⚡ CFB Dashboard

- RB: I was hyping him up couple months ago and was saying I was hoping to see a good amount from him this year.

- WVU used 30 defenders in the opener, and coordinator Zac Alley says additional players could have helped and deserved opportunities. Roles remain situational across base, third-down and heavy packages: some players met their assignments and others did not. Alley wants personnel matched to bigger fronts or coverage needs rather than promising a fixed rotation. - Alley was pleased with WVU's overall defensive effort, identifying only three low-effort plays, all in the second half. His stated improvement point is consistent assignment discipline; the positive effort assessment is the coordinator's evaluation, not an independent efficiency grade. - WVU defenders knocked the ball loose four times in the opener, producing two turnovers. Alley says forcing the ball out remains an emphasis as the defense develops; the report does not project that takeaway rate to continue.

- West Virginia's opener produced 9 conversions on 18 third downs, with Mike Hawkins completing all eight third-down passes and rushing for 110 yards. That is an encouraging first-game change from a 2025 offense ranked No. 132 in third-down conversion rate, not yet proof the improvement will hold against stronger opponents. - Cam Cook supplied a 74-yard run and nine forced missed tackles, per the article's PFF figures. WVU nevertheless debuted 19 team starters against Coastal Carolina; seven true freshmen played, including left tackle Kevin Brown. The explosive rushing start came with substantial lineup turnover. - WVU recorded five sacks in its opener. Next opponent UT Martin entered this preview with no sacks allowed and no touchdown passes through a 1-1 start, while running back Tommy Ansley had five rushing touchdowns. Those early opponent splits point to a different test for WVU's front, rather than establishing a projected score. - Jack Cassidy generated touchbacks on all six WVU kickoffs in the opener. UT Martin is also a specific special-teams concern: the preview credits it with an FCS-leading eight blocked kicks last season and two already this season.

- DB: If Chambers and Thomas are both able to play soon it would really help the secondary.

- West Virginia's 2026 UT Martin preview lists 19 players who have already made their first starts for WVU and an overall roster with 88 newcomers against 34 returning players. That is substantial program-level turnover, not 19 first-ever college starts or evidence that the next game's lineup has changed. - West Virginia's defense is preparing for a UT Martin offense that has used both Tate Surber and Julian Calvez through two games, averaging 33 points and 386 yards. Running back Tommy Ansley has 179 yards and five touchdowns at 6.9 per carry; those are opponent results over a small sample, not WVU defensive projections or a confirmed two-quarterback rotation for Saturday. - For West Virginia's offense, the preview identifies UT Martin defender Trey Cotton's 14 tackles, forced fumble and interception as an opposing takeaway threat. UT Martin has allowed 21.5 points per game through two outings; those opponent results are from a small sample and do not provide a matchup-adjusted scoring forecast for WVU.

- Only one starting West Virginia defensive back graded above 61.0 in PFF's Coastal Carolina review, leaving coverage a concern despite the talent advantage projected against UT Martin. The preview flags limited film on new opposing quarterback Tate Surber after his 222-yard, one-interception Chicago State game, drawing a cautionary comparison to WVU's problems with an inexperienced passer in the opener. - West Virginia tackle Carsten Casady received a 35.0 opening-game PFF grade, allowing a hurry and struggling in run blocking, while Kevin Brown also missed one block that resulted in a hit on Michael Hawkins. The preview identifies UT Martin edge Duston Chavis, who can move from wide alignments to the B-gap, as a specific test of both tackles rather than evidence of a new WVU lineup. - Jaden Bray led West Virginia with four targets against Coastal Carolina and was the primary read on a converted third down. The writer projects a favorable receiving matchup against Farand Washington, citing seven completions allowed on eight targets through UT Martin's first two games, but treats Bray becoming the clear go-to receiver as an expectation rather than an announced target share.

- West Virginia quarterback Mike Hawkins completed all eight third-down passes for 108 yards in the 2026 Coastal Carolina opener, including six completions for 94 yards, five first downs and a touchdown before halftime. That passing efficiency did not translate into sustained second-half success: the offense converted 8 of 10 third downs in the first half but only 1 of 8 afterward. - Hawkins extended West Virginia's 17-play, 86-yard touchdown drive with a short-yardage run and two completions against pressure, helping consume 6:35 late in the first half. The late-game contrast was significant: an 11-yard third-down sack removed a field-goal opportunity and a later third-and-8 run lost five yards, showing why perfect third-down passing alone overstates the offense's consistency.

- West Virginia shut out Coastal Carolina in the first half but allowed all 24 points after halftime in a 31-24 win. Coastal finished with 373 passing yards and three second-half touchdown drives of at least 71 yards; Rich Rodriguez attributed recurring defensive breakdowns to individual assignment mistakes rather than describing a new scheme. - Rodriguez warned that UT Martin's RPO-heavy offense can generate explosive plays against undisciplined assignments. West Virginia's stated preparation priority is correcting those individual errors so one defender's mistake does not create another big gain. - West Virginia used 30 defenders in the opener, with 21 recording at least one statistic, giving the staff a broad sample of personnel combinations to evaluate. That documents the opening-game rotation, not a confirmed 30-player rotation or snap distribution against UT Martin.

- QB/WR: Each week this season, I'm going to take a moment to break down three key matchups for that week's contest.

- West Virginia offensive lineman Amare Grayson played 76 snaps against Coastal Carolina alongside true freshman Kevin Brown, Nick Krahe, Wes King and Carsten Casady, with the Mountaineers rushing for 281 yards in the 31-24 win. - West Virginia's Grayson acknowledged early communication problems as the newly assembled offensive line adjusted to the game environment, but said communication improved during the opener and described the overall performance as consistent. - West Virginia's Grayson said line coach Rick Trickett emphasized cleaner execution and continued improvement after the opener, leaving communication and cohesion as development priorities ahead of UT Martin rather than announcing a personnel change.

- LB: The differences between the halves were the huge disappointment.

- Rich Rodriguez said West Virginia became too conservative with its second-half lead against Coastal Carolina and passed up available shots while trying to rest the defense, adding that Michael Hawkins' composure and generally sound decisions give him confidence the offense can do more going forward. - Chris Talley was next in line for running-back reps before injuring his hamstring during warmups, with Rodriguez describing him as week-to-week and saying West Virginia will eventually need to use more than two backs without specifying a return date or carry allocation. - Rodriguez expressed hope that Prince Strachan can return for the Virginia game, but did not confirm clearance or say that he would be available for the upcoming UT Martin matchup. - Rodriguez said Darius Wiley's injury creates an opportunity for Tobi Haastrup and Jeremiah Johnson to earn roles, without establishing that either has secured a starting job or defining Wiley's recovery timetable. - New arrival JaCorey Thomas can potentially play all three safety spots for West Virginia depending on how much he learns, but Rodriguez said he still has steps to complete, so the discussion does not establish immediate eligibility or game availability.

- Pick/market: like (I’m out of likes)

- Practice: What's bad is he was listed as second team with the first team guy hurt, so the starting job was right there.....

- QB/OL: I don’t know how anyone can draw conclusions from what we watched.