(Graphic Illustration - Monday Morning Quarterback - WVU Football - Image rendered through the use of ChatGPT)

West Virginia wore their 1965 throwback uniforms Saturday.

That 1965 squad had a respectable 6-4 record, beat Pitt and Virginia Tech and averaged 28 points per game. So to those from that team who are still with us an apology is to be extended for their legacy having been besmirched by the group wearing their uniforms in a horrendous 48-14 beatdown by Utah.

And let’s send out our sympathy to the Utah punter. He practices all week, flies all the way across the country, and never even got to see the field.

While all the second or third teamers for the Utes got to play, he never got to punt even once. What a bummer for him.

If you are reading this column you probably watched the game, or at least some of it, so there is no need to rehash the disaster we saw. Perhaps our focus should instead be where do we go from here?

Of the 70-80 new players brought to Morgantown this season, 41 are seniors in their last year of eligibility.

Most of those are here for a one year stop, with no real connection or loyalty to WVU, many of them receiving paychecks.

Can we reasonably expect they will focus and commit to getting better for the last eight games of the season?

To be fair, some of them will try their best but as a group one has to worry that the biggest risk is that as one sided losses mount a good part of this 2025 team may throw in the towel.

West Virginia fired Neal Brown for winning only half of his games and falling short of expectations. Winning half our games would look pretty good right now.

The team we now see on the field has shown that it is not even competitive against the Big 12, having lost the first two conference games by 31 and 34 points.

There is always the possibility that they will get some key players back from injury and improve over the remaining two thirds of the season, but the overall talent level appears to be far short of what is needed.

Head coach Rich Rodriguez said it was embarrassing how we failed to execute.

Indeed it was. In our own stadium no less, with the stands mostly empty as the fourth quarter played out.

The coaching staff thus has a huge challenge as we move forward to get this team back on competitive footing.

THIS FRIDAY. Fans will have to stay up late Friday night as the WVU travels on a short week for a 10:30 kickoff at BYU.

The Cougars are 4-0 with a stout defense giving up only 37 total points in those wins. This is another well coached, solid and talented football team that should have no problem taking care of the Mountaineers.

BYU 31, WEST VIRGINIA 10.