And just like that, half of Rich Rodriguez’s first season at West Virginia is over. Six games down and six games to go.

It hasn’t entirely gone to plan. The Mountaineers are 2-4 on the season, are last in the Big 12 with three losses, and have lost three straight by double digits.

The quick turnaround that most of the fanbase expected when Rodriguez was hired hasn’t happened. I mean, it was an unrealistic expectation. Yes, Rodriguez left WVU as one of the top programs in the country, but this is a whole new era of college athletics.

There’s name, image, likeness, the transfer portal and conference realignment. It’s not the same as 2007. There’s the Curt Cignetti argument, where he went to Indiana last year and instantly made the playoffs with transfer additions. That’s an outlier. That doesn’t happen often, and that’s the case with this year’s team.

There are 70-plus transfers and a whole new coaching staff. The Big 12 is also pretty competitive this year, with teams like Cincinnati and Houston finding early success. WVU is in an unfavorable environment.

That’s not to say there haven’t been highlights this season so far. WVU beat Pitt in the Backyard Brawl in overtime, winning the last game of the rivalry until 2029. Some players have shone, too. Running back Tye Edwards looked good when he played, corner Michael Coats Jr. has been lockdown, and wide receiver Cam Vaughn looks like he’s going to be a star.

Defensive coordinator Zac Alley looks to be a home-run hire. His defense struggles with the big play, but he’s creative and is praised by his players. He’s young and has time to grow as a coach. It’ll be important for WVU to retain him.

It’s still early, too. There are still six games to turn things around, and a lot to look forward to.

WVU could win a couple more games. There are winnable matchups against UCF and when Colorado and Deion Sanders come to town.

But it’ll be less about the wins and more about showing improvement from the bye to the end of the season.

It starts with the offense. The offense has been inconsistent all season, and part of that was because of the revolving door of quarterbacks. With quarterback Nicco Marchiol out for the foreseeable future, Jaylen Henderson not playing well and banged up, it allows Rodriguez to play his two youngsters, redshirt freshman Khalil Wilkins and true freshman Scotty Fox Jr.

If Wilkins and Fox show flashes in the final couple of games, fans can be optimistic for the future and next year at quarterback.

There are a couple of young players on offense and defense to get excited about and to watch. Offensive lineman Josh Aisosa’s already played some snaps, redshirt freshman running back Diore Hubbard rushed 17 times against BYU, and sophomore defensive back Nick Taylor was tied for the most tackles against Utah.

There’s also a chance for a Rodriguez classic upset. TCU, Arizona State, and Texas Tech are all chances for a big upset. Imagine, Rodriguez closes off the season with a home win over the Red Raiders. That’ll get fans hyped for the next season.

After six weeks, the season hasn’t been hot and what fans wanted. But, there’s still plenty to look forward to, too, even if it’s not winning games.

This was always going to be a rebuilding year, and like athletic director Wren Baker said, all he wants to see out of his new coaches, including basketball coach Ross Hodge, is momentum for the next season.

There’s still time to build momentum.