West Virginia’s Roster is Painfully Injured Right Now

West Virginia football is limping into Week 5, and Rich Rodriguez isn’t sugarcoating it.

The first-year head coach laid out a brutal injury report this week that paints a troubling picture for the Mountaineers. According to Rodriguez, starting quarterback Nicco Marchiol is nursing a foot injury that could sideline him for Saturday’s matchup with Utah. That alone would be concerning, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

West Virginia is also dealing with injuries to its top three running backs, two of its top four wide receivers, three starting offensive linemen, and a co-starting tight end. It’s a staggering number of hits to a roster that was already fighting to find its footing in a deeper Big 12.

The most impactful of these injuries may be in the backfield. Tye Edwards, a bruising 6-foot-2, 237-pound junior, is dealing with a hip pointer and remains questionable. Behind him, Cyncir Bowers is in concussion protocol and hasn’t been cleared for contact. Both backs were expected to be key rotational pieces this fall.

On the offensive line, Rodriguez confirmed starting center Landen Livingston is dealing with a deep bruise and has been limited in practice. Losing the center, especially in a system that relies on tempo and read-option looks, could throw the entire timing of the offense off. And at wide receiver, reliable slot man Preston Fox didn’t even make the trip to Kansas last week, while sophomore Jacob Barrick remains a game-time decision. Rodriguez said he hopes to have both players available against Utah, but there’s no guarantee.

Even if some of these guys suit up, the bigger concern is how much this rash of injuries has already disrupted continuity. West Virginia’s offense looked completely out of sync in the loss to Kansas, rushing for just 81 yards on 32 attempts and managing only one touchdown across four quarters. Rodriguez said postgame that the execution just wasn’t there, and it’s easy to see why when the roster looks like a M*A*S*H unit. This is a test of depth, and early returns haven’t been promising.

West Virginia has no time to wallow. Utah brings a disciplined front and a dangerous run game, and with Big 12 play ramping up, the margin for error is razor-thin. If Rodriguez can’t get healthy bodies back on the field soon, this season could go sideways fast.