WVU Football
Rich Rodriguez Has No Time for ‘Trap Game’ Talk Ahead of WVU’s Trip to Ohio
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – As WVU prepares to endure a tough road environment at Ohio, Rich Rodriguez doesn’t have any time for “trap game” talk.
West Virginia fans may have their minds on what’s to come the next week on Sept. 13. Pitt will be in Morgantown for the final matchup of the recent series. ESPN is considering bringing College GameDay to WVU. The intrigue for the 108th installment of the Backyard Brawl is through the roof.
But Rodriguez isn’t thinking about any of that right now. Like most coaches, he’s singularly focused on the next opponent, and for West Virginia, that’s how to beat the Ohio Bobcats.
“That’s ridiculous. If they’re thinking about anybody other than Ohio, they need to go somewhere else. It’s as simple as that,” responded Rodriguez when asked how to avoid this game being a “trap game” for his players.
“I don’t even want them thinking about Saturday. I want them thinking about how I get through Tuesday’s practice. That’s not going to be that difficult for us to manage, I don’t think,” he added to hammer home his point even more.
Able to overcome early struggles to win big in the season opener, the WVU football team knows they will have to be much better in Week 2. Oddsmakers even seem to be uneasy about West Virginia’s upcoming road trip.
Most major sportsbooks, most notably DraftKings and FanDuel, have the Mountaineers as a slight favorite to mover their record to 2-0. At the open of the new week, WVU sits as a 3.5-point favorite on most books, indicating a close game. DraftKings is one that has moved to just -3.
Unlike WVU, Ohio is coming off a loss in their season opener. The Bobcats scored 31 points before falling 34-31 at Rutgers.
It’s certainly possible a high-powered Ohio team at home with a sold out crowd in their favor could upset the Mountaineers.
Can West Virginia avoid disaster in what many are classifying as a “trap” game before Pitt visits Morgantown? Rich Rodriguez will quickly learn the mental fortitude of his team based on how they perform in a tough environment. He also knows they have to be more disciplined and play a cleaner game.
“Well, I’d like to say that was a typical first game, but I don’t know if I’ve ever had or seen three fumbles in four plays. That’s what I think we had. I know we had three straight fumbles. So, we obviously didn’t play well at all in the first half. West Virginia beating West Virginia,” said Rodriguez immediately following WVU’s 45-3 Week 1 win over Robert Morris.
Kickoff for the West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0) at the Ohio Bobcats (0-1) from Athens, Ohio is set for 4 pm ET.
Find more coverage of the WVU football program at WV Sports Now.
For a related story, Nicco Marchiol grades as the top Big 12 starting quarterback for Week 1.
