Of
those, West Virginia has a matching off-week, like this week’s open date
before East
Carolina, just three times.
“It’s not so bad if you have an off-week, too, because then it kind of evens
out,”
Rodriguez said. “But that doesn’t happen with us.”
West Virginia’s last two off-weeks, against Virginia Tech and arch-rival
Pittsburgh, are
because of 10-day layoffs around Thanksgiving. Tech and Pittsburgh also have
10 days
between the games.
“It seems like we always get stuck like this,” Rodriguez said. “Heck, it was
worse last
year.”
East Carolina, which comes to Mountaineer Field Sept. 28, is off this week.
Along with
the Pirates and the last two games, Cincinnati, Maryland, Rutgers and Miami
have open
dates. The latter four are off when WVU plays.
“Everybody plays us differently anyway (because of the spread offense),”
Rodriguez said.
“Now it’s worse. With Cincinnati, we expected them to run a spread offense,
and they
come out with two tight-ends. We had to adjust, and they got us on the first
few drives. It
just gives the team that is off a major advantage.”
West Virginia must also play seven straight games after this week. Two of
those -- Oct. 5
against Maryland and Oct. 26 versus Miami -- are against defending conference
champions.
“I’d actually like to play the five non-conference games straight, then have
an off-week
before going into the Big East,” Rodriguez said.
The Mountaineers have no open dates during the Big East schedule, which
starts Oct. 12
at Rutgers.
“The biggest thing is it gives you a chance to get healthy,” Rodriguez said.
“But we are
healthy right now, and though we have some things we can work on, I would
rather keep
playing.”
West Virginia was 1-1 last season following off-weeks and is 9-3 over the
last five years.
“Heck, some teams are playing 12 in a row,” Rodriguez said, “so I guess I
can’t complain
too much.”
WVU’s schedule is also bottom-heavy. Miami, Virginia Tech, Boston College and
Pitt, the
Big East’s preseason top four teams, are played in four of the last five
weeks.