Most fans throughout WVU’s disappointing season that did not live up to its preseason hype, just wanted the year to be over as quickly as possible. And for most of those fans, they wanted to see WVU make a coaching change even more. Well both of those things are about to come true.
As the Mountaineers are set to play in a very early bowl game tonight against Memphis, it seems most fans feel as though the game does not even matter. It appears that people just want the season to be done with as quickly as possible so that WVU Football can usher in a new era under new head coach Rich Rodriguez.
While that is a valid point, the coaching change now adds a completely new element to the upcoming bowl game.
Since a hire was made by Wren Baker before the bowl game was played, the current players on the WVU roster have had an opportunity to meet with Rodriguez and get a feel for his personality and kind of style. This means that players already have an idea of whether they may be wanting to stay or transfer.
While Interim Head Coach Chad Scott told us the entire roster plans on playing in the bowl game before considering transferring, it is without doubt that there are players already set in stone on leaving the program after the game is over. But on the other side of that, there are probably a couple players who really want to stay and play for Rodriguez, and this is their opportunity to make a statement.
So where does all of this come into play with the bowl game? Well for beginners, this is a ranked matchup for WVU. Despite being a lesser known bowl game against a group of four program, WVU has the opportunity to pick up a ranked win and end the season on a very positive note.
But now there is the element of the coaching change and the team needing to prove a point. Whether players decide to stay and play for Rodriguez or they transfer after the game, they will all be playing for a new coach next season.
It should give the players an extra layer of motivation to make a name for themselves. Rodriguez has already come into the team and spoken on the Pat McAfee show, saying he does not care about talent but instead, gritty and hard working players.
I think fans are going to get to see an all new type of motivated Mountaineer football team when they take the field against the Tigers tonight in Texas.
The players will all have new eyes watching them, and there’s no possible way they don’t know that.
The seniors playing in their last ever game are going to do everything they can to go out on top, and the underclassmen will be fighting to put their best product possible on the field for whoever may be watching.
It’s not too often teams can get an entire roster to come back and play for a meaningless bowl game, but then again maybe this bowl game is now not so meaningless. Watch for some players to make some names for themselves tonight.
The Frisco Bowl just got a lot more impactful for the future of WVU Football. While he might not be on the field, the second Rich Rodriguez era at WVU starts tonight.
