Submitted photo WVU coach Rich Rodriguez looks on during last Saturday’s loss at Kansas.

MORGANTOWN — Rich Rodriguez usually starts off his press conference with an opening statement by going over the last game, what West Virginia needs to work on, and then getting prepared for next week. Over the past couple of weeks, the opening statement has included injuries sprinkled in. During Tuesday’s press conference, Rodriguez started with injuries.

“I’ll start off with injuries because it’s unfortunately compiling,” Rodriguez said. “It seems sometimes, some years, you get lucky and nobody gets hurt, and some years it comes in waves.”

Rodriguez started by talking about the known season-ending injuries of running back Jahiem White and wide receiver Jaden Bray. Then, he said there are a “couple” new ones. A couple is usually two or three. Rodriguez listed off a lot more than that.

First, there was the elephant in the room of the status regarding running back Tye Edwards. Edwards rushed for three touchdowns and over 100 yards in the win over Pitt and wasn’t injured. Then, he popped up on the injury report ahead of Kansas because of a hip injury. Ultimately, Edwards didn’t play, and the running game looked lost.

Edwards was a game-time decision, so there was hope he’d play against Utah and kickstart the running game again. Rodriguez said his status was up in the air during his radio show, but gave a more better update Tuesday.

“Tye wasn’t able to go last week,” Rodriguez said. “He’s still questionable for this week. Won’t know anything about him until later in the week.”

It sounds like it’ll be the Clay Ash and Cyncir Bowers show if Edwards can’t go. Or that’s what you think.

“Cyncir Bowers, the other running back who came in, got a concussion,” Rodriguez said. “He’s questionable for sure.”

Without Bowers and Edwards, Rodriguez said Diore Hubbard and late addition Merced transfer Tyler Jacklich will get more reps. Both played against Kansas. Rodriguez said he might also work in some slot receivers.

But if the offensive line can block well, anyone can play running back. Well, there are injuries on the offensive line, too.

Center Landen Livingston was injured during the Kansas game, and Casron Lee came in for him. Livingston is questionable for Saturday. Along with the center, right tackle Ty’Kieast Crawford and right guard Kimo Makane’ole are also questionable and may be probable to play against Utah. There could be a whole new right side to the offensive line.

Rodriguez hopes to have tight end Jacob Barrick and wide receiver Preston Fox back, though.

It didn’t stop there. Quarterback Nicco Marchiol is getting a mid-foot injury checked out in Colorado, so his status is also up in the air.

There are 11 offensive players on the injury list, including the starting QB, the first, second and third string RB, three of five starting linemen, a co-starting tight end and two of four starting receivers.

“It’s kind of a lot,” Rodriguez said. “There have been a couple of really physical games, but it gives opportunities to other guys to come in.”

The Mountaineers are on a tough, physical six-game stretch. There have already been teams with byes, but WVU has a couple of weeks until there’s one after the BYU game.

Rodriguez has coached a lot of football and had a team catch an injury bug like this back when he was at Arizona in 2016. He had an injured quarterback, mike linebacker, some receivers and a center, too. He went 3-9 that year.

“It’s not my first rodeo,” Rodriguez said.

The tempo offense could play a factor since it’s taxing on the body, and Rodriguez is a tough coach who wants a hard edge, but he said he took it easy on his team during the offseason and during practice.

It’s just a matter of being unlucky.

“It’s just bad luck,” Rodriguez said. “Sometimes that’s going to happen.”