West Virginia Mountaineers Football: Phil Steele 2025 Forecast

Head coach Rich Rodriguez is making his long-awaited return to West Virginia this season, 18 years after departing the program for the Michigan job. In Rodriguez’s first stint, the Mountaineers saw immense success. In seven seasons (2001-2007), WVU posted a 60-26 record with three straight bowl game victories from 2005-2007 (Sugar Bowl, Gator Bowl and Fiesta Bowl).

Veteran college football writer Phil Steele has provided his forecast for the Mountaineers ahead of the 2025 season. Steele is calling for the Mountaineers to have a rebuilding season, but revealed that he wouldn’t be shocked if they surprised a lot of teams in the Big 12 this season.

West Virginia Offense

West Virginia‘s offense in 2024 was just average, as it tallied 405.4 YPG (10th in Big 12) and 29.2 PPG (11th in Big 12). It will be led this season by quarterback Nicco Marchiol, who played in eight games last season. Flanked by last season’s leading rusher Jahiem White, the offense is expected to be much improved this season under Rodriguez.

“In 2023, then head coach Neal Brown told me they were top three in the Big 12 at both RB and OLine,” Steele wrote. “My computer called for 220.4 YPG rush and 29.8 PPG and they were right there at 229 rush and 31.5 PPG. Last year, my computer called for 33.5 PPG but they came up short with 29.2 PPG.

“Rich Rodriguez has an offense that relies on the run and a mobile QB and last year had 36.0 PPG with Jacksonville State. He has a room loaded with his type of QB and his last offense here in 2007 put up 39.6 PPG. Despite having just one starter back from last year’s team, he hit the portal hard and should have an improved offense.”

West Virginia Defense

The Mountaineers had one of the worst defenses in the conference last season, as they allowed 415.3 YPG (third most in Big 12) and 31.9 PPG (third most in Big 12). The program brought in Zac Alley as its new defensive coordinator this offseason after he spent 2022-23 at Jacksonville State under Rodriguez as his DC. He was at Oklahoma in 2024, but now reunites with Rodriguez in Morgantown.

“Last year, the Mountaineers were solid vs the run but the secondary struggled and they slipped to allowed 32 PPG and 415 YPG,” Steele continued. “This year Rich Rodriguez bolstered all three units with a plethora of transfers including some starters from Jacksonville State.

“It is a brand new defense with zero starters back but with the transfers having started last year at other schools I am counting six returning starters. That’s a lot to process so I will leave it up to my computer which is calling for 388 YPG and 30.7 PPG.”

West Virginia 2025 Forecast

“When I talked to Rich Rod this spring he really did not know what type of team he would have as he hit the portal extremely hard and has 50 transfers on this year’s squad, many of which came in after spring practice so he had not had them on the field yet,” Steele revealed. “Last year, Arizona State hit the portal hard won the Big 12 but that was year two for head coach Kenny Dillingham after his first squad went 3-9.

“When Rodriguez was at Jacksonville State I picked them low his first year and he went 9-4. I think the Big 12 is too tough this year to duplicate that so I will call for a rebuilding year, but this team has a lot of talent and experience and could beat moue expectations again.”

West Virginia opens its 2025 season at home on August 30 against Robert Morris.