if you compare those recent passing stats from those three games against the FBS averages for the season, the Mountaineers would be 131st in FBS in yards per game and 130th in FBS in completion percentage.
And things might not change – WVU plays UCF on October 18 after a bye week, and the Golden Knights ranks as the 28th team in limiting passing yards per game at 178.5 passing yards per game. TCU should be a little easier for the Mountaineers to throw the ball, as the Horned Frogs are 81st in the country, allowing 242 passing yards per game. But after TCU, it goes right back to being tough to throw, as WVU’s next opponent, Houston, is 45th in allowing passing yards per game (200.3 passing yards per game).
In the last three games on WVU’s schedule, it remains tough for the WVU passing attack, playing against Colorado (58th), Arizona State (82nd), and Texas Tech (37th).
If WVU and head coach Rich Rodriguez do not figure out the passing offense soon, it will be a long season with many lopsided scores.