Storylines to Keep an Eye On for WVU Football Hosting TCU

Calling any game a “must-win” for WVU football would be an understatement at this point. Obviously, the Mountaineers are desperate need of a win, but they also need to show some signs of life in general. Can West Virginia upset TCU on a special day for the program or will they endure their fifth consecutive blowout loss?

WVU HC Rich Rodriguez Leaves Little Room for Intrigue About Current QB1

Unlike in prior weeks, there doesn’t appear to be much intrigue left about who WVU will start at quarterback this weekend.

Rich Rodriguez didn’t shy away from being honest about the status of his quarterback during his weekly press conference on Tuesday. Without coming out and naming Scotty Fox the starter when West Virginia hosts TCU, Rodriguez’s comments leave him as the guy based on a process of elimination.

Rodriguez revealed that Khalil Wilkins, who started at BYU and then came in as a replacement against UCF, is “questionable” and will only be available in an emergency role on Saturday.

And with veteran Nicco Marchiol out for the season and expected to be done as a Mountaineer and Jaylen Henderson still injured, that only leaves Max Brown beyond Fox.

While Brown has been unavailable most of the season, Rodriguez does expect him to be “good to go” this week. However, Rodriguez also said he’s “a freshman in the system” and is still recovering.

Watch: WVU Football Promotes Wearing Coal Rush Uniform

West Virginia’s game this week represents more than just trying to repair a season, it’s also the annual “Coal Rush” game.

WVU fans dressed in black during the 2024 Coal Rush game. (WVSN photo by Kelsie LeRose)

And even though WVU fans have already been aware of the uniform combination for weeks, the program still shared a video to promote the alternate look ahead of the game.

Rich Rodriguez Takes Ownership of ‘Misevaluations’ in Recruiting WVU Roster

In an effort to provide more clarity on WVU’s struggles this season, Rodriguez made a big admission on Tuesday.

Rodriguez admitted he “misevaluated” some of the transfer players he recruited during the offseason. And in addition to admitting he thought more of certain players, though he wouldn’t call anyone out by name, he has also come to terms with the fact it may take longer than he expected to fully ingratiate his “Hard Edge” culture into the entire program.

Rich Rodriguez Takes Ownership of ‘Misevaluations’ in Recruiting WVU Roster

“I thought it was there, but it really wasn’t,” said Rodriguez about falsely believing this team was fully “Hard Edge” after their comeback win over rival Pitt in the Backyard Brawl.

Despite how bad 2025 has been, all hope is not lost for Rodriguez in terms of his ability to turn West Virginia into a national power again. He even disputed any thought the UCF, a program dealing with a similar situation, is as head of the WVU program as the final score of their matchup may indicate.

But Rodriguez is also not denying the disappointment of the 2205 season, even regardless of all of the injuries.

“We still have a ways to go… I think you have to play a whole season, but I thought we were further with that,” said Rodriguez.Both DraftKings and FanDuel are predicting the Horned Frogs to dominate the Mountaineers. And if WVU doesn’t find some way to show signs of life, that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

At 2-5 overall and 0-4 in the Big 12, there’s not much for even the most optimistic WVU fan to point to as a sign of better days to come. The hope has to be in Rodriguez and the belief he will fulfill his promise to make West Virginia great again, granted that may take more time than initially advertised.

Conversely, TCU still has plenty left to play for. The Horned Frogs enter Week 9 at 5-2, granted they’re only 2-2 within the Big 12. TCU is looking to build a win steak after pulling out a win in a shootout against Baylor.

Find more coverage of the WVU football program at WV Sports Now.

For related content, Mike Asti and Luke Blain discussed if WVU football is truly at the bottom and Rich Rodriguez’s recent comments on the latest episode of Mountaineer Report.